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Kram350: Your comment is appreciated.

I suspect most Shelby restorers are spraying the entire car with catalyzed urethane paint (single stage or basecoat/clearcoat) today.  If done properly, the finish of single stage urethane can closely match the finish of FoMoCo's baked enamel.

As far as your concern about spraying acrylic lacquer LeMans stripes over urethane: There shouldn't be a problem, providing the shop lightly wet sands the urethane and uses a fast to medium lacquer solvent.  If in doubt, a coat of sealer/primer after sanding may also be helpful.  Hope this helps... 

Many of us expend great efforts to make the underside of our 1965/66/67 Shelby's "Day One" correct with red primer and drips, body color overspray and blackout paint.  However, we often gloss over (pun intended) having truly accurate appearing paint on the hood, the LeMans stripes, the side stripes (1965), the scoops (1966 & 67) & the trunklid (1967).

Those of us who were around in the early days remember the original finish on the 1965/67 SAI installed parts looked substantially different from the paint on the main body panels which were glossy, baked enamel FoMoCo paint w/ orange peel. 

The reason for the difference is: SAI's paint shop sprayed acrylic lacquer on their "Day One" fiberglass parts and LeMans stripes.     

This "Day One" paint package will allow you to accurately duplicate SAI's acrylic lacquer paint process. 

Package consists of:  1 gallon of Wimbledon White Code M lacquer and 1 gallon of Guardsman Blue Code F lacquer.  Enough paint to do several Shelby hoods, stripes, etc. 

This paint is the real deal, mixed years ago with accurate color formulas and base toners.

Package price is $675, plus UPS shipping to continental USA locations. Very limited quantities.

BID decals for Shelby comp Cobra driveshafts and half shafts.
Concours correct for Cobra Daytona Coupes, FIA/USRRC COMPETITION 289/427 Cobras & 289/427 automatic Cobras.

You get three decals (one for the driveshaft & one for each half shaft).
You also get the proper BID metallic green paint formula.    

Very limited quantity - when these decals are gone there won't be any more.

FREE SHIPPING to continental USA locations. 

$175

The cars ran Goodyear Blue Streak Sports Car Specials... various sizes and types were used throughout the season. There was no racing version of a Blue Dot Goodyear tire made.
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Per the attached photos, the "diamond" tread pattern tires shown in the first post were Goodyear Stock Car Specials.  The old "diamond" tread Goodyears are very difficult to find today.

https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/mi26/lots/r0056-1967-ford-gt40-mk-i/

Nice example! If buyer desires to have it returned to "Day One" condition - drop me PM.  (Over 40,000 hours experience working on original GT40's.) 

Well, we just unmasked the car 6/12/25 after spraying the Guardsman Blue on the Lemans stripes and the door stripes.  It all turned out the way I planned.   My goal was to replicate the way 'ol Shel painted the cars at the LA Airport.  We assembled the car complete with the plastic license plate mounting screw receptacles on each end, measured about 1000 times, laid out miles of tape, removed miles of tape and re-laid tape to what looked right even if it didn't measure exactly right to the 1/16", and painted to have the stripes, and various oversprays on to weatherstripping, inside the hood scoop, behind the bumpers/stone guard/grill support, etc. etc. etc.  It all came out as a correct/imperfect replica of the way the stripes were done in 1965 down to the hard edge of the stripes on top of the wimbledon white, and nothing is buried in layers of clear coat that could be cut & buffed to a glass finish.  We will let this cure, and do a light cleanup of the whole car in the next 30 days at the body shop, and then proceed on the rest of the build.   Finally, there's light at the end of the tunnel on this restoration.  Mark

Congrats on duplicating SAI's "day one" LeMan's stipe paint process, including the overspray in crevices, etc!  Spraying the stripes with acrylic lacquer can yield an even more accurate representation. 

Mr. Gaines is correct regarding the original Hertz gold stripes.  50+ years ago, this powder material was mixed into clear acrylic lacquer to recreate "day one correct" LeMans gold stripes. Few, if any cars are painted with these materials, today.

As a Shelby owner/enthusiast/restorer since the 1960's, l've owned about every SAI related poster made.  This 50+ year old advertisement has been one of my favorites. 

Poster features a real 427 Cobra (unknown serial #) that's custom painted in red metallic. 
The title is a clever play on words:    "FASTEST GUN IN TOWN". 

When it was on display in my shop, it garnered more attention than any other poster. 

Not many of these survived.  Doubtful you will see another one for sale anytime soon.

Poster has vibrant colors and measures 16" by 22".  Please note:  poster has thumb tack holes in corners, some edge fretting and creases from when it was folded and mailed to my paint supply house in the 1960's (see pics).

$275 plus $25 shipping to continental USA locations.

SOLD TO FELLOW SAAC MEMBER.

I've owned about every GT40 poster ever produced.  IMHO, the lighting and shadow effects done by the artist on this GT40 poster are incredible.  The photos don't do it justice.

Poster measures 24" by 36". Excellent condition.  Some small creases at the top right corner (see pics), otherwise perfect condition.

$110 plus $20 for shipping & insurance to continental USA locations.

Excellent condition!  Measures 22.5" tall by 12" wide.  Real deal or your money back. ORIGINAL 60 year old posters like this are increasing hard to find. No thumb tack marks, no creases, no folds, no smudges and no tears.

$350 plus $20 for shipping and insurance to continental USA locations.

Bump up!

Has anyone restored the exterior paint of a 1965 GT350 (or 1966/67) back to how the car ACTUALLY left Shelby American?   

1. Main body sheetmetal with ENAMEL (single stage) paint.
2. Fiberglass pieces installed by SAI with acrylic LACQUER paint.
3. LeMans stripes and '65 side stripes (not logo) with acrylic LACQUER paint.

Many high end Shelby restorations duplicate FORD'S assembly line paint process (overspray, red primer, blackout paint, etc), but the exact duplication of SHELBY AMERICAN'S paint characteristics seems to be lacking.

There's a noticeable, visual difference between Ford's enamel and Shelby's acrylic lacquer: surface texture, orange peel, gloss retention, longevity, etc.   

Most restorers are constantly searching for the smallest of details to set their work apart from others... why not one of the most visible of all:  Shelby's day one paint process?

Owned, driven, repaired and painted Shelby's and Cobras since the 1960s'...

All good points made by several knowledgeable people! 

I assume everyone is draining the oil and replacing the oil filter subsequent to any dyno test or run-in stand?  It makes for a good opportunity to look closely for any alum scarf, metallic particles or water in the oil...

NINE GT40 MKI BRM MAGNESIUM WHEELS FOR SALE:

Two 14" wide (reproduction).
Three 12" wide (original).
Two 11" wide (original).
Two 10" wide (reproduction).

Wheels have been carefully media blasted, baked and coated with PPG epoxy primer to protect against corrosion. This process cost over $1000.   

Wheels came off of original GT40's that raced all around the world, so expect a few small hammer marks and pits.  All wheels are free of any repairs or major damage, with the exception of one wheel with a small repair done decades ago on an inner edge. 

Ready for paint (Gulf orange?) and polishing. 

PRICE IS APPROXIMATELY 1/3 OF THEIR NEW COST!   $7995.

FREE local pickup in Ocala, Florida from 6/30/25 to 7/5/25.  I can store the wheels for up to 60 days. 
If you send a check or use PayPal, I will ship all nine wheels via UPS (insured) to continental USA locations for an additional $595.  Any excess shipping charges will be refunded to you.  No overseas sales or shipping.