[bill32]

I recall reading once that when Ford decided to back Shelby's Daytona Coupe project(there being only the the first prototype car at that time), 5 more cars were ordered to be built. But there were complete parts sets ordered for 12 cars. If that story is true, what happened to these other 6 unbuilt cars or their part sets?

 

[Jimh]

That is the first i've heard of that story .As far as i know they were built one at a time .Shelby American converted one to run a 427 ,the car was almost finished when a Coupe was wrecked .They had to take out the 427 and convert it back the way it was.If they had 6 extra spares I think they would have used one of those in an emergency.But with Shelby in the sixties anything is possible.

 

[Russ Thompson]

I'm reading Pete Brocks book on the coupe and so far nothing about this.

If there WERE real parts left over ol Shel would have pieced them together by now and made his millions......Hummmm, maybe he'll do just that after using up all the leftover roadster parts on the cars he's building now

 

[wnstwolf]

Question..

Not that I have any spare $$ to build the coupe right now I would love to do one in the future. Is it possible to order that frame to accept a big block?

I have a PI 428 block and would love to use it in the coupe.. Roadster is all set up with the sb427 and don't want to tear all that to pieces if at all possible...

 

[Aaron Silidker]

I have s shelby book and it makes no mention of this at all. Weird.

 

[2FAST4U]

My understanding is that Ford pulled funding from the Daytona Coupe to put all his effort into the GT40 program to beat old man Enzo at LeManns

2FAST

 

[Daytona]

Didn't McClusky build a few coupes too? If that was the case, it probably would not be mentioned in the Shelby book.

 

[mikiec]

My guess would be that when Ole Shel had his fire sale all remaning parts were also sold. Just a guess.

Mike

 

[Aaron Silidker]

I was just looking at the list of parts and cars for sale at the fire sale and the Daytonas were for sale for around 5k!!! What an investment!

 

[2FAST4U]

Here is an intresting article on the chronology of events with the 289/427 roadster, the Daytona Coupe, and the GT40

Daytona Coupe History

2FAST

BTW - an original recently sold for $4M at an auction

 

[JHamGator]

If 'rumor' is alive, and say ol' Carrol himself is involved.
It might be said that or something like this:
"Yesterday, when I was digging around those old aircraft hangars where I used to build cars in those good ol' racing days, I found these spare parts. I really wasn't sure what they were until I found that dinosuar body of a Daytona Coupe. What do ya think it's worth? After all, I do owe those attorney fees for when I fought the boys at FFR."

How about this scenario???

 

[bill32]

Further to my recollections. I remember in the story I had read that it said something like "a total of 12 coupes were to be built but only 6 were completed....".

 

[Russ Thompson]

Joe, the frame will fit a big block already, it will take a taller hood bubble to make it fit however. The taller 351W, have to tweeked to fit under the hood.

 

[Cardiac]

The way I heard it:

The first car (body) was built in LA, then the next five were done by coach builders in Italy then shipped to the US to be finished up.

The 427 car was proposed by Brock and Shelby gave him a small budget to do one (in either England or Italy - i forget which one)to see how it went - this car went way over budget and was brought back to LA to be finished by Brock and a few helpers. By this time, the shop was crammed full of GT-40s and mustangs, and it got pushed aside and ignored. It was sold unfinished.

Ford didn't really pull funding for the Daytona as much as the GT-40 was just way more advanced and everybody knew it. Once the GT-40's were sorted out, they didn't need the reliability of the Daytonas as a back up any more and they were phased out.

I would really doubt that there were more daytona parts laying around, because the cars were just modified 289 roadster chassis and were hand built - there weren't really any parts to order - most of the unique stuff was hand made as they needed it.

....or so I've read. I guess you'd have to have been there to know for sure. Anybody got Pete Brock's e-mail address?

John

 

[Raddog]

This is a cool article right in the FFmagazine.
http://www.ffcars.com/magazine/vr7.html
Cheers Ray

 

[Russ F]

I think the confusion here is that there were TWO big block coupe projects:

1. CSX 2286, one of the five coupes whose bodies were built by Carozzeria Gransport in Modena, was lengthened 3" and temporarily fitted with an aluminum block 390 engine. It was the last of the six factory coupes finished and was damaged on a trip on a transporter, so never ran with the 390. It only appeared in one race, Le Mans 1965, and with a 289. It didn't finish.

2. CSX 3054, the so-called Model 65 coupe was Pete Brock's planned successor to the six 289-powered cars. It was slated for a 427. There was to be a run of 10 cars. Perhaps this is where the rumor of a run larger than six originated. The project was de-emphasized in favor of the GT40s and wasn't raced. The car does exist and appears occasionally at events as I understand it.

--Russ F

 

[wnstwolf]

Thanks Russ T,,

I have only seen the Coupe at FFR and the hood was off the car. It looked like a BB could be fitted but my concern was hood height as you have already run into..

Someday I can fall off this brige.. need to get through the roadster then the wedding.... then the next toy (I hope)..

jd

 

[Inman Lanier]

"The first car (body) was built in LA, then the next five were done by coach builders in Italy then shipped to the US to be finished up."

If I recall correctly - the first prototype was finalized in LA, several of the others made in Italy, but the last one or two in Amsterdam. 6 total.

 

[bill32]

There doesn't seem to be any question that Shelby had only the original prototype plus 5 more "completed" at the time. Its just this issue with the other possible 6 "unassembled" parts sets that I am curious about.

[ November 21, 2002, 11:27 PM: Message edited by: Bill32 ]