The truth.
-----Original Message-----
From Howard Pardee [mailto:saachp at snet.net]
Sent: Friday, April 14, 2000 9:13 PM
To: patrick.elliott@attws.com
Subject: Re: Sprite
You wrote:
> I'm trying to track down some information about a Car on E-bay right now.
> I'd like to know if this is Fact or Fiction?
> Could this be forwarded to Carroll or someone who would be able to shed
some
> light on this item?
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=306401332
>
> >From the Auction page:
> "I have this 1959 Austin Healey SPRITE. This Car is Something Else. NEW!!
> All Aluminum 216 V-8 High Preformance, all the way. All Metal Body except
> Fiberglass Hood. Hedders, Spoked Wheels, Body MINT. Looks like a Porche
> Spider which James Dean Owned. New Silver Metallic Paint. Carroll Shelby
put
> this Engine in this car in Great Britian .....All Original inside, Door
> Panels Gauges, Roll Bar, and Original Fiberglass Top which you take off.
> Your friends would take a double take if they seen you in this car !!!
Also
> Shelby Plate on Fire Wall when he put the Engine in the car. Will Deliver
up
> to 500 miles. You have never seen anything like this one. Beautiful
Running
> Car. Also, have an Extra Engine of the same. Any Questions Email me at
> steve5869@hotmail.com GOOD LUCK and GOOD BIDDING !! "
>
> If this is true this is a rare car. if not, Carroll might want to talk to
> him about copy right and licensing issues.
Patrick,
Carroll Shelby sent your message to the Shelby American Automobile Club.
Just when would Carroll Shelby have had time to put an engine in a Sprite
and in England too? It sounds like the 215 engine which is either a
Buick or Oldsmobile (now put into Morgans) which Shelby never had
anything
to do with. If Shelby was installing engines in his spare time in
England it would have been a Ford 289. Ask yourself, why would Shelby
go to England, where he has never had a facility, to do an engine swap
when he has for the last 38 years had facilities in the U.S.?
The Shelby tag on the firewall is probably a reproduction which is
available from a dozen Mustang parts vendors.
Where is the sellers proof of his claims?
Bottom line: Fiction
Howard C. Pardee, Director
Shelby American Automobile Club
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