Messages

I learn something new every day. I have never heard of a desert radiator option.

I had an old post on the thing and then it all went dormant over Covid, practically forgot I had it (though not entirely).  Now it has resurfaced to haunt my dreams.

https://www.saac.com/forum/index.php?topic=1347.msg11334#msg11334

I have the desert radiator with Rex rads over in East Dundee to go over it.  They have been in business since 1909 according to their website.  I plan to use the rad in the Shelby because it is from the day and rare even though no Shelbys ever came with the Ford desert radiator option.  My reason to use it is one day I'll be gone and I can state within a high degree of certainty that the rad as a stand alone will get thrown out by my son while going through my possessions.  Better to have it in the car so when he sells it (I have no doubt he will as fast as he can) at least the next owner might discover its rarity in the car.  Sort of an Easter Egg for the next owner down the line. (If anyone even cares at that point given our current very strange trajectory on about everything in this world.)

Three core from Ford in 1966 for a Mustang???

Going to have the desert radiator gone through and if it passes with the radiator shop, then why not use it I figure.

Thank you for your suggestions.  I am considering both options. 

My aftermarket rad (three core so fan spacer has already compensated for thickness) has breathed its last.  Not worth repairing according to the rad shop (of which there are very few rad shops these days I might add).  Looking for suggestions on a replacement.  I looked at ACP three core as a possible viable solution.  Made in USA out of California.  I do also have that never used original 1966 desert radiator mothballed but hesitant to use because a. extreme rarity and b. apparently modern-day rads will outperform it.  More a conversation piece than anything.

https://youtu.be/5d40zr1S18w?is=GInbLpyAgbgLRxS9

Interesting background on the genesis of the Cobra through AC.

Arrived at the Tail of the Dragon late night for an eerie drive in the Boss 302. No one up front, no one behind, no street lights, no cross roads or driveways, no traffic lights. Just pure winding mountain road in the best car I have ever driven.

[hot, cramped with no amenities like A/C or radio.]

I do not recommend this car. I have personally driven this car. I found it to be hot, cramped with no amenities like A/C or radio. Albet I drove it for only 1/2 lap at Willow Springs at about 30 mph from turn 6 where it was being photographed for a Sports Car Graphic article back to the pits. It was a fresh McClusky restoration at that time. Later CS used it as collateral to buy the building at Las Vegas Speedway. He was behind on the payments and forced to sell it to pay off the building. When we took it to Willow Petersen had to put a million dollars of insurance on the car. I think CS got 4 million when it was sold.

LoL!

A cool clip I ran across sharpening some images of the legend and his Cobra.

Amazing that they all survived intact. Thanks for posting!

The 3rd place car seems to be the only one to survive unscathed over the years.

1015 raced only 4 times and wore 5 different liveries. Completed in January 1966 (with a white livery with a black hood) right in time for its first race at Daytona. Starting from the pole it won the first 24 hours race for Ford. Next was Le Mans. 1015 almost won its 2nd race and should have won it if Ford didn't try to stage a 1-2-3 arrival. It was painted light blue with white stripes and orange flames on the front fenders.
Resprayed red with silver stripes it was sent to Daytona for some intense testing. For the 24 hours of Daytona in 1967 1015 was repainted to the Shelby colors ( dark blue with white stripes) but retired with transmission problems. In preparation for Le mans in 1967 1015 was modified to Mk2B specification by Holman & Moody and entered by Ford France with a white livery with blue stripes.
It crashed during the race and was sent back to the States for repair by SAI (Shelby) then was stored for a few years at H & M. It was later sold to a private collector, changed hand several times and it's now restored and wears its 1966 Le Mans livery.

Finished in white with a black hood, 1016 went to Daytona for its first race in January 1966. It retired experimenting a new automatic transmission. It was sent to Sebring, with a new gold livery, where it finished only 12th, this time with brakes problems. Still in gold but with a pink "moustache" it raced at Le Mans in June 1966. It came 3rd completing the success for Ford.
In 1967 in a gold livery with no trims it was sent to Daytona for some testing to finalize the Mk2B configuration along with 2 other Mk2. After this test it stayed at H & M for a while and was donated in 1970 to the Harrah's museum in Reno. Sold to a collector in 1983 it is now restored to its 1966 Le Mans livery.

1025 along with 1030 1035 and 1036 was used by Shell Oil for its advertising campaign in 1967. It was sold soon after to a private collector and changed hands a few times. The car has been seen in different magazines over the years (Motor in 1968, Hot Car in 1974). Crashed in 1976, it has been rebuilt after a long restoration.

My dad and I had a ride in 1015 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1994. I recall the owner was Brian Mimaki who owned some floral business in California. Great guy and he was there with his dad I think.

Amazing that they all survived intact. Thanks for posting!

He said the garage door was opened when it was running.  But in the clip where the car was running the door looked pretty down to me.

I noticed that too.
Since we're on air quality and garage safety I wonder if Richard will recognize the overspray in my unventilated spray booth - er garage....

The color looks somewhat familiar!

I bought my BOSS 9 from a woman whose husband died in the car when he was breaking in the engine after a rebuild. It sat for many years until she finally decided to part ways with it. She said she heard it running about a 1/2 hour and it stopped. He didn't shut it down, seized from a spun bearing.  But yet we all do it at times.

Your story is wild!  Do you ever on occasion catch any strange vibes from the car?

Be safe.