Shelby Europa 1971 Convertible
Owner Rauno Harvima
© Wolfgang Kohrn, Rauno Harvima - 2001, last updated October 20th., 2010


VIN 1F03M202545 belonging to Harvima Rauno since August 2nd, 2001
















 
Rauno Harvima is the proud owner of this ultrarare Shelby Europe 1971 convertible. It was originally built in Dearborn and sold to Bob Ford, a well-known dealer in Detroit. Bob Ford was the Ford dealer, where belgian Shelby-Dealer Claude Dubois ordered all of his Shelby Europas. Claude had a licence agreement with Carrol Shelby. 14 Shelby Europa were built with only 2 convertibles known to exist. Both are owned today (2005) by Rauno Harvima.
Acc. to Claude Dubois personal records, the grabber green convertible was sold to Autostrade Motors, Antwerpen indicating a name of the buyer of SUTTER.



Rauno tells us something about the history, after it left Belgium:
"The car came to Finland in 1983 from Sweden, where it was registered on April 23, 1976. The Finnish owners have been:
- Arto Sandberg, who bought the car on 3rd. April 1980 from a car dealer in Södertälje named 50-tals Specialisten
- Pauli Ala-Kortesmaa, Ville Rajala
- and since Aug 2001, me - Rauno Harvima.

In 1980 many parts were changed or ripped off like the original engine, wheels, numerous moldings (rocker panel, wheel opening, hood's window side), rear end, body side stripes, seat belts. The top has been changed to a white top in 1982 and again in the 1990ies.
 
The rear end is now a 1:2,75 without lock function. The wheels in some of the lower pictures are 15" Cragar aluminium wheels that have now been replaced with original-looking 14x7" Indy Mag-wheels. But those are again replaced with original 15x7" Shelby Cal 500 wheels.  The missing original aluminum intake and used original aluminum valve covers and also NOS rocker panel moldings and some other moldings were bought  from eBay auctions in 2004.

The exterior color is now a slightly darker Ford Forest Green Metallic compared to the original grabber green metallic exterior color (code Z). 
The original body stripes and hood painting were likely black with black top. 



Here are the informations thanks to the Kevin Marti report (www.martiauto.com)
  1. VIN: 1F03M202545
  2. Body: 76D = Mustang Convertible
  3. Ext Color: Z = Grabber Green Metallic, Ford #5002-A
  4. Int Color (Trim): CA = Black Knitted Vinyl Bucket Seats
  5. Axle: R = 1:3,25 Traction-Lok
  6. Trans: U = C-6 Automatic Transmission
  7. DSO: 48 = Detroit, Michigan
  8. Scheduled Production Date: 10E = May 10, 1971
Original US-dealer from where the car was delivered to Claude Dubois: 
Bob Ford Inc, Detroit, Michigan and then not....
Obviously referring to the original invoice pictured below on the left this car never went to Bob Ford, but was delivered ex-factory directly to a shipping company called SOPAC Transport in Port Newark. It is assumed that the other Shelby Europas of this batch are delivered the same way. The earlier cars all went first to Bob Ford. It seems transport charges were the reason. The DSO of 48 still indicates that it was a Bob Ford order and initially assigned to his district.


Options as when ordered and came out from the production line:
  1. Black power Top with Glass Backlite
  2. C-6 Select Shift Cruise-o-Matic
  3. Traction-Lok differential
  4. E78-14 Belted Tires (with 14x6" steel rims)
  5. Convenience Group
  6. Power Steering
  7. Power Front Disc Brakes
  8. Ram Air Hood Option
  9. Full Console
  10. Decor Group
  11. Power Side Windows
  12. Competition Suspension
  13. Tachometer and Full Instrumentation Group (Oil, Ampere, Temp)

History pics of changes:

Car after the hood had been painted silver. Pic courtesy Rauno Harvima

Around 2002 without the silver painted hood. Pic Rauno Harvima


Picture courtesy Ford Mustang Owners Club of Finland ry

Picture courtesy Ford Mustang Owners Club of Finland ry

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