Shelby Charger owners

[Ghoste]

I know there aren't many on here but of the handful that are, have any of you tried to take your car to Shleby specific events?  Are the Chargers, well all the Shelby Chrysler products really, accepted in any way at those shows or are you pretty much forbidden there?

[71charger_fan]

I went to the Shelby Dodge Automobile Club national meet back in '92. I felt, at the time, as if my car wasn't really welcome because it wasn't a "numbered" car with a Shelby VIN. It seemed as if those of us that had mere Dodges weren't truly welcome and I never went to another. I think the scarcity of these cars now has probably changed the paradigm and, if I was in the country and there was another meet in the region, I'd probably go.

I don't imagine Chargers/Lancers/Omnis/Shadows would exactly be welcomed with open arms at a Shelby American meet catering to the Cobra/Mustang crowd.

[Ghoste]

That was more along the lines of what I was thinking.  I hadn't even considered the Shelby Dodge crowd snobbing at the regular Mopars.

[moparstuart]

 If you goto a Shelby Dodge Club event you are of course accepted , but if you goto a Shelby America event and are not a ford product you are looked down apon . Shelby himself didnt look down on you he liked the little cars and had an extensive collection of them .  

[41husk]

My first new car was a 1983 Omni/Charger.  It had Charger badges and I think the 1.4 L 4sp.  Not very fast but I loved that car.  Couldn't afford the 2.2 Shelby.  I would love to have another or even the Rampage.  I wanted one of those but it just wasn't practicle   I could have bought a rampage for $1500 a few months back.

[Mytur Binsdirti]

Shelby cars were cool in the day, but that day has come and gone. I've owned a '87 Shelby Lancer, '87 GLHS Omni & a '92 Shelby CSX. The trouble with them is that they always were and always will be red headed bastard baby step children Shelby. Even today, a good gondition "numbered" Shelby car is virtually worthless.

[moparstuart]

Shelby cars were cool in the day, but that day has come and gone. I've owned a '87 Shelby Lancer, '87 GLHS Omni & a '92 Shelby CSX. The trouble with them is that they always were and always will be red headed bastard baby step children Shelby. Even today, a good gondition "numbered" Shelby car is virtually worthless.

beg to differ I sold my 41 k miles  87 GLHS charger for 8k two years ago and now that carol has passed on they have only gone up in value   

[Mytur Binsdirti]

Out of them all, the '87 Omni & Charger are problably worth the most and you lucked out having found the one guy looking for a Shelby who had some money.     

[Ghoste]

So its safe to say they aren't welcome in any way shape or fashion at Shelby shows in general?

[Mytur Binsdirti]

So its safe to say they aren't welcome in any way shape or fashion at Shelby shows in general?

[41husk]

To me it has nothing to do with financial value or future value and everything to do with sentimental value and personal likes

[GordonGriggs]

My mother bought a 1984 shelby charger new in 1984. She bought a shelby clone in 1995 and parked the original one. She still has both of them. The original has not been started since 1995. The clone still runs but is not drivable because it cuts off without warning.

[JB400]

Die hard Shelby enthusiasts probably welcome them,  but I doubt the average Joe shelby owner likes having them there.  I think it ranks right up there with the mustang 2.  They're cool in my book.

[hatersaurusrex]

The average Joe Shelby owner most likely spent a buttload of money on their car, and likely have enough of said money that more than a few of them have had lots of practice looking down on others.   

[thedodgeboys]

Its kinda like the AMC guys showing up at all MOPAR event there not turned away but there not really loved on.   

[Ghoste]

Other than buying and closing them though, Mopar didn't have anything to do with the AMC cars.  At least Shelby had something to do with the Shelby Charger.

[Cooter]

Shelby Charger/omni/etc....Proof that even Carol Shelby makes a few mistakes.

[41husk]

That's your    Iaccoca, and the K car saved Chrysler.  The Shelby option gave the guys looking for that sporty car (the K car was not) an option in the gas rationing market.  The 2.2 was fast for cars coming out in that era.  As far as being accepted by Shelby guys, why would they?  They are not even accepted by many Charger guys

[moparstuart]

That's your    Iaccoca, and the K car saved Chrysler.  The Shelby option gave the guys looking for that sporty car (the K car was not) an option in the gas rationing market.  The 2.2 was fast for cars coming out in that era.  As far as being accepted by Shelby guys, why would they?  They are not even accepted by many Charger guys

 I loved mine owned it from 1989 to 2010 and will own another one when times are better .
My turbo II intercooled 2.2 motor was one Goes Like Hell Shelby

[DC_1]

Did someone say Dodge Shellby Charger.........

[Ghoste]

That actually looks better than some of the stripe schemes Dodge came up with for that car.

[hatersaurusrex]

Other than buying and closing them though, Mopar didn't have anything to do with the AMC cars.  At least Shelby had something to do with the Shelby Charger.

Interesting related side note, the Jeep Wrangler is commonly credited to Chrysler, even though the design was completely done by AMC just before the takeover.   There were a handful of 86 1/2 Wranglers that were built and badged as AMC/Jeep just like the CJ's, and the next year they got the new 'AMC-Less' Jeep logo still used today.    I doubt they'll have any collector value long term but an interesting piece of almost-Mopar history and I've only seen one, ever.

[Ghoste]

Is that something the Jeep fans discuss much?

[hatersaurusrex]

Is that something the Jeep fans discuss much?

I don't know that it's something the Jeep fans are even aware of.   When I was in high school I was into building 4 wheel drives, and I read every mag and publication I could get my hands on.   There was a book in the Public Library (wow, remember those?) that detailed the entire history of the US truck industry from the 1800's up to about 1988 when the book was published.  It had REO's, Marmon-Harringtons, Internationals, you name it.   I wish I had stolen it now, it was full of TONS of great information on every make and model ever sold.    Anyway, that book had the blurb on the AMC Wrangler, and said that only a handful were ever made, and if I remember right they sold very few and the rest got a rebadge after the takeover.   So I highly doubt there's a survivor out there.   Desirability would be low since the Wranglers sucked compared to the CJ's (they went with puny Dana 35 axles up front to cut costs) but it's kind of an oddball artifact if there is one anywhere out there.

[hatersaurusrex]

And a quick search proves me semi-wrong.  There's a thread on Jeeps Unlimited where some guys still have AMC decals all over their YJ's under the hood but none of the guys appears to have one of the elusive 87 (technically an 86 1/2) models that were actually an AMC model.

http://www.jeepsunlimited.com/forums/showthread.php?t=504288

IIRC, they also had Torqueflites, so they're kind of like a Mopar ugly step cousin... kind of like my old Scout Traveller.  Had an IH 304, a Saginaw steering box, and a 727 underneath it.  I still miss it

[Ghoste]

AMC had sourced automatics from Chrysler for quite a while I think.

[DC_1]

Well, hate on the little 2.2 if you want but I always liked the GLHS version since it came out when I was in high school. In that late 80's time frame the Ford guys had the Mustang GT and GM guys had the Z28 and Iroc Camero, us Chrysler followers had nothing but those little $hit boxes to root for.......Even though deep down we knew it was no Charger, Challenger,Cuda or Dart, we missed that era in time and we had nothing else from Chrysler. I mean I still had my 69 Charger which was a 20 year old car at the time and was cool as hell... but chicks like guys in something that was new and had A/C that actually worked!

[Ghoste]

I do too, too bad we couldn't get enough of them together to crash a Shelby American show.

[Cooter]

I heard it was a GOv. Bailout that actually saved Chrysler ...

[66FBCharger]

I heard it was a GOv. Bailout that actually saved Chrysler ...

It was a government loan guarantee that Chrysler paid back in full ahead of the due date.

[DC_1]

I do too, too bad we couldn't get enough of them together to crash a Shelby American show.

According to the web site this pic was posted at someone already did that in a 2002 Shelby America meet in TN.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2263503/1987-shelby-glhs

[JB400]

I heard it was a GOv. Bailout that actually saved Chrysler ...

It was a government loan guarantee that Chrysler paid back in full ahead of the due date.

After they took bankruptcy.  They should have saved us the money and still filed bankruptcy.  
A Shelby is a Shelby.  We don't bash the 75 and later charger on here. Ford Shelby guys will get over it.  Hey, we got the Viper from the deal.

[41husk]

I heard it was a Gov. Bailout that actually saved Chrysler ...

It was a government loan guarantee that Chrysler paid back in full ahead of the due date.

They were bailed out but the introduction and ultimate success of the K car allowed them to pull them self out of debt even ahead of Iaccoca's own estimates.  He was the man responsible for bringing Carol Shelby to Chrysler.  The Omni Charger and Shelby Chargers were a success.  In 83 I went to Jacksonville Fl. to purchase my first ever new car.  The base Toyota corolla was the cheepest thing I could find.  It had no radio and floor mats instead of carpet, and no AC.  I took my new car home to Kings Bay GA, only to get a call from the dealer saying they could not finance me and I had to bring the car back.  I was very depressed and thought a new car was beyond my reach.  I reluctantly stopped at the Chrysler dealer.

[41husk]

I drove the Omni Chargers most basic model it was priced around 4k and had standard tranny, carpet am radio AC and looked much more sporty than the Toyota.  We set up payment through Chrysler Credit, but I was not going to take it home.  I told the salesman to call me when the financing was all approved.  He told me the car was mine and I could take it home.  I explained my Toyota humiliation.  He assured me that would not happen with Chrysler.  I reluctantly took my first new car home.  I paid it off a year later with my reenlistment bonus and have never purchased a new vehicle from any one but Chrysler.

[Ghoste]

Once more on the alleged bailout bankruptcy thing back in the Iaccoca days.  They didn't go bankrupt and the government didn't give them a single penny.  The government guaranteed their loans for them.  Basically they acted as a co-sign for Chrysler with the banks for which the federal government received fees.  Chrysler was able to keep operating, and paid back the loans to the BANKS and paid the fees to the feds.

[DC_1]

Once more on the alleged bailout bankruptcy thing back in the Iaccoca days.  They didn't go bankrupt and the government didn't give them a single penny.  The government guaranteed their loans for them.  Basically they acted as a co-sign for Chrysler with the banks for which the federal government received fees.  Chrysler was able to keep operating, and paid back the loans to the BANKS and paid the fees to the feds.

About.com

"Congress passed the bill 21 December 1979, but with strings attached. Congress required Chrysler to obtain private financing for $1.5 billion -- the government was co-signing the note, not printing the money -- and to obtain another $2 billion in "commitments or concessions [that] can be arranged by Chrysler for the financing of its operations." One of those options, of course, was reduce employees wages; in prior discussions, the union had failed to budge, but the contingent guarantee moved the union"

[Nacho-RT74]

Did someone say Dodge Shellby Charger.........

too much fordish to me

[Nacho-RT74]

and getting back to topic...


WHAT SHELBY CHARGERS OWNERS SAAAY IIIIS...

[71charger_fan]

This Shelby Charger owner says that even after owning it for almost 30 years, I still enjoy it enough to spend three or four times what it's worth to fix it up and get it back on the road.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,75944.0.html

[moparstuart]

here is a sad one 


     http://jalopnik.com/5944323/rare-shelby-prototype-pickup-truck-found-forsaken-in-socal-junkyard?tag=Secret-Cars

[Ghoste]

I was going to say something about that not being a Shelby Charger but I figured someone else would just say that Shelby Chargers aren't Chargers.  Or Shelby's.
That thing would have been cool though.

[moparstuart]

I was going to say something about that not being a Shelby Charger but I figured someone else would just say that Shelby Chargers aren't Chargers.  Or Shelby's.
That thing would have been cool though.

rampages are still  " L " body  mopars and when the cloners make a Shelby out of them they have to use charger front ends   

[Ghoste]

Yeah, as someone who gets sick of hearing that his 67 is a Coronet with a fastback, I'm going to admit I'm a little biased against drawing some of those same platform=same car leaps.

[moparstuart]

Yeah, as someone who gets sick of hearing that his 67 is a Coronet with a fastback, I'm going to admit I'm a little biased against drawing some of those same platform=same car leaps.

yup my plymouths are always nice chargers at least a few times at every show ,

[41husk]

My Daytona is called a SuperBird at least once at every show

[Ghoste]

But hopefully they never suggest you paint it orange and 01 on the doors.

[JB400]

How many ask " How high will it fly?"

[moparstuart]

But hopefully they never suggest you paint it orange and 01 on the doors.

can i get someone to embroider a rebel flag into my convertible top   

[moparstuart]

 

[Ghoste]

I'm sure you can get anything you want on your top.

[41husk]

Or your bottom

[UH60L]

Its kinda like the AMC guys showing up at all MOPAR event there not turned away but there not really loved on.   

We had two AMC cars show up for our mopar show this year.  There aren't many around, it would seem, think the most I saw at any one show around here was about 5.

I think they got plenty of love, but then they also both got a trophy, as we have an AMC class in our show....

[UH60L]

I heard it was a GOv. Bailout that actually saved Chrysler ...

It was a government loan guarantee that Chrysler paid back in full ahead of the due date.

After they took bankruptcy.  They should have saved us the money and still filed bankruptcy.  
A Shelby is a Shelby.  We don't bash the 75 and later charger on here. Ford Shelby guys will get over it.  Hey, we got the Viper from the deal.

"We don't bash the 75 and later charger on here."

Yeah, ok.......(refering mostly to the 4-door sedan......)

[UH60L]

But hopefully they never suggest you paint it orange and 01 on the doors.

can i get someone to embroider a rebel flag into my convertible top   

I bet that would be spendy (and a lot of work).

[UH60L]

But hopefully they never suggest you paint it orange and 01 on the doors.

Less than 1 percent......

[JB400]

But hopefully they never suggest you paint it orange and 01 on the doors.

Less than 1 percent......

I think you ought to make that a full 1%. There are quite a few that would paint anything orange  and put 01 on it. By the way, I'm not one of them.

[Ghoste]

Geez I get at least one percent suggesting I do it to the 67.  I think its likely more popular in some regions over others though.

[JB400]

Geez I get at least one percent suggesting I do it to the 67.  I think its likely more popular in some regions over others though.

Agreed

[DC_1]

If any of you guys have iPods or iPhones, there is a interview with the retired Chrysler Performance Engineering Manager for the Shelby program who gives some pretty good insight into the development of the Shelby Charger. He also breifly discusses some of what he knew about the develpoment of the wing cars for Nascar.

It's on iTunes under Musclecar Place which is in the Automotive pod cast section.

[moparstuart]

If any of you guys have iPods or iPhones, there is a interview with the retired Chrysler Performance Engineering Manager for the Shelby program who gives some pretty good insight into the development of the Shelby Charger. He also breifly discusses some of what he knew about the develpoment of the wing cars for Nascar.

It's on iTunes under Musclecar Place which is in the Automotive pod cast section.

[Ghoste]

I'll look that up today, thanks.