meljr Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 My old Shelby Dodge Dakota pickup fell under hard times and my barn when this pa...st winter's storms had their way with the old structure. Can the little Comanche save the old racer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codymanche Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 whats that thing on the back called Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 You should be ashamed of yourself! :fs1: Why would you ever let a truck as rare as a Shelby Dak weather like that? I would love to have that truck. Did the truck get any damage from the roof falling on it? What number is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 That's a cool little truck. looks like you got lucky,the truck came out pretty good for having a building fall on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakal Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 never seen a dakota like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinkrun Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 :drool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meljr Posted April 18, 2011 Author Share Posted April 18, 2011 never seen a dakota like that. Interestingly enough, I was about to buy a left over 88 Comanche Olympic when I heard Shelby was going to do a limited run of Dakotas, so I bought this one brand new (I had my choice of white or red) and bracket raced it for six years with a fair amount of success. It got to the point that if I went any faster, I would have to cut it up and install a cage, so I just bought a 63 Plymouth Fury, put a 440 in it and put the Dakota in the barn where it sat for the last 15 years. I still have the Fury, it is on it's third 440, the first one is in the fiberglass Austin Healey in the background. That is a scary ride. -meljr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW86 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 looks like there were a few other cool cars under there as well. hope they got rescued and not katrina'd :shake: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyleag89 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 x2 on leaving such a nice truck unprotected for so long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meljr Posted April 19, 2011 Author Share Posted April 19, 2011 You should be ashamed of yourself! :fs1: Why would you ever let a truck as rare as a Shelby Dak weather like that? I would love to have that truck. Did the truck get any damage from the roof falling on it? What number is it? Actually, I'm not (ashamed of myself). There is a proud tradition that old race cars, er truck in this case, are retired behind the barn and cannibalized as needed until some flatlander with more money than sense pays a small fortune to take it away for a concourse restoration. Collectors have more interest in certain models than others, but a documented race history is a bonus that drives the prices up for the rest of us. Shelby has had at least two major transplants and may be one of the longest living heart transplant survivors. He must be within a year of two of being 100. When he kicks the bucket, all his stuff will take a bump. I have another one of his vehicles that he drove 165 MPH around a speedway and then was gracious enough to autograph my glove box. That one I keep in a garage. Anyway, if you really are outraged, tough sh*t, I don't care. Its dirty from sitting around the farm for the last 15 years but rust free and should clean up well enough to be presentable with some soapy water and elbow grease. The barn episode did it little damage -- just some scratches on the roof near the windshield that add character. I still have most of the original parts or at least the Shelby specific ones except for the 175HP 318 V8 and transmission which are long gone. Who knows, I may even race it again now that is out of the barn. I don't think the 3rd member in the Shelby will stand up to the six pac, let alone a 250HP shot of NOS, so I may swap it into the Comanche (the third member, not the six pac). as its already geared for 4.10 and has a locker. Since you asked, mine is #78 of 1,500. Most were red and about a third are white like mine. I have included pictures I took this afternoon of the dash plaque, serialized ID plate and Shelby Automotive plate on the door sill. I am thinking of using the same or similar dash insert on the Comanche and also a few pictures I took this afternoon at the Oregon State Surplus facility of a couple potential future projects. -meljr Don't think there is much left here: This Sno Cat looks like it could go anywhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 To each his own I guess. My Shelby is one of 445 (256 with A/C) cars and it is not numbered. My car sits in the garage while the new cars sit outside. Will my 87 Charger ever be worth a pile of cash? Probably not. That does not mean I am going to let a car with 71K on it sit out in the elements. I have been a Shelby Dodge fan for over 20 years. I had a Shelby Dakota convertible clone that I built from a rolled red Dak. It is just a shame to see one of my favorite trucks rotting away in a field. My screen name should tip you off to my knowledge of the Shelby Dodge era cars and trucks. :waving: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 To each his own I guess. My Shelby is one of 445 (256 with A/C) cars and it is not numbered. My car sits in the garage while the new cars sit outside. Will my 87 Charger ever be worth a pile of cash? Probably not. That does not mean I am going to let a car with 71K on it sit out in the elements. I have been a Shelby Dodge fan for over 20 years. I had a Shelby Dakota convertible clone that I built from a rolled red Dak. It is just a shame to see one of my favorite trucks rotting away in a field. My screen name should tip you off to my knowledge of the Shelby Dodge era cars and trucks. :waving: Friend of mine from tech school is a savant with '80's/'90's Mopars... Here are some of his cars for you: Shelby Omni GLH 275 HP, 401 FTlbs at the wheels on the stock turbo and head. Soon to be changed, will be in the 10's with a full interior on pump gas. His DD: '91 Spirit, 304 HP, 315 FTlbs. On a slipping clutch. His DD in tech school was a grandma looking Sundance Turbo... It was anything but grandma. Only thing that would give it away was the blowoff valve. Rob :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroader461 Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 I always liked the shelby dakota's....there is a white one that is all stock that runs around my neighborhood all the time. When the girlfriend gets tired of her 95 dakota....it shall be mine....it will have a 360 v8 w/a automatic (shift kit installed) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaterjeep Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 I had a Shelby Dakota convertible clone that I built from a rolled red Dak. I've only ever seen one of them before, at a car show many years ago. I might still have pics of it somewhere. He had all the documentation, original window sticker, everything to verify it as an original Shelby convertible. I myself have had the privilege of owning an '85 Shelby Charger that I regrettably sold. At least the guy that bought it brought it back to it's original condition, as I wasn't able to. To the OP, I'm kind of with shelby on this one, I personally wouldn't have let that Dakota sit like that, though I can understand your reasoning as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyleag89 Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 Break out the power washer and the :wrench: and get her back to life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrawombat Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 To the OP, I'm kind of with shelby on this one, I personally wouldn't have let that Dakota sit like that, though I can understand your reasoning as well. If it were actually a STOCK Shelby Dakota that was still in its original condition, I'd be a little more upset than I am about its recent "storage", but it seems to have been turned into a "racetruck" of sorts so, meh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddzz1 Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Is your name really Mel Lester? If so, it must have been torture growing up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigalpha Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 I don't know why, but I've always liked those Omnis. I'd totally DD the turbo Omni. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
streetjeep2.5 Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 I do see a very rusty metropolitan with no glass in one pic, and THINK I see a yellow one with glass next to the barn. Am I right on the yellow one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 I do see a very rusty metropolitan with no glass in one pic, and THINK I see a yellow one with glass next to the barn. Am I right on the yellow one? It looks like a "bullet nose" Stude to me? :dunno: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1986Comanche Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 It looks like a "bullet nose" Stude to me? :dunno: Nope, streetjeep2.5 is right it's a Metropolitan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
streetjeep2.5 Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 It looks like a "bullet nose" Stude to me? :dunno: Nope, streetjeep2.5 is right it's a Metropolitan. the one by the barn also? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimoshel Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 The one on the right side of the shed is a Studebaker. The rusty one in front is a metropolitan, The yellow one in front of the Stude looks like a Metro. Can't tell if they're Nashs' or Hudsons as they both had the same body and only a chrome logo to tell them apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakal Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 in the second photo the car to the right is a kaiser/frasier or a chrysler desoto. my two cents. and it is a rusty metropolitan. on a side note when i was in ventura, california, a chp officer put a hemi in one. all it did was jump down the road. it looked scary to drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
streetjeep2.5 Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 The one on the right side of the shed is a Studebaker. The rusty one in front is a metropolitan, The yellow one in front of the Stude looks like a Metro. Can't tell if they're Nashs' or Hudsons as they both had the same body and only a chrome logo to tell them apart. I ask because my wife has always thought the metro's were neat, and if I had the bucks ..... She wants a 'virtable though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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