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For the next 30 years, the “Blue”
car would only see the road from the
back of a tow truck. After graduating
in 1974, we moved back to Maryland
to start a family and a business. The
Shelby was towed to my new shop and
became a great workbench for rebuild-
ing carburetors. There were no real
plans for it, because it couldn’t accom-
modate car seats and baby strollers.
And so, tucked away in the back of my
auto shop, it was truly “out of sight…
out of mind.”
Our three daughters would soon
take up most of our time and money,
but in 1987 a mid-life crisis emerged.
We decided to restore the “Blue” car.
We joined Shelby American Automo-
bile Club (SAAC), SAAC Group of
Maryland, National Capital Region
Mustang Club (NCRMC), and Mus-
tang Club of America (MCA).
SAAC-18 inWatkins Glen was our
first convention. Our restoration was
“in progress” and we wanted to check
out other Shelbys. We met Carroll
Shelby, enjoyed and compared cars in
the concours and popular vote shows,
and watched a crazy-fun vintage race
with real Shelbys.We got to know a lot
of people within SAAC MD, who of-
fered advice, stories and friendships.
The hook had been set.
In 2003 we drove to Nashville for
SAAC-28. It was our first convention
with the “BLUE” car. We towed it on
an open trailer, with fresh paint in the
pouring rain. We met Carroll Shelby
again, and Dennis Gage from “My
Classic Car.” We won 1st Place in the
Popular Vote show in our class (I’m not
The SHELBY AMERICAN
Fall 2016 30