The Peruvian Connection
Shelby R-Models and Group 2 Racers in Peru
© Benito Lores, Bratzo Vicich, Wolfgang Kohrn - April 2006, last updated on April 24th., 2010
Genuine People speak out ....on Ponysite.de "Hello Wolfgang, Searching some information on my doings a long time ago, I just happened upon your page with my name and the 1966 Mustang # 8 listed. Just to provide some input, I ordered this car back in 1966 and brought it down to I ordered and imported two other notchbacks during 1967 built for two local drivers: Arnaldo Alvarado and Emilio Fort. The 1966 I used for some six months and sold it to Renzo Matellini. The person I dealt with at Such e-mails often initiate a new unexpected
Mustang-story for Ponysite and it happened again. We invited Benito to
move a bit closer and lean over this "engine room".
After the Shelby era, I turned first to Lotus
Cortinas and next Escorts TC. Along the way Stuart Turner Ford's
Competition Director asked me to set all service logistics for the Ford
Team during the World Cup Rallye, which I did from Rio all around South
and Central America ending in Puebla or Oaxaca, Mexico. I will list
details at a later date.
After leaving Peru and residing some 10 months
in California ( where my son was born) I headed for Madrid, Spain. In
Spain I programmed, developed and built a small re-assembly plant on the
road to Valencia (Arganda del Rey) this venture was my version of what the
Advanced Vehicle Operations (AVO) was to Ford. This lasted through 1975,
when SEAT realized they could the same at their Barcelona installations.
It was totally self-contained including two Schenk Dynos (U1-16H and
probably a 280 Chassis)
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We'd like to thank Benito Lores for his honour to open his photobook for our club mag first and now on this website. Anybody inviting him for a ride in a Shelby racecar is actually welcome to get more first-hand stories. SAAC has been put in touch with Benito and further research effort has been taken by some to find the remainders of one of the cars and find the others in good hands down there in Peru. Where are these cars today? Trust us you aren't the first one who would like to get your hands on one of them. Still there is some mystery about some of the cars, but all efforts seem to be made to find tidbits of missing information. 5R530 is today (2006) owned by Mike Friedlander, who owns as well the Ex-Martin Birrane T/A Mustang. We put him in touch with Benito to find out more about the history of his car. Mike bought it from classicdreamcars.com some years ago. Value above 225.000 Dollar. Not bad for a 6.000 Dollar car back then. Bratzo Vicich drove the R-Shelbys he owned until the early 80ies. He was a Top Driver in Peru and the R-Shelbys were mostly leading the herd. In the early 80ies he offered them for sale and people were moaning about the asking prices of about 20.000 Dollar. Well, at that time, this was quite high, but seen as of today a marginal amount. Shipping costs were 1200 Dollar extra, which caused additional comments even from SAAC representatives - cars unseen. The R-model Scoop went on, that 5
rich business men had ordered through Benito the R-models. Racing took place
between the cities and villages of Peru on simple roads. A mix between of what
we know as Pikes Peak and Baja California. The other 3 cars were called "restored" by Bratzo in 1984 with fresh paint and blue stripes and a few available R-model parts. SAAC had serious doubts in that fact, when the offer got known. When Cobra Automotives Curt Voigt
gets his hands on a R-Model, there is little doubt, that it will come out
almost like original, with "almost" being a matter of discussion
amongst the more philosophic Shelbians. 5R535
came "home" to the US from Peru as well in 1984. It was shown at the
biggest R-Model reunion at the SAAC 18 in Watkings Glen, then owned by Richard
Morrison. It looks much better today.
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