[Robert Evans]

Dave,
Yes, Cal and I are now in possession of many more wonderful momentos from the archives of the Rem library, and Bob B. has hours of video tape from our last little "interview". We will be scanning them to help preserve them for later use. You won't believe some of the old letters and photos that he has let us "Borrow". Rem will be spending four days with us at Elkhart next month also, and Bob will have video camera in hand.

From my perspective, it was a known fact that the 427 was going to need a major re-do in order to bring it up to snuff very early into the 427's existance...much more than just a few suspension mods and a stiffer frame. Look at how much different the 427 Coupe was going to be compared to the 289 Daytona Coupe. Cal and Bob are right about the lengthened frame, but the aerodynamics were all wrong as well.

This is what gets me when people talk about the 427: If Shelby American already knew that the 289 body configuration was an aerodynamic disaster (hence, the Coupe), then why would anyone take the exact same body shape and try to make it faster? It doesn't make sense. Put a 427 in it to go faster on the top end, when the 289's were already at the body's speed limit anyway. Rem tried to suggest some sort of modifications to help the 427's handle better than the 289's with leaf springs, but a coil sprung chassis and stronger main tubes were all that they were allowed to do. My interpretation is that the 427 was a compromise between improving on the 289's, and still being a production line friendly car. It didn't take a brain surgeon to determine what needed to be done to improve the 289 chassis.