Shelby and SAAC at Odds

[eljimb0]

Daltondavid,
Thank you for your concerned and thought out post. With regards to me, don't worry. I am as happy and content a person as you will ever meet. I have been in and around this hobby since the 60's when it wasn't a hobby at all ....it was happening.. I believe this hobby could be a lot more fun than it is. I have stated what I believe is a problem. Nowadays all we talk about is what color paint is underneath the perdis bracket, or some scam about a fake car. I'd rather hear storys about driving halfway across the US in your cobra to get to SAAC 43.. The cars seem to be timeless but the owners are getting tiresome and long in the tooth... SAAC leading the way.
jimbo

[shlby66]

yes, I can see why some persons would like to see SAAC reveal all of the
information; most notably the Shelby and Ford serial numbers. For personal
gain.

With all of the fakes, clones, tributes or any other moniker you would like to use for phony cars that are in abundance today; it would only be a matter of time until numbers of these cases would show up claiming to be "real",
borrowing numbers from the internet.

What mess that would be to unravel. An automitive lawyes' heaven.

No thanks. Let SAAC carry on as they have for the past 33 years. SAAC has
served Cobra and Shelby owners and their cars well.
shlby66

[68GT500-Aussieland]

Originally Posted by shlby66

yes, I can see why some persons would like to see SAAC reveal all of the
information; most notably the Shelby and Ford serial numbers. For personal
gain.

With all of the fakes, clones, tributes or any other moniker you would like to use for phony cars that are in abundance today; it would only be a matter of time until numbers of these cases would show up claiming to be "real",
borrowing numbers from the internet.

What mess that would be to unravel. An automitive lawyes' heaven.

No thanks. Let SAAC carry on as they have for the past 33 years. SAAC has
served Cobra and Shelby owners and their cars well.
shlby66

100% agree. Anyone who has a genuine car can see why these numbers arent readily available.

[66GT350PS]

shelby66 has it right. I like clones. Many are well done with upgrades. Even Shelby Autos has done the GT350SR clones (they are not continuations...there is no Shelby American factory any longer). But as long as they are represented as clone, no problem.
Put an open book on the web and what a mess will result. To Team Shelby, I say welcome. But with SAAC picking up the SVTOA club, I do not expect a SAAC/Team Shelby/SVTOA get together soon. But then there are plans for some California fun in 2009...hmmmm. Keep your seat belts on.

[daltondavid]

Originally Posted by 66GT350PS

But with SAAC picking up the SVTOA club, I do not expect a SAAC/Team Shelby/SVTOA get together soon. But then there are plans for some California fun in 2009...hmmmm. Keep your seat belts on.

Damn shame people have to think like this, but it looks that way for now. probably all the same people there anyway, they just will be getting an added Membership bill!!! Lets have FUN!! Right eLjimbO???? Tell Them how it was done in the 60's and How you are going to lead us all to salvation !!

[shelby6t5]

It should be about having fun with your old friends and the new ones you make on the way, but to paraphrase Dorthy, you can't go back to the 60's anymore.
Going back to a few previous posts on this thread, the "Magic" #'s should NEVER be posted or published, period. If someone is that SERIOUS about a car all it takes is a call to a registrar. The 3 times I have had to check on a Shelby, every time I got a quick answer. On the last purchase, Howard was on the phone with me 30 seconds after I popped the rivet.

We need to move on from this tit for tat, who said this and who said that
Some us like to see unrestored cars, others want perfect paint under the "Perdis" bracket (wherever that is)
Others consider clones as the way to have fun and not blow the family budget.
We all have some sort of love for the Marque, that's why we are here.
Move on or move over.

Mike

[rsimkins]

Originally Posted by shlby66

yes, I can see why some persons would like to see SAAC reveal all of the
information; most notably the Shelby and Ford serial numbers. For personal
gain.

With all of the fakes, clones, tributes or any other moniker you would like to use for phony cars that are in abundance today; it would only be a matter of time until numbers of these cases would show up claiming to be "real",
borrowing numbers from the internet.

What mess that would be to unravel. An automitive lawyes' heaven.

No thanks. Let SAAC carry on as they have for the past 33 years. SAAC has
served Cobra and Shelby owners and their cars well.
shlby66

Agreed. While I've at times had my differences with SAAC leadership, this is one area in which I back them 110%. It would be a huge mess for the FoMoCo VINs to be made public. There would then be no way to differentiate the genuine article from a reconstruction or rebody. Given enough time and money, there are those who are clever and skilled enough to build a car that is virtually indistinguishable from the real thing.

[eljimb0]

I am happy to read the calls to "keep this all fun". The sun is shining brightly here in Portland this morning. I just got back from a banzai run to Starbucks. Its funny, some people don't notice your car at all.... you are just another 4 wheeled thing on the road ..white one, grey one, brown one, white one, And some people drive off the road looking... Two young girls followed me into my driveway a while back.. (I am an almost 60 Y.O. certified old fart) All they wanted to do was walk around my car and touch it.. Neither of them asked me if it was real. Neither of them would have had a clue whether the carburetor was in the trunk or in the back seat. In their innocence they knew exactly what this hobby is all about.. This shiny blue rumbling "thing" was something very special. Something that too many of us have completely forgotten.

With regards to the serial number thing.. Basing anything on the coincidence of these two numbers being kept together for 40 years is silly. I have watched too many things happen with my own eyes to give it anything more than a passing nod.

Hide your car .. or flog it ...your choice

Snakepit who posts here, could tell you more about your car in 5 minutes than most Shelby owners would want to know. All SAAC can do, is tell you if the numbers match each other.. I could send those numbers in a first class US Mail envelope to any barn in North America for a 41 cent stamp..

[65gtfastback]

Basing anything on the coincidence of these two numbers being kept together for 40 years is silly. I have watched too many things happen with my own eyes to give it anything more than a passing nod.

Presented 2 early Shelbys to choose from, you would make no distinction from the one with San Jose Kcodes that matchec SAAC records (a clue) as opposed to one with Ccodes

Now I realize that more goes into looking at a car than just verifying numbers but I see no reason to skip over that step.

[shelby6t5]

"With regards to the serial number thing.. Basing anything on the coincidence of these two numbers being kept together for 40 years is silly" <El Jimb0>

That's where you are dead wrong. SAAC has kept that information intact for all these years. The Ford & Shelby #'s were written in ledgers and I have held the 65 Ledger in my own hands, under the watchful eye of Rick K. In very neat penmanship (a womans, if I was to guess) the Ford # and its corresponding Shelby #, along with other pertinent details are on individual lines, recorded when the cars were produced. It is a real, historical set of documents, not some flight of fancy.
Sure, there are plenty of guys who can tell what is and what is not legit, Jeff is among the best. If you are going to call your car a Shelby, you have to start somewhere - the #'s matter. The original parts matter. A cars provenance matters.

Mike

[shlby66]

The Marque begins with the "numbers" and a lot of other things come along with those numbers. Being called a Cobra or a Shelby means that it was produced by Shelby American, Inc. A very important aspect in establishing
legitimacy as well as the recording of each car's history. The result of the
forementioned items results in the pedigree. And that results in value.

Seems to be a difficult premise for some people to accept. But most of us seem to get it.

SAAC has worked hard and long to keep the stringent standards in place that have kept the Marque protected and the result speaks for itself. Some of the
most popular cars ever and the rather high values they command.
shlby66

[shelbnut]

Maybe we as club members can have more control over the future of these clubs based on our attendance to events. If no '63-'70 Shelbys and Cobras show up to Team Shelby's events they might have second thoughts of the dismissal of SAAC. Or SAAC limited their event to pre '70 model Ford powered vehicles only. This wouldn't be good for either club, be necessary at the beginning to reach a true teamship between the clubs. Dued to limited vacation or family time commitments it could be difficult for enthusiast to attend 2 National Events (depending on location) per year. But, lets face it other than the cars names we as owners of the early Shelby American cars have more in common with vintage Camaros, Cudas, Javelins, Vettes, Jags and Ferraris No computer managed engines and airbagged steering wheels.

RussT

[shlby66]

First, SAAC is not a Club. Has not been one since 1987, when it became a private business. We are really not club members as such; rather one could
say we are subscribers, much like a magazine subscription.

Secondly, I doubt if SAAC is all that interested in all of the wildly speculative
verbage that has been bantered back and forth on these pages and others.
Their silence says the have more important things to do: working on the
registery, planning for SAAC -33 and other tasks they deem important.

Thirdly, I assume SAAC will contine on as before; business as usual, regardless of new entrants ( read: Team Shelby or others ) that appear
on the scene. Remember, Americans love choices; the more the merrier.
There are several choices now. So affiliate yourself with the organization of your choice and don't be too concerned about the other ones.
shlby66

[daltondavid]

http://saacforum.com/index.php?topic...;boardseen#new

[rsimkins]

After reading the press release and letter I'm left with a couple of questions: 1) where do we go from here (should we as individuals contribute to the defense fund), and 2) what impact dose this have on the forum name (will the forum have to desist in using Shelby's name)?

This is serious stuff. I'd thought that the records would not have to be returned, but it seems that they may have to after all. It all depends on who wins in court. The deeper pockets usually wins.

It also now appears that the registry is in jeopardy. So far a lot of hard work has gone into it and I've been planning on getting a copy. I'd hate to see that go to waste. One option might be to put everything (except FoMoCo VINS, those need to be kept under wraps) in the public domain. Not sure if that is possible or even legal with the pending litigation.

[Snakepit]

As an observation I offer the following.

I find it interesting that no one is calling for a boycott of the new club, autographs or Shelby cars and products by anyone. When Ford was sending letters of demands to Mustang shops we saw articles and forum posts everywhere.

Just an observation.

BTW has anyone heard if Shelby will or is going after the Museum also? Makes sense as the next step in the process.

Just a thought.

As for SAAC I haven't always been supportive of all the "leaders" or choices but over all the benefits have always been greater. Returning the "information" would likely mean that the invoices that were found and related information could no longer be used but all the updated owner and history would still belong to SAAC. Hard to say who's info would be of more importance. Understanding of the importance of all the info sure proves, at this point, what Shelby's intent is.

Glad I never spent the $$'s to get someones signature on my car..... would just ahve to get it removed or painted over

[GT350DAVE]

Originally Posted by rsimkins

After reading the press release and letter I'm left with a couple of questions: 1) where do we go from here (should we as individuals contribute to the defense fund), and 2) what impact dose this have on the forum name (will the forum have to desist in using Shelby's name)?

This is serious stuff. I'd thought that the records would not have to be returned, but it seems that they may have to after all. It all depends on who wins in court. The deeper pockets usually wins.

It also now appears that the registry is in jeopardy. So far a lot of hard work has gone into it and I've been planning on getting a copy. I'd hate to see that go to waste. One option might be to put everything (except FoMoCo VINS, those need to be kept under wraps) in the public domain. Not sure if that is possible or even legal with the pending litigation.

Roy,
The Registry is not in jeopardy. This is a strong statement that the owners like ourselves who are into the cars built by Shelby American are not going to be pushed aside. Sign up with www.saacforum.com and continue the good you have been doing.
Dave

[GT350DAVE]

Originally Posted by daltondavid

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Remember what Amy Boylan posted above in the other thread. I am sure she would not lie to us.

Things really aren't as they appeared. Maybe Amy was deceived. Why else would she have made such a recent public statement?
Dave