Dream Car

[72MustangSprint]

Pantera, Ford GT, but most of all a 1961 Ford Starliner with 401 horsepower 390FE and 4-speed

After seeing this picture Don C posted, I just couldn't move along without commenting. I know This post is for us to list our dream cars and of course, I went right straight to the Ford GT. But...this image has been burnt in my mind for days. Until you see one of these Starliners in person, you just have no idea how far advanced in time this car looked in 1961. This was an era before the big block Fairlanes, Chevelles, GTO's, and the Pony car craze hit. These full-size cars from Ford, GM, and Mopar were the "Best Game in Town" at the time.

I will try to keep this short as I am bad about rambling on!

While in the service I was close enough that I could occasionally visit my home town. The stories persisted that there was a black 61 Starliner Galaxie from a small nearby town that was coming over on Friday and Saturday nights and outrunning everything in sight. All the Roadrunners, SS Chevelle, Camaros, GTO's, Cobra Jet Fords, you name it, they were getting their A$$'s handed to them on a platter. (Plus all the $$ they were losing). After I got an overseas assignment I lost touch with the updates on this car.

Years later I'm at a salvage yard with a friend of mine doing our normal parts "Grazing". While waiting to talk to the owner about a price on our loot, I notice a covered FE engine in the corner. I recognized the block, a cross-bolt 427 block. After a long conversation with the owner, I found out that he was the owner of the mysterious black Starliner. The engine was a two 4bl 427 that was a Holman-Moody built engine. The engine came from a 67 GT500 Shelby that had just come back from the HM shop in NC and lasted a week before the Shelby owner totaled it. Since he ran a salvage yard he bought the totaled Shelby straight from the owner and helped him save his license and stay out of jail. The law frowns on extreme speed and alcohol! He eventually took the car off the road when NO ONE would no longer run him. He had pulled the engine (the one I saw) to put in another car and to my knowledge is still sitting covered in the same corner to this day! And yes I did ask about a selling price on the Starliner or the engine. He replied, "I have more money now than I know what to do with, but I will keep you in mind"!

Don, thanks for posting the Starliner picture and transporting me back in time. OK, now I'm through highjacking your response.  

There was a similar story of a black Starliner in Michigan owned by John Vermeesh ( worked for Ford) running a 427 SOHC motor. My dream car was a white 64 Galaxy lightweight running a Boss 9 engine. It was a drag car and had a pic of it at Milan dragway with the front tires in the air.

 

[Horsin' Around]

Ferrari 288 GTO

You mean one like this?? Not mine. But It belongs to a friend.

image hosting

Never saw a Pink Ferrari before, kind of cool!

Your friend could trade that one plus about a million in cash for a 288 GTO.

 

[Mister 4x4]

I think that pink one might be a kit car.  A Very COOL kit car, nonetheless.  I'd have it. ::thumb::

 

[kulfurs]

1969 Shelby GT 350 Convertible. Maroon with white int. fully loaded but with an auto trans, because I have a bad clutch leg.

 

[71 gbvert]

300 SL Gullwing...with matching luggage and Sophia Loren.

 

[mpbsr]

Ok, just for fun.  If you could have any car given to you, what would you wish for?

Myself, I've always wanted a 1969 Shelby convertible.  Small block, grabber orange with black interior, black top and a  4 speed of course.

Mac

So close.

My dream car s a 1969 Shelby Convertible, big block, red, black interior and top and of course a 4 speed.

 

[Mac]

Ok, just for fun.  If you could have any car given to you, what would you wish for?

Myself, I've always wanted a 1969 Shelby convertible.  Small block, grabber orange with black interior, black top and a  4 speed of course.

Mac

So close.

My dream car s a 1969 Shelby Convertible, big block, red, black interior and top and of course a 4 speed.

Actually I had my chance once at a '69 Shelby Fastback.  Back in 1973, my wife was expecting and we had my Mach and her Pinto.  Needed something with a little more trunk room, so I figured it was time to get rid of my Mach and get a family car.  This was also the time the first oil embargo hit us and gas was at $1.50 a gallon, another reason to keep her Pinto and sell the Mach.  So I took my Mach to the local Ford Dealer and was trying to trade it in.  They did not want it, they didn't want any V8 for that matter.  After arguing with the salesman for a time, he finally offered me $600.  My car had less than 10,000 milles on it and about 2 years old.  Insulted, I told him that I would let it rot behind my garage before I let it go for that.  To drive home his point, he took me to a chained in back parking lot and pointed to one section.  He explained that all the cars in this section were V8's, family rides to muscle cars, all makes were there.  He walked over to a red '69 Shelby fastback, big block with a 4 speed, smacked its hood and said, "Kid give me $1,500 and I let you have this one!"  So there was my chance, but I blew it.  Told him that I was trying to sell one.....not buy one!  I'm still kicking myself over that one!

 

[rvrtrash]

The one that got away. This should be a different thread, but a guy I met through my girlfriend at the time had a Grabber Blue '70 Boss 429. I told him if he ever sold it, I wanted a shot at it. I broke up with my girlfriend and 6 months later found out he had been trying to contact me but my ex-girlfriend wouldn't tell him my number so he sold the car for $2,000 to someone else.

 

[Mac]

The one that got away. This should be a different thread, but a guy I met through my girlfriend at the time had a Grabber Blue '70 Boss 429. I told him if he ever sold it, I wanted a shot at it. I broke up with my girlfriend and 6 months later found out he had been trying to contact me but my ex-girlfriend wouldn't tell him my number so he sold the car for $2,000 to someone else.

Bummer!!!!  Did you ever see this car again?

 

[mpbsr]

Ok, just for fun.  If you could have any car given to you, what would you wish for?

Myself, I've always wanted a 1969 Shelby convertible.  Small block, grabber orange with black interior, black top and a  4 speed of course.

Mac

So close.

My dream car s a 1969 Shelby Convertible, big block, red, black interior and top and of course a 4 speed.

Actually I had my chance once at a '69 Shelby Fastback.  Back in 1973, my wife was expecting and we had my Mach and her Pinto.  Needed something with a little more trunk room, so I figured it was time to get rid of my Mach and get a family car.  This was also the time the first oil embargo hit us and gas was at $1.50 a gallon, another reason to keep her Pinto and sell the Mach.  So I took my Mach to the local Ford Dealer and was trying to trade it in.  They did not want it, they didn't want any V8 for that matter.  After arguing with the salesman for a time, he finally offered me $600.  My car had less than 10,000 milles on it and about 2 years old.  Insulted, I told him that I would let it rot behind my garage before I let it go for that.  To drive home his point, he took me to a chained in back parking lot and pointed to one section.  He explained that all the cars in this section were V8's, family rides to muscle cars, all makes were there.  He walked over to a red '69 Shelby fastback, big block with a 4 speed, smacked its hood and said, "Kid give me $1,500 and I let you have this one!"  So there was my chance, but I blew it.  Told him that I was trying to sell one.....not buy one!  I'm still kicking myself over that one!

I think you need a time machine.

 

[rvrtrash]

The one that got away. This should be a different thread, but a guy I met through my girlfriend at the time had a Grabber Blue '70 Boss 429. I told him if he ever sold it, I wanted a shot at it. I broke up with my girlfriend and 6 months later found out he had been trying to contact me but my ex-girlfriend wouldn't tell him my number so he sold the car for $2,000 to someone else.

Bummer!!!!  Did you ever see this car again?

Nope, never saw it again.. He sold it to someone that lived about 200 miles away.

 

[6972boss]

I think that pink one might be a kit car.  A Very COOL kit car, nonetheless.  I'd have it. ::thumb::

Kit car?? Yea, uh NO!! 75 308 GTP.  Now has a 4 cam V8 with turbo AND nitrous!! Built by the legendary Shelby engine builder/tuner/fabricator Gordon Chance aka "the teenage tuner" he did several modifications to the car. He says it would keep up with a GT40 now. I don't doubt it.

 

[Spike Morelli]

There are a couple cars I've always wanted, but since we're here talking Fords, My top pick would be a '62-'64 Cobra 289 slab-side. I'd keep it as original, and drive it all over the place.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I was lucky enough to grow up with all the great Muscle cars. There are so many false stories out there it is crazy. As far as Shelby he did absolutely nothing. He somehow fooled many for year. Holman Moody was the Ford backbone. When Shelby wanted to do the mustang Henry Ford II ask H&M to send one of the H&M Falcons to shelby so he would know how to build it. Gale Halderman did an interview just before his death and he confirmed that Shelby designed nothing on the Shelby either H&M or Ford. He was a car salesman and failed so bad that Henry Ford II pulled it all in house to Ford after the 66 run. Shelby could not get the Ford designed GT-40 to work but H&M did. 

Even the AC cobra was not thought of by Shelby. The race team in Europe that ran the racing Falcons that H&M built also was first to put SBF in the AC Bristol not Shelby. All he ever did was copy others. He failed with Cobra, Mustang in U.S. Mustang Europa and Mustang Mexico. Failed with Chrysler, failed on his own. But somehow people worship him.
The Boss 429 was not a performance car in any way. It was the least cost for Ford to get the engine in NASCAR. They would not outrun a good 289 in quarter mile with their 13 sec. ET. They for sure did not handle. They had to cut price way down to even sell them. History is so distorted and not real.

I would have to say the GT40 from H&M would be my top pick. Would run forever did not have to wind 9,000 rpm was a torque monster. 

You should watch the Gale Halderman videos and also talk to Lee Holman about the GT-40 before he passes. 

Ford did all the engineering on their cars not some chicken farmer. He never had a wind tunnel and never had a mfg. facility. Ford owned 100% of the Shelby operation in California. 

My 2 cents worth and can all be backed up by actual recordings of Ford and H&M people out there. If you think the movie about the GT-40 was real you are a head in the sand person. Ford came out and made statements and opened up the archives and pulled out all the original Ford designs. Their statement was they understood the film was for entertainment and not for history.

 

[Spike Morelli]

Geeeeeeeezus, Don't water it down, tell us how you REALLY feel about the guy! No matter, I have always had a soft spot for the 289 Cobra Roadsters. Thank you Carrol Shelby for selling them, and anyone else responsible for their being. 

 

[c9zx]

The 289 Cobra is scary fast and with the transverse leaf springs it is a hand full to drive around corners at speed. CSX-7031 Chuck

 

[kcmash]

Me I have a long list of wants, but you asked for one.

1967 Shelby GT500 4 speed in Yellow with black stripes and interior.   Preffered to be in nice daily driver condition, so I could drive it everywhere without worry.

Kcmash

 

[6972boss]

Yup, there goes Dave again.....smoking some funny stuff and trying to convince all of us that CS was a loser. Sell it somewhere else,  will ya??

If you didn't read the topic,  it says what is your dream car, not who is the biggest loser. 

 

[rio1856]

1964 289 AC Cobra. I'd drive the wheels off.

 

[Spike Morelli]

I don't know if this is true, but I was told that the inside of the original Cobra owner's manual states..."Congratulations on your purchase of your new Cobra......and the knowing that, every car on the road ahead of you, is only there because you want them to be."  Right on! That black 289 Cobra is too cool.