RedCSX1: "What are you talking about? ... If I was running the Club that SHELBY is promoting I would handle it the same way SAAC has as far as inclusion goes."
OK by me, if you are in charge, you might then also create the current lackluster performance. That would allow more of the same ignorance of the total market value of Shel's franchise. i won't be a member of your "club" then, either. Not interesting.
Let's see, the current market value (or capitalization) of all "original" Cobras exceeds a billion dollars. Just how big is the "Cobra" market. Would you believe as much as 10 billion dollars over the next 6 or 7 years?
Understand the upside potentials to Shel' now?
Time and circumstances change. Frankly, Shel' & FORD should pay whatever d'argent to get SAAC in the boat. FORD wants to sell perhaps 30,000 cars a year for a few years, say 4 or 7. Maybe 50,000 per annum.
Are you kidding? Not making the Cobra club inclusive under those circumstances??? Costs nothing, pays for itself. Keep pride and miss an involved Shel' at a high level? Does anyone in the room know the revenue flow from 50,000 units? Or 150,000? At $50K+ each?
Club gross revenues might easily be way way over $1mil+ and each "real" owner gets a handshake and a back-slap with a "my kind of guy!"??? Worth much more than a signature to most of us. He is a breathing legend.
What's real? It either is or looks like a Cobra. It either is or looks like a Shelby Mustang. Maybe more. We all know about the importance of the continuations, real race cars, original race cars, clones, etc. No problem. You check your wallet and you take your choice and aspire for better next time.
Perhaps Shel' hasn't patted you on the back yet (or maybe you're his best friend), but he is a very charming sucker and even this old curmudgeon was smited (smitten?) with that big smile. After all those years. And I have modest issues from way back, long gone and corrected properly with some "assisance" from friends at the time.
Amy knows of which i speak regarding his charm and it is true. Of course, he can cut to the quick also, but he wouldn't dream of doing that to a potential GT500 buyer, never has and never will. (But, he might err and forget a little. Me too.) He is a great story and a great man.
But, given the market potentials, why should SAAC "keep" stuff away from Shel'? He should simply purchase it "back", whatever and get on with the show. Everyone get off their horse and parlay. It makes sense.
The SAAC owners are tired, IMHO, of the grief and intensity. They can't get it up enough to produce a magazine meeting their own standards. Give them a break. They earned it six ways from Sunday. Others can pick up the mantle and correct the club limitations dictated by both the original "elitism" and the practicalities of establishing the lineage of all the "fine" cars. Including Mustang thingies. But, The SAAC owners must be paid. And respected. By the way, they do not know me and i do not know them, though we met perhaps six years ago for a hello. i have no interest in their business. Never did, don't now and will not in the future.
Look at how long Corvettes have been manufactured and sold. And raced. It is no error that there are many many very excellent Corvette clubs, mags, shirts, events, etc. GM supports the car and dealers.
Just exactly why do you think that you couldn't even give 427 Cobras away in 1967? IMHO, there was a complete failure to comprehend and respect marketing methods and forces in the day and a complete unwillingness by Shel' and FORD to spend the money necessary to keep the car both in production and in the public eye. The result: predicted failure.
Subsequently, SAAC did that work and it yet is still evolving at both FORD, SAAC, Shelby entities/licensees and the various competitors. Ned's great work should be re-paid in full and he ought to be allowed to elect any involvement he might desire regarding authentication services, etc. The man is a walking Winchester.
Just my opinion, but, to stay as is will create a limitation on the Shel' group that might not stand or be tolerated for long. They have a serious imperative to get their arms around this. It is only money and parlay. And promises. In writing. And contracts with witnesses. And cubic miles of
PR. Can be done. Must be done, eventually, IMHO.
Of course it is controversial. And inflamable. And potentially ugly, with tempers, pride, and illicit (and uninformed) 3rd parties with ego-inflated opinions. Say as you might, the fact is that this situation will be resolved either the easy or the hard way, but it will be resolved.
Recall that i watched the 289 racers and buyers get dumped as soon as the marvelous 427 became available and FORD stopped funding races and development of the 289. And then i watched up close and personal while 427 racers and owners got ignored when the GT40 became the flavor of the year. And i watched kit suppliers get bad-mouthed with serious gusto and disrespect, rather than get them under the tent. So, i know the new club will only last as long as it is funded and supported, not a minute longer. Shel' will not supply the funds to keep it going when things are a little slow.
Shel' was bored to death, annoyed by regulations big time, chased by creditor issues resulting from poor financial performance of auto sales, abandonned by FORD, disgusted with Mustangs, and particularly pissed about the whole mess. With that kind of attitude, it is little wonder he wasn't very bright and shinny about the later knock-offs of "his" car design. He quit and abandonned the project, took his marbles and went to Africa. Frankly, i blame FORD's H2, not Shel'. Shel' got no real support after Le Mans and way too many orders.
He is a great man, but not as perfect as us.
Remember the Torino "Cobra". On the other hand, they ought to be members, if they wish.
Shel' perhaps gets bored with smoothness. OK by me. He knows how to spend, too. But, to allow SAAC to withhold original SA documents just isn't going to be taken lightly. Unless SAAC steps up to the plate and find an imaginative solution to accept, misery will follow everyone. The courts are always a loser to everyone, except the lawyers. The court is an assymptote.
In the end, a compromise/purchase will happen. Saner heads will prevail.
Not entirely unlike Rupert's purchase of Dow Jones/WSJ.
And the upcoming sale of the NYTimes to...