CSX 3000 Dealer Analysis

[Cal Metal]

I spent some length of time going over the Registry this past weekend and took a look at the distribution of CSX 3000 dealers throughout the U.S.

I will have Ron post something later, as I cataloged some of the data. A couple of things, only 28 states had dealers who sold the CSX 3000 cars and many of them were one time sales. California had the largest number sold--big surprise. Little Rhode Island had seven cars purchased through Tasca Ford of Providence. Actually, R.I. outsold Texas or was tied.

New Hampshire and Maine also had sales. The general feeling you get is that the interest in the cars was sort of a west coast/east coast thing, with a good number of cars being sold there and not in the middle of the country.

The thing that puts these numbers in perspective is that GM sold around 25,000 Corvettes in 1965. The Cobra was, indeed, a rare bird. When you think of all the Ford dealers, which I sure numbered over 6,000 in l965, only 60+ Ford dealers sold these cars.

Also, it seems to me that when looking at the invoicing on them, that these were EXPENSIVE cars. In an era of where people think of nothing spending $40K on a replica, $7,000 to $10,000 was bucket of change in 1965-66. The warranty claims are interesting if not amusing. Repainting a car would cost $250.00; repair dents on hood and paint, $25.00; replace rear end bearings, $88.92; electric fan replaced, both ends of muffler (left) were cracked and welded in, right side exhaust realigned and tie down replaced, front carb leaking fixed and float readjusted, $60.71.

[Ron61]

Cal,

Wasn't Shelby the one who determined what Ford Dealers could sell the Cobras ? I remember being in Los Angles working once and went into a close by Ford Dealer and asked him if they could get a 289 and he told me I would have to go over to some other dealer where SAI had an outlet. He never said it out right but the inference was he wasn't allowed to sell Cobras. I know the Redding dealer couldn't get one at the time but that may be because they were all spoken for.

Ron

[Cal Metal]

Ron:

That would make sense. Many of these car were purchased by individuals directly from SAI, and some were picked up at the Factory. Thanks for the correction.

In my hometown of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a dealer by the name of Grant Williams did have a Shelby Mustang on the floor but never had a Cobra. A good question, though.

[computerworks]

Actually, I remember reading that Ford decided who would be dealers for the Cobra product.

[Bud Man]

Probably a Shelby/Ford collaboration...especially after a few salesmen killed or maimed themselves and/or their potential sale during a test drive....

Bud

[Bob Parmenter]

Cal,
Some interesting numbers.
As for the cost of things, I usually think in terms of the typical family sedan. Mid sixties it was running $2000-2500, today it's about 10 times that, albeit features like A/C are just about standard now. Shelby's current offerings are about 20 times the REAL one's original price . A good replica, 6 to 10 times that, depending. In the mid '60's you could have a 4 bedroom rambler custom built in the San Fernando valley for about $24,000. Today.............what? 20 to 30 times that?

For all that people whine about the price of gasoline, it's only a multiple of 5 or 6.

As for dealer participation, if I recall correctly, it was on a program somewhat like Saleen today. If the dealer demonstrated a "knowledge" of performance cars, and a market, they were "invited" into the program.

[Cal Metal]

A couple of interesting histories of the dealers, too. On one or two ocassions the dealer or the passenger was killed during a test drive. In one case, the would be purchaser hit a telephone pole and ejected the salesman, killing him in the process. The solution by the dealer to the wrecked car was that they made the customer purchase the Cobra.

[terry lee]

Cal,
FYI, if you didn't already know,
Northwestern Ford in Glendale Wi. (on Silver Spring Dr.) used to be the Shelby dealer back in the sixties. I got my GT 350 from them. They had 4 - CSX's, and about 6 GT 350's in the fall of '66 to pick from. Non were selling very fast. I really wanted one of the CSX's but figured that those cold Wis. winters weren't quite right for a Cobra everyday driver. Could have had one for about $5500 as I recall. " Those were the Days!"
TL

[Cal Metal]

The Registry shows 2 CSX 3000 cars being sold from Northwestern Motors. I blitzed though this quite fast and haven't had a chance to go through the Registry and check my math. Take these figures with skepticism until I run through the numbers again.

One of the NW cars mentioned was CSX 3023 (very early) car converted to S/C specs. Completed build was 9/14/66 and invoiced for $7,395.00. The car remained in Milwaukee and was unsold into '67 at which time it was picked up by SAI and delivered to J.D. Ball Ford, Miami on 1/20/67. The original invoice stating $6,145.00 was incorrect and a handwritten note was scrawled across it: "why a comp car at a street price"? The invoice was returned to accounting and re-invoiced to the price listed above.

[Slither]

Galpin Ford in Sepulveda, CA. (which is now the largest and top selling Ford dealer in the U.S.A.) sold Cobras and Shelby Mustangs. In fact, my neighbor bought a used '70 GT 350 off the used car lot! I can remember when they had a roped off section in the show room right in front of the huge glass entry doors with a Cobra sitting right in the middle.

[Blue66]

Ahhhh the good old days ...I couldn't afford one at the time up here in the north east. I did see one at "Robie" Ford in Dorchester, Ma. I went there to buy a 67 Mustang . At the time they were doing 427 set up in them. On the showroom floor was a red 427. They wanted $6800 from what I can remember. My Dad looked at it an was "interested" in the car. Mom looked at it an said it was to small ...She bought a new Lincoln the next week. $6800 was BIG $$$$ back then. If she did buy it, it would be the lowest milage car out there . There were many dealers in Ma. at the time.

Dan

[Cal Metal]

Here are the listings. Sorry about the format, as it doesn't paste the way I designed it. This is a "rough" listing. I will go back and check my work. Just thought you guys might like to see it.



Shelby Dealers for CSX 3000 cars

Dealers State Quantity

Anderson Ford CA 1
Archway Ford MD 7
Ball Ford FL 6
Bohn Ford LA 3
Bolton Ford FL 3
Bordes Mtr OH 1
Bowdwitch Ford VA 1
Broadway Ford KS 4
Brook Ford CA 7
Burns Ford KY 3
City Motors CA 2
Courtesy Mtrs. CO 4
Currie Ford FL 1
Dockery Ford NJ 1
Eger Ford PA 2
Fellini Ford OH 1
Frontier Ford NY 1
Fuller Ford OH 4
Galpin Mtrs. CA 2
Gilboy Ford PA 2
Gotham Ford NY 6
Grappone Mtrs. NH 3
Grillo Ford MA 2
Harr Ford PA 5
Hamon Ford TX 1
Hayward Ford CA 9
Henderson Ford MI 1
Hickey Ford MI 9
Hi-Perf. Mtrs. CA 32
Horn Williams TX 6
Hunt Ford FL 1
Koons Ford VA 7
Larson Ford NY 12
Leslie Mtr. CA 2
Levitttown Ford NY 2
Loftus Ford NY 6
Loud Ford CA 2
Marshall Ford OH 7
McCaffrey Ford NJ 5
Miller Ford KY 1
Northwestern WI 2
Paradise Ford AZ 1
Pletcher Ford PA 9
Portland Mtr. ME 2
Pueblo Ford AZ 1
Reismeyer Mtr. MO 2
Richardson Ford OK 1
Richardson Ford NM 1
Reynolds Ford NY 1
Robins Ford CA 2
S&C Mtrs. CA 11
Schmidt Ford MD 2
Seeyle Ford MI 1
Swenson Ford PA 1
Sexton Ford IL 2
Tallakson Ford WA 1
Tasca Ford RI 7
Tom Payne Eu MI 2
Tonkin Ford OR 3
Town & Country PA 1
Tousley Ford MN 4
Trundell Ford MI 1
Turner Ford KS 2
Universal Mtrs. OH 2
Valley Benz CA 1
Von Steen CA 1
West Ford Sales CA 1
Young Mtrs. NC 2

[Cal Metal]

Here is a listing by State. Again, sorry about the way the post did the format.

Shelby Dealers by State for CSX 3000 Cars


State Dealers Quantity Sold

Arizona: Paradise Ford 1
Pueblo Ford 1


California: Anderson Ford 1
City Motors 2
Galpin Mtrs. 2
Hayward Ford 9
Hi-Perf Mtrs. 32
Leslie Mtr. 2
Loud Ford 2
Robins Ford 2
S & C Mtrs. 11
Valley Benz 1
Von Steen Ford 1
West Ford Sales 1


Colorado: Courtesy Mtrs. 4




Florida: Ball Ford 6
Bolton Ford 3
Currie Ford 1
Hunt Ford 1


Illinois: Brook Ford 7
Sexton Ford 1

Iowa: Walters Ford 1

Kansas: Broadway Ford 4
Turner Ford 2

Kentucky: Burns Ford 3
Miller Ford 1


Louisiana: Bohn Ford 1


Maine: Portland Mtrs. 1


Maryland: Archway Ford 7
Schmidt Ford 2







Massachusetts; Grillo Ford 2
Harr Ford 5

Michigan: Hickey Ford 9
Henderson Ford
Seeyle Ford 1
Tom Payne Euro. 2
Trundell Ford 1




Minnesota: Tousley Ford 4


Missouri: Reismeyer Ford 2


New Hampshire: Grappone Motors 3


New Jersey: Dockery Ford 1
McCaffrey Ford 5

New Mexico: Richardson Ford 1


New York: Gotham Ford 1
Frontier Ford 1
Larson Ford 1
Levitttown Ford 2
Loftus Ford 6
Reynolds Ford 1

North Carolina: Young Mtrs. 1


Ohio: Bordes Mtr. 1
Fellini Ford
Fuller Ford 1
Marshall Ford 7
Universal Mtrs. 2


Oklahoma: Richardson Ford 1


Oregon: Tonkin Ford


Pennsylvania: Eger Ford 2
Gilboy Ford 2
Pletcher Ford 9
Swenson Ford 1
Town & Country Ford 1


Rhode Island: Tasca Ford 7

Tennessee: Herff Mtrs. 1



Texas; Hamon Ford 1
Horn Williams 6


Virginia: Koons Ford 7
Bowdwitch Ford 1


Washington: Tallakson Ford 1



Wisconsin: Northestern Mtrs. 2

[casaleenie]

Funny thing is,,,, Back in the mid 60's, I couldn't afford a Shelby Cobra--- it's 2003 and I still can't afford one.... I'm not really sure what that means -

[snakeeyes]

Cal, that's interesting data. I guess if you could have found one sitting unsold in a Midwest showroom in 1968 you could probably have gotten a good deal. My brother has told me a story to that effect, about an unsold 427 that he saw for a long time at a showroom on the East Coast.

With the growing interest in muscle cars late in the decade, which were typically roomier, cheaper, offered in wild new colors and attached to creative marketing campaigns, it seems like the Cobra was probably perceived by a lot of potential buyers as an overpriced, cramped little car in a sea of exciting American muscle--

Bob

[Ron61]

Interesting figures Cal. There was a used car lot in Los Angles when I was working there that had four of the 428 CSX cars on it and they were listed from $3800 to $5500 and the guy told me they couldn't get rid of them. I was in there looking for a 289 one and he offered me my choice of the 428s for $4200 cash if I would just take one of them off their lot. Dam what a fool I can be. I should have bought all four of them. Then I went in and ordered a street GT-40 and had to cancel that order as the company sent me back East on a problem and they wanted me there for measurments and such. Geez, the more I think about those days the worse I feel for some reason.

Galpin Ford used to run a Thunderbolt at the drags and held the national record for a while with it. I think they now have a special part of their service department that works only on performance cars.

Casaleenie-- all that means is that you haven't gained or lost any ground. More than a lot of us can say.

Ron

[Bud Man]

Wow...Slithers post brought back some memories.

Back when I was just a widdo kid, my best friend's neighbor was an executive at Galpin Ford. He was allowed to drive the Shelby Mustang demos home regularly, and I remember one particular day when he had a 1968 or 69 GT 500 convertible - - as I recall, Grabber Orange and WHITE interior! He offered to take my buddy and me for a ride (we lived near LAX) to the dealership to take the car back in (it had apparently been sold), and drive something else home.

So, I hopped in the back seat, and, top down, we drove to Galpin. Walked through those big glass doors and behold - a Wimbledon White street car, slightly used, a purchase price of about $5900.00, and a big red bow on the hood. As we ogled the car, the neighbor shook his head and lamented that he had to devote this prime floor space to a car that he knew would be taking a bath on... Wanted more GT's but hard to get!!!!

Realistically, back in those days, Hemi GTX's, Goats and Camaro SS 396's were common, the 427 Corvette had just been introduced, and all could be had for a fraction of a 427 Cobra, why WOULD you buy one??!!

Great days. Actually these are better days, 'cause I ain't just ogling one, I'm driving one!!!

Your's in nostalgia...

Bud :

[map]

Ron
I Don't see Ed Hugas & Ed lowther (continental motors) In Pittsburgh ? The Second Cobra was built here in Pittsburgh & and few were sold at continental in Pittsburgh ! I restored CSX-2575 that was delivered to and sold from Continenal . I know it's only a 289 but there were 427s sold there Too... According to Fran Kress there were "a few Glass body Cobras sold or build there "??
He thought my slab body was from continental because it was on CSX-2575 since 1967 or 68 ! But we found that 2 other CSX-xxxx cars have the same body as mine still on the cars..

Still Digging for info!!
mike/map

[Mark IV]

...after the very early days of Cobra sales, when the dealers were NOT Ford dealers but in most cases import of specialty dealers many of whom were friends or known to CS, FoMoCo got involved. This caused the phase out of the non-Ford franchises such as Coventry Motors.

The local Ford district office would propose dealers to SAI that they felt could handle the cars, were in a market area that justified the franchise and who MAY have expressed interest in the product. How do I know? My family had a Ford dealership (since 1919) and the local district office (Buffalo) did not think we were able to fit the profile. Ford had some trouble getting a dealer in Western New York. First attempt was Kenmore Motors, a 260 was sent there and advertised in an attempt to generate enough interest to tempt the dealer (Buss Ryder) to sign on...it was a no go. The dealer didn't see enough volume to justify the investment in time and space. Second attempt, Al Maroone Ford in Williamsville. Two CSX 2000 cars sent, one red, one white. I remember seeing these first hand. The white car went to Cookie Gilchrest, Buffalo Bills running back. I understand he did not keep it long, poor winter usability and he was quite hard on it. Maroone also passed on the franchise.

Understand that this was not a big money maker, the dealer could "floor" two or three regular Fords for the amount one CSX took up on his floor plan line. And this is long before these cars became "legends."

Third time a charm, Frontier Ford in Niagara Falls. The owner had Jerry Hamam, a performance orientated manager and did devote some money to the program. Frontier ran a drag car GT 350 and sold a few CSX 2000 cars plus the 427. We were offered Shelby cars via Frontier for any of our customersd who wanted one, we could buy from Frontier at a discount and resell to our customer. Jerry sometimes let my brother, who went to college in the Falls, "borrow" a GT 350 for a day. He was offered the 427 Cobra but when he went to pick it up the battery was dead, would not take a charge and to replce a street car battery takes some time (Cal, can you find a warranty claim for that?) so no go. Frontier did display a GT40 at the Bufalo Clutch Artists Autorama in 1966! It was the Ford press car that was shuttled around the country for display.

I do not know how many cars total Frontier sold but it was not a huge number. They did fairly well with the Mustangs but I doubt they sold more than 6 CSX cars total.

I had all of the Ford paper work that they sent to prospective SAI dealers until few years ago when someone offered me what I thought was a handsome sum for it.

Rick

[Cal Metal]

Rick:

Great piece and thanks for bringing it up. Very, very interesting history. It really underscores the fact that, as you say, these cars were far from legends at the time.

If you have anything else that would be of interest, rack your memory bank and post it. It must have been a real treat having a family own a dealership in an era that was full of muscle car excitement.