TransamEd
Registered User

There is a lot mixed up in the first posting. Fact is that the 5R539 that Claude Dubois raced at 1967 Le Mans was a real Shelby. Most parts of it were later taken out of 5R539 and put in a Hardtop for at least one race, then returned to 5R539 and its roof cut off, since hardtops were homologated in that period. The racing and body work incl. maintenance of 5R539 finally fell together with some underfinanced capital situation of the company and the controller of Dubois enterprise pulled the trigger. (as he puts it himself in his book) The rest of the story of 5R539 has lots of facettes and details that go beyond the published registry. As many longtime Shelby enthusiasts know there is always a hidden registry entry behind a published registry entry as it is a snapshot in time of what is known. It is true that a registered car is around in Belgium. To understand what registered means, you need to read the preword in the SAAC bible. One of the facts is that a Mustang hardtop with the same wiper set-up as pictured in Le Mans and Spa was sold to 3 germans as a race team with custom papers of 5R539. I have copies of those and pics from the car from the original owner. This hardtop was later in the 80ies scrapped, confirmed by the owner and his racing mates. The 5R107 story is a complete different one that was captured by previous owners and even on Colin Comers former website 5r107.com (which has disappeared unfortunately) only partially. With about 17 owners or more there are still many, many details to cover. But at least it has left little doubt about its chain of ownership and is now in Switzerland.

Wally, the "running" Mustang II was made and finally built with a rolling chassis by Dearborn Steel Tubing and talented designer and fabricator Vince Gardner worked on that one as he did on the Mustang 2 seater. Gary Witzenburg gives some insight into the history in his book "The complete story of America's Pioneer Ponycar". Acc. to Bob Frias research (in his book Mustang Genesis, (page 99-109) the tag X 8902-SB-208 was put on one of the early Mustang prototype bodies, which were built after April 1963. But this one rather in August 1963. Witzenburg called it a pre-series protoype already in his book. The modified 1963 1/2 Falcon chassis itself was just used for taking dimensions before being returned to Ford for something else acc. to Bob Fria. First pictures of the running Mustang II in the styling studio were done on Sept. 19th, 1963. Hope this helps. Mark Gustavsons future book on the X-bodies of Ford and L-M may also give some more insight, when he can finally finish it. Browse for the Lynx project and you find his website. The Mustang II was owned by Ford, later donated to the Detroit Historical Museum, later rented to the Owls museum. More in Frias book.

Just wrote an article on a Hertz restoration (in the 6 digit range) for our club mag. The guy who did the restoration is quite well known. The original is the Bronze Powder paint 380S und 360s from Dupont and the procedure/mix etc. is explained in the SAAC bible. As I learned the disadvantage of this is that the Bronze Powder has varying results due to the ingredients of this paint that settle always different. If you compare several unrestored Hertz Shelbys next to each other you may see it. Most later paint jobs used the incagold approach (Du Pont 43496-AM Inca Gold Metallic) However today in many areas you have to face that a waterbased laquer/paint is the only way you can go and spraying others not allowed. Therfore the best way is to get an original (not too much exposed) paint chip or whatever you can get hold of and have it analyzed and matched to a modern waterbased color. Frankly the original gold is in my view a bit too dark and yellowish, but if you want to go concours taste is out:-)

Seems I was a bit too fast in posting. Need to look into this cars history first to find out about that VIN ..684 on the shipping papers and car. Another mystery folds up. Takes some more time.

It turns out 7R01K164684 - after checking with a few owners - is still around and it is not a converted 68. So the mystery about the 8F01D164684 VIN origin (with no Marti records about those 68 VINs being available) is back on the table. But those VINs were carried by the 68 "bodies" racing in 68.

And more on #1033 http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20322/lot/434/

It was on sale in 2011 at Canepa. Pic from CANEPA website I wonder how many Scuderia Filipinetti GT40s (aside from #1033 and #1042) are around or Performance Cars LTd. (founded and financed by Filipinetti) sold. Have a pic showing one in front of their shop in 1966.

..6 years later, but anyway a response is never late... Yes it is raced by them as a Daytona Coupe and they still have the nostril body lying around.

There is also a picture of the engine bay on Fran or rather his sons Hernandez facebook page. Stephen Strange once told me what happened to the car or chassis or engine, but need to dig for his answer...stay tuned. I forgot.:blink:

Maybe a few pics will enrich this thread? From a club member who was there last year.