Shelby Europe 1971 Convertible
Owner Rauno Harvima
© Wolfgang Kohrn - Last updated on September, 15th, 2005


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
















Original invoice sold by Kevin Marti to Rauno (www.martiautoworks.com)

 
Rauno Harvima is the proud owner of this ultrarare Shelby Europe 1971 convertible. It was originally built in Dearborn and sent to Bob Ford, a dealer in Detroit. Bob Ford was the Ford dealer, where belgian Shelby-Dealer Claude Dubois ordered all of his Shelby Europes. Claude had a licence agreement with Shelby. 14 Shelby Europes were built with only 2 convertibles known to exist.
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 (bought the car on 3rd. April 1980) from a car dealer in Södertälje named 50-tals Specialisten
Pauli Ala-Kortesmaa, Ville Rajala
and presently since Aug 2001, me - Rauno Harvima.

In 1980 many parts were changed or ripped off: 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 1990ies. 
And the rear end is now a 1:2,75 without lock function. The wheels in the first picture are 15" Cragar aluminium wheels that have now been replaced with original-looking 14x7" Indy Mag-wheels. But those are intended to be replaced with original 15x7" Shelby Cal 500 wheels, as soon as I can locate them. Also the missing original used aluminium intake and used original aluminium valve cocers and also NOS rocker panel moldings and some other moldings were found recently from eBay auctions.

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



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
Obviously referring to the original invoice pictures 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


pic  courtesy Ford Mustang Owners Club of Finland ry

pic courtesy Ford Mustang Owners Club of Finland ry

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