PoFoMoCo's 1971 Shelby Europa build October 2022

[Bill Perkins]

Nice Car, keep up the Awesome Job

 

[James Bond]

I think it's pretty unbelievable that you found all these parts and that they are in such good condition, well done!

 

[Sheriff41]

Any update on installing these parts?

 

[PoFoMoCo]

Any update on installing these parts?

Not yet, but I have an update on some Shelby Europa specific upfitting, which required some creativity and a healthy dose of dumb luck! Some may consider this part of my build extreme, but it falls in line with my goal to have a correct, accurate and genuine "Shelby" equipped version of the 1971 Europa convertible.

I located a quality vendor in Georgetown, TX to fabricate a pair of custom metal identification & data plates for my build. In my conversations with Dr. Harvima, he advised every Shelby Europa received a pair of Claude Dubois metal identification plates in the engine compartment during the build process. Even though my plates are not original, they are stamped the same way as the original metal plates. These plates do have my car's data, but my VIN isn't part of the original Europa production records supplied by Shelby, Dubois and Ford Motor Co. These records have been thoroughly researched and verified by Dubois, Dr. Harvima, Wolfgang Kohrn and Rick Kopec @ SAAC and are now included in the 2014 SAAC Registry. No doubt, even though my car will have these plates, these records ensure my car cannot be misrepresented as an original.

Here are a couple of pictures of the original plates referenced from Mustang Monthly (May 2005) and the European Mustang websites located @ mustangdrivers.be and ponysite.de as well as a picture of my plates.

 

[Sheriff41]

Wow, those plates turned out amazing! Your dedication and research to build an accurate tribute are paying off! I look forward to seeing detailed pictures of the finished product.
You know at some point you're going to have to put all these parts on the car, right? How'd your hood turn out?

 

[PoFoMoCo]

How'd your hood turn out?

Unfortunately, no paint on the hood yet. My normal painter moved to his own shop about 2 months ago so I'm waiting for him to catch up. Once we get set to paint, it should roll pretty quickly. We know the Ford 3314-A light pewter metallic paint will be a challenge but I feel like it's very doable. He's painted all of my cars so I really want him to do this one as well. Fortunately, I'm not in a big rush. The hood is still off the car, it makes it so much nicer to work in the engine compartment without the hood on the car. This is a long time planned project, I started planning this build many years ago so to have the car in-progress is pretty special.

LOL - yes, the Shelby engine parts will go in as I continue to work thru the engine detail. The ram air stuff, the Cal 500 wheels, the Personal steering wheel, the Cibie lights, and some of the Shelby emblems and badging are on the car.

The engine compartment is coming along, but I still have allot to do.



I also have some plans for freshening up the interior. My dash, seats and door panels are all original and are in amazing shape but I want to do a deep refresh, restore/add new carpet and fix allot of missing detail that was overlooked during the Rick Hendrick restoration prior to the 2014 Barrett-Jackson auction.

Yesterday, I pulled the console and console plate assembly. I'll make them nice, add my @TheRktmn restored clock assembly and complete the silver paint pen detail work on the console plate. I'll set it aside for reassembly after I pull the seats and carpet. I don't think the carpet can be restored, but I may try a deep clean and re-dye before I buy new carpet. All good problems to have.

As you know, its been very hot here in Texas this summer. Lubbock has had 30 (+) days of over 100 degrees so I'm not in the shop as long. No air.... I need to add a mini-split A/C system or a Big Ass fan. LOL But, we've spent allot of time in the pool!

 

[PoFoMoCo]

A quick update on my Europa build, it's been a minute since I updated this thread. Unfortunately I am way behind my original 2023 build timeline as Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years holidays were fantastic, but very, very busy. Add-on I've been travelling and chasing a unicorn 1965-66/K code/4 speed coupe project and I have neglected the convertible in the process.

Plus, the convertible has posed a few surprises of its own!! Many of you may remember my car was owned by Rick Hendrick. In April 2014, he sent my car through Barrett-Jackson in Palm Beach. My PO who knew very little about Mustangs in general and even less about this car specifically, just knew he wanted a nice Mustang convertible. My PO stated the blackout treatments, hood stripes and hockey stripes were vinyl. A couple of calls and emails with the restoration shop later I learned the current light pewter metallic paint, blackout lower rockers and valances and the hockey stripes were done summer 2013. I even managed to score some pictures of the car being worked on during the paint process. Unfortunately (odd... but in this instance it applies) the blackouts and stripes are not vinyl... they are painted on!

So there lies my dilemma. Do I wreck a very expensive paint job, removing all the painted black hockey stripes and blackout treatments and respray the entire car for my Europa build on a silly whim? Do I stop the Europa build and just color match my light pewter metallic on the hood and spray the hood blackout? And, with the well documented problems with correct hood templates and the hood blackout dimensions I've thought about using the Boss 351 hood blackout as a possibility.

I have an appointment this next week with my painter and we are going to discuss all the options. Luckily, the car does not require any rust repairs or sheet metal work. As I sit today, I am 75% Team Europa and 25% Team Boss 351. It wouldn't take much to reverse the Europa bolt-on parts and interior mods but then I'd be forced to buy another convertible to do the Europa build LOL! All good problems to have, I have been driving the car allot and have enjoyed cruising the neighborhood with the grandkids.

Here are a few shots of the last few Europa add-ons to the rear of the car. I added the SHELBY callout letters. I chose stick on letters and have the original pin on NOS letters stashed in the parts vault. This completes the tail end of the car with the hand fabricated gas cap, '73 rear bumper guards and the SHELBY lettering.

 

[tpj71mach]

I love the Europa theme but would have a problem respraying a nice paint job to eliminate the stripes. That is a tough decision to make, I don't envy you. I am sure which ever path you choose it will look great when you are done with it.

 

[Stanglover]

Color matching Light Pewter Metallic can be damn near impossible unless your painter is extremely good and willing to try more than once.
My car was painted back in the 2013/14 winter. In June 2014, I was in a show cruise when a cop, directing traffic, backed his fat ass into the back right quarter panel. His gun belt put a foot long gouge into my brand new paint job. The police paid for the repair, but refused to pay for a total paint job. (maybe I should have gone through insurance instead). The car went back to the same painter with the same can of paint, same spray gun and a different result. In some lights, it's not noticeable, but in strong sunlight, it sticks out like a sore dick. I had also considered repainting my hood because, and not the painters fault, the blackout is too far back from the front edge. I decided to leave it as is. Besides, no-one notices except us hard core gurus.
As for your car, I'm glad I'm not in your shoes. I'd say do what would yield the highest value.

 

[Sheriff41]

You'll make the right choice and we'll all be here waiting on updates!

 

[72MustangSprint]

Buy a rust free vert and keep your car the way it is if you want. I’m not telling you how to spend your money but I’d have a hard time redoing it.

 

[PoFoMoCo]

Color matching Light Pewter Metallic can be damn near impossible unless your painter is extremely good and willing to try more than once...

Yes you are 100% right about that, probably one of the hardest colors to match. As you know I swapped the flat hood for a NACA hood with all original ram air components sourced here on this forum. I really want that hood to work so I am committed to using the NACA hood on this car no matter what direction I go. Matching the new light pewter metallic hood paint to the rest of the car is going to be challenging. If the hood paint is way off, the stripes, rockers and lower blackout treatments may not be salvageable. Since I am committed to the NACA hood, the only other option that allows me to save the existing paint is to minimize how much pewter paint is on the hood. That is one reason the Boss hood blackout is a tempting option. That's a huge, long, flat hunk of metal and I just don't think it's going to play well in bright lights or sun. But, hey it's only time and money, right?

 

[PoFoMoCo]

You'll make the right choice and we'll all be here waiting on updates!

Thanks Chuck!

I love the Europa theme but would have a problem respraying a nice paint job to eliminate the stripes. That is a tough decision to make, I don't envy you. I am sure which ever path you choose it will look great when you are done with it.

Thanks Tom!

Buy a rust free vert and keep your car the way it is if you want. I’m not telling you how to spend your money but I’d have a hard time redoing it.

Got any good leads? LOL Thanks Joe!

 

[72MustangSprint]

This is the only nice one I saw for sale recently

 

[PoFoMoCo]

This is the only nice one I saw for sale recently

Yes I saw that one as well. Nice

 

[72MustangSprint]

You could always ask C Walker if he wants to sell his stripped vert

 

[Lazarus]

My vote would be for trying the boss hood treatment. I’d have someone (a reputable, diligent someone) try to match the pewter at top of the fenders and of course the boss treatment means the small strip of paint wouldn’t jump out if not perfect. I suppose you could try to get fancy and blend a little to the top of the fenders, but I wouldn’t.

Otherwise you’re tossing what sounds like a good paintjob.

I have one vert with the mach 1 blackout and one with the Boss, so I think that probably makes me somewhat impartial…

 

[PoFoMoCo]

You could always ask C Walker if he wants to sell his stripped vert

Chris's convertible would be a great build but I think he has plans for that one!!

 

[PoFoMoCo]

My vote would be for trying the boss hood treatment.... I have one vert with the Mach 1 blackout and one with the Boss, so I think that probably makes me somewhat impartial…

Thanks Mike. You can be impartial, your cars look amazing. I actually showed by wife a picture of your car so she could see what I was talking about when I told her the Boss hood blackout was a possibility.

 

[72MustangSprint]

Chris's convertible would be a great build but I think he has plans for that one!!

Based on seeing his garage in person, he probably could use the space created by one less project car