In a message dated 7/10/2005 11:56:29 AM Pacific Daylight Time, jonlee@wt.net writes: > Alot of its members are racers who love to race and push these Shelbys to > the limit. Remember that it was "RACING" that gave fame and > recognition to these Shelbys Jon, 1) "Alot of its members are racers"--Are you referring to vintage racers (especially those running vintage purpose-built race cars), or "just us folks" who enjoy HPDE events? There's a WORLD of difference between HPDE & REAL racing, eh? And how many of us can afford the budget it takes to vintage race, and also are willing (financially &/or emotionally) to put multi-hundred thousand (or multi-million) dollar car at risk actually racing it competitively? And--how many RACE cars did Shelby build, and thus how many people could possibly own one, even amongst those who DO have the financial capacity to do so? 2) "...it was "RACING" that gave fame and recognition to these Shelbys"--to a certain extent (OK, to a significant extent--at the time, "back in the day"), that's true. BUT, many of us also lusted after these cars all our adult lives just because we ALWAYS wanted to OWN & DRIVE them. And--how many RACE cars did Shelby build & sell, and how many STREET cars? At least when it comes to the GT350/GT500 cars, (a) production & sale of the STREET cars was what made production & racing of the R-models possible. I take my cars, old and new, to HPDE events because I love to drive them the way they were designed & built to be driven...which,done on public roadways today, is also a quick way to lose one's insurance, and probably one's license, eh? ;>{D I've enjoyed taking 5s003 out on the Speedway (SAAC 27 & 30), at Thunderhill, at PIR...and I've enjoyed HPDE events with my 66 Hertz, 94 Lightning, 95 "2-top" Cobra, 00 R-model, 88 notchbacks, 65 clone, 02 SVT Focus...WTH, I'd run my diesel tow rig if it'd just turn in half-way reasonably without destroying the front tires, eh? Of course, part of my *attitude* here, especially in #2, "could" be a result of having 5s003 more or less blown off by too many of Shelby's "protective circle" at the last couple events I've taken it to where Shelby was present. Even though 003 is the FIRST GT350 (according to Chuck Cantwell, and he should know, eh?), which--at least, to a "few" of us--gives it *some* historical significance, it hasn't been worth "disturbing" Mr Shelby to allow me to even ASK him about standing next to it for a photo &/or autograph...at least, according to the folks who sell those little "right to an autograph" tickets, &/or manage the annual Xmas party in Boulder.... Dave
