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 1967 Shelby G.T. 500 Convertible

 

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Home » Factory Paperwork » 1967-08-02 Shelby American Task List
 
 
Document: Notes / Task List (3 handwritten pages)
Date: August 2, 1967
Author: Shelby American, Inc.

 

      To be d?????         H.O. SMITH      Wednesday Aug 2

Latest   Smith Have Copy
   ^ DZUS Stud now 2" long exposed length = 1.75"
               to bottom of conn or 3/8" longer than original

    Give Smith Print of Convertible Roll bar Tie Down

 

 

 

 

 

Ford Motor Co.

  See Don Jensen about using 302 & 428 Engines
  for Emission Test
Ask Coleman about work order for Cougar XR7S
Ask Coleman about nameplate bezel L-M div.
Elrico are working on wheel renderings
Talk to Leahney about wind tunnel test.
check on two kinds of front seats one for console one without.
Talk to Coleman about 428 Supercharged for C.S.

 


 

Talk to Ford Motor Co.
   D.S.O. 8008 - 428  Air-Auto-Fastback
     Get OK to build as Preproduction.
       Borgen would like 20 or 30% in
        Sept. has held off until Oct

 

Doug or
Boyd Horn.
J. Kerr  People Problems
    "    location problems
    "    move problems
    "    Going away party (use of club in L.A.)
    "    Protection for Hood & Rear Deck Lid
    "    1968 GT500-No Spin axle
Coleman - Check on personalized nameplate bezel.
J. Kerr  John Chun with us, styling or
        A.O. Smith
    "    Emissions Problems
    "    Roy Emergency Travel
    "    Tee-Handle Gearshift Casting. who makes

      

 

  John Nojor?? - See about John Chun

 


 

Smith Personnel

  Get model number of motor on sliding roof.

  Are Smith going to make installation drawings?

  Telefunken or Blaupunkt radio for Cougar XR7S

  Front Fender Extensions & Hood on Cougar XR7S

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Analysis of this Document

"H.O. Smith"? Was the author just not fully informed as to the actual name of the company that was about to take over production of the Shelbys in just a couple weeks?

DSO 8008 is not an actual DSO number. Pete Disher suggests the author is actually referring to DSO 8D2508, which is the 8th DSO for 1968 model year cars.

"Coleman" is Don Coleman - he was also referenced on these handwritten notes.

A luxury Shelby Cougar? Indeed! It was long-known that the 1968 Cougar XR-7G program was initially assigned to Shelby, but this document taught us that Shelby American (Los Angeles) was involved at least as early as the spring of 1967. It also enlightens us that this performance cat was originally going to be named the XR-7S ("S" for Shelby), and like its Mustang-based G.T. sibling, the Cougar XR-7S was to receive fiberglass body styling modifications, including fender extensions and a special hood to set it apart from Ford's regular production Cougars [these may be what item #5 of the VanAkin letter references].  We've found other documentation that tells us a 428 with dual 4bbl carburetion would be available on the XR-7S.

In October 1966, Ford stepped in and took control over ordering and engineering at Shelby American. Six months later in May 1967, Ford decided to terminate the Shelby Program. By the time the performance cat would have entered production, Shelby was no more; the "S" suffix reference was dropped and the special 1968 Cougar model was named the XR-7G ("G" for Gurney) -- after all, they already had promotional pictures of Gurney posing with the XR-7S photographic car, and they'd previously used his name for the Dan Gurney Special. The fiberglass fender extension modifications and the European radio never made it to the production models. We know at least one 'prototype' example of the XR-7S was built and a second one built for Henry Ford II. The HF II's XR-7S still exists. Hopefully someday our continued and relentless research will uncover some concept sketches of the XR-7S -- that would be a great day!

Cougar XR-7 G Prototype Emblem
Cougar XR7-S Prototype Fender Emblem
from Shelby American, circa spring 1967
Photographed by Super Ford Magazine, 1980
Cougar XR7-G Prototype Emblem
Courtesy of the estate of John Chun, 2012
(John worked for Shelby American & Shelby Automotive)

 

See Also: Activities by SA Ionia, Memo to G. MacFarlane and Letter to Ken VanAkin at Ford

 

 
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