Bill Hamilton Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 After 40 years of Mustang ownership I’ve guess you might say I’ve reached the pinnacle of Mustang ownership. I’ve owned a couple of really nice Mustangs over the years to include a 1970 428 Super Cobra Jet Convertible many years ago, a few 5.0 Mustangs, plus a 1970 and 2003 Mach 1’s. I’ve always wanted a Shelby. I can recall looking at a 1966 GT-350H, a 1967 GT-350, and a 1969 GT-500 back in the 70’s and they were always just beyond my reach. My wife had gotten my 2003 Mach eight years ago. I really loved the car as well as having formed an emotional attachment because of her buying and surprising me with the car after I returned from Iraq in 2003. I told her recently only a Shelby GT-500 bought by her could ever replace it. I was joking, thinking that will never happen. I should have learned many years ago never joke with a serious woman and my wife is a serious woman. She had taken me window shopping for new Mustangs on a recent late Monday evening after dinner as we have done many times over the years to just pass the time. We were considering getting her a new 2011 Mustang V-6 with a glass roof and since you don’t see many V-6 Mustangs equipped that way I figured we’d have to order one. We usually time it so the dealerships are closed as we window shop in the evenings. Only this time, they were still open. She asked me if I liked the silver 2011 Shelby GT-500 with black stripes sitting in the showroom. I said yeah that would lessen the pain of losing the Mach if I ever got rid of it in a joking manner knowing I couldn’t. She turned to the salesman and said, "We'll take that one", pointing to the one of the showroom floor. She started dealing with the salesman about a trade for my Mach as I sat there speechless thinking I was in a dream. When he offered the standard wholesale trade-in price she twice told him it wasn't enough. Finally she said, make it another thousand and we got a deal. He went and talked to his boss and came back and said, “I can't believe it but he said okay”. I just sat there in shock and then she whips out this huge cashier's check and gives it to the salesman telling him to get it ready and we'll pick it up in the morning as it was late and the service department was already closed. He said we’ll do the dealer prep and it should be ready by noon. I don’t think I slept a wink that night as I was afraid to close my eyes, oversleep, and miss my Shelby pickup time. The next morning I think I must have called every 30 minutes from 10:00 on hoping it was ready early. They took their time and cleaned it up well and by noon it was ready. Just like my 2003 Mach she had surprised me with eight years earlier; I never drove the car till after it was bought. For those unaware, the Shelby's are programmed with an alternate calibration and won't rev over 4000 rpms until the car has been driven 5 miles continuously or had 50 engine start cycles. I knew about this but still thought, "What a dog", as I drove to my house to get some additional paperwork I had forgotten. I live six miles from the dealership with the last mile being through my neighborhood. On the return trip as I turned out of my neighborhood onto the main highway, I was shocked at the sudden dramatic increase in horsepower. It felt like an additional 300 horsepower were living under the hood. It's going to be a slow learning process but I'm willing to learn. My wife said the Shelby was a 30th Wedding anniversary present as we have it coming up next Valentine’s Day. I just know I’ll treat her like a beautiful Princess and love her for the next thirty years … and that goes for my Wife too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
09 Red GT500 Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Wonderful story! You have a great wife! Welcome to TS and congratulations on the new Shelby! Have fun and be safe... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
springer Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Great story. You have a wonderful wife. Enjoy your new ride with many years to come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Canfield Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Hi Bill! I was wondering when you'd make it over here. (Can't believe you got rid of the Mach 1...) For those that don't know, Bill is activ emilatry (obviously) and also participated in the 24 Hours of LeMons as part of Team Infidel. I'll let him post up those pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Hamilton Posted October 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Hi Bill! I was wondering when you'd make it over here. (Can't believe you got rid of the Mach 1...) For those that don't know, Bill is active military (obviously) and also participated in the 24 Hours of LeMons as part of Team Infidel. I'll let him post up those pics. Holy Smokes John, you're everywhere! I've still got a Mach1, the 1970, so I'm still one of the older group on the Registry. You guys ain't getting rid of me that easy. Our cars brought us together but our friendships keep us coming back. My 2003 Mach 1 was the best Mustang I had ever owned. I couldn't image Ford ever doing a better job and I've owned Mustangs since 1970. However in 2011 Ford seems to have hit the Trifecta, the Powerball, and won a Triple Crown all at the same time. I test drove the new 2011 V-6 Mustang and could not believe how well it rode, handle, and performed, plus gets over 30 mpg on the highway. After reading and hearing about the new 5.0's, I was scared to try one as people told me I'd want to trade in my Mach 1 to own one. The Shelby was one of those things you only dream about. Well the wife must have been peeking into my dreams as she did it all to make sure I became a new 2011 Shelby GT-500 owner. These new Shelby's are such amazing cars they are beyond discription. The power is linear just like in a jet. The further you push the throttle up, the faster it goes. There is no feeling of the "four-barrel" cutting in or "getting up on the cam". It's there full time all the time. You can't shift this car by ear. It hits the rev limiter too quick. It accelerates so quickly, I'm afraid to take my eyes off the road to look at the tach. If someone wants a new Shelby my advice is this: Sell your son into slavery, your daughter into prostitution, dump your house on the market for whatever you can get out of it or rob a bank, but get the money anyway you can as it will be worth it to own and drive. I never thought I'd get rid of my 2003 Mach 1 but now I'm even contemplating selling the 1970 Mach just to buy gas so I can drive my new Shelby even more---- OMG What a car!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cali_KR Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Welcome Bill, Congrats on your new car, congrats on your upcoming anniversary, but most importantly, congrats on having such a wonderful wife. And welcome to TS, lots of good folks and info here.. BTW, love the color combo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Canfield Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 Bill, How coudl I not be here. You know what a Mustang nut I am, and this is a good place to enjoy that and more. I'm very happy for you and I hope you're really enjoying the new car, and I wish your wife coudl understand that I'm like an (older) son to you, and should get much the same treatment (I'll settle for a GT-350 or a Boss 302) as you. I enjoy seeing you (and your very cool wife) at the shows, and who knows, maybe I'll get to Carlisle this year!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
11GT500AL Posted October 21, 2010 Report Share Posted October 21, 2010 Congrats on the new car! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MY500SS Posted October 21, 2010 Report Share Posted October 21, 2010 What a fantastic story and wife you have Bill, thanks for sharing (story) with us. Congrats and welcome to the TS family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigsnake Posted October 21, 2010 Report Share Posted October 21, 2010 Congratulations on the GT500 and a wife who knows whats good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V-8 Vixen Posted October 21, 2010 Report Share Posted October 21, 2010 Your wife has great taste!! Wonderful story, Bill, thanks for sharing it! And congratulations!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGT0128 Posted October 21, 2010 Report Share Posted October 21, 2010 Once of the best story's I've read in a while. Enjoy your new car and welcome to Team Shelby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mywickedshelby Posted October 21, 2010 Report Share Posted October 21, 2010 Thats a truly wonderful story Bill, thank you for sharing it with us. Congrats on your beautiful new Shelby. Welcome to the Forum Happy Anniversary to you and your wife. and lastly.... thank you both for your service! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burning Blue Star IV Posted November 1, 2010 Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 awesome story...thanks for sharing it. That definitely put a smile on my face reading it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DubbsFaris Posted November 1, 2010 Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 Bill two things: 1. Thank you for your ongoing service to your country, and US, and welcome to the Team Shelby forums. I hope to see you enjoying this car for years to come! and 2. Thank your wife for all of us for giving us all a great heart warming story! Love like that isnt conveyed in words, and those are actions of a woman who really loves you. You are lucky to have such a great car, but even luckier to have such a great woman! Congratulations on having BOTH! Warren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old school Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 Ahh, Bill,....you found the cool Shelby site finally !! Can't wait to see the new ride @ Carlisle !!!! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGT/SC#0471 Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 Truly wonderful story...welcome to TS.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Hamilton Posted November 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2010 Ahh, Bill,....you found the cool Shelby site finally !! Can't wait to see the new ride @ Carlisle !!!! Chris Thanks, Chris. I'll most definitely have it at Carlisle next June as I've already registered and planning my trip. To the rest of you guys, Thanks for the welcome. My 2011 Shelby GT-500 is the most fantastic Mustang I've ever owned. What's hard for me to believe is how easy it is to drive as a normal daily driver ... as long as you stay out of the throttle (a difficult job at best, LOL). You drop down a gear or two and it leaps forward like Saturn V Rocket booster. You keep it in 5th and 6th gear and it returns fuel economy that is better than my very first Mustang back in 1970 with a 302-2V engine. I'm getting better than 16 mpg in my daily commute which is 7 miles of city with 4 red-lights and 3 stop signs. I've made one short 200 mile road trip and got 22.5 averaging nearly 80 mph on the interstate. A truly fantastic car, WOW!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herpony68 Posted November 3, 2010 Report Share Posted November 3, 2010 I wish my husband had wanted the GT500. We are owners of three shelby's and earlier this year I also surprised my husband and took him window shopping for and bought instanlty the car he wanted. Unfortunately it was (gasp) a challenger. LOSER. I told him it is grounds for divorce. Please harrass him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herpony68 Posted November 3, 2010 Report Share Posted November 3, 2010 Oh, and welcome to the forums! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hispony Posted November 3, 2010 Report Share Posted November 3, 2010 Don't you have work to do ? :P Congrats & welcome Bill ! ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old school Posted November 3, 2010 Report Share Posted November 3, 2010 Don't you have work to do ? :P Congrats & welcome Bill ! ! Thats a LOT of tough driver choices you have in the Barn!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Hamilton Posted November 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2010 Oh, and welcome to the forums! Thanks and that is one impressive barn full of Mustangs you have there. I've only enough room on my "ranch" for two Mustangs at a time. My other one is a 1970 Mach 1 I've had for a number of years now. Thanks again for the welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaronlstiles Posted November 8, 2010 Report Share Posted November 8, 2010 From a fellow shelby Owner, and a fellow Air Force Brother, if you ever decide to sell that 70, Please let me know, I have an open Spot next to My 08 KR, Love the White 70 Mach, I also owned a 03 Mach 1, one of the best cars I ever had. I have regreatted selling it from day one! Hope you enjoy your new Shelby. Let me know on that 70! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myersusaf Posted November 8, 2010 Report Share Posted November 8, 2010 That is the most awesome thing ever! Enjoy the ride! Side note: How do you like Charleston? I recently applied for a SOLL II job there but i had to pull my application because i didin't have a Class 3 flight physical done . Maybe some day i will make it there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Hamilton Posted November 8, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2010 From a fellow shelby Owner, and a fellow Air Force Brother, if you ever decide to sell that 70, Please let me know, I have an open Spot next to My 08 KR, Love the White 70 Mach, I also owned a 03 Mach 1, one of the best cars I ever had. I have regreatted selling it from day one! Hope you enjoy your new Shelby. Let me know on that 70! The '70 is my time machine. My first new car while in college in 1970 was a Grabber Package Yellow Sportsroof Mustang. I also had a 1970 428 SCJ Convertible in the early 70's for about four years. When I drive my '70 Mach I feel like I'm eighteen again, I just wonder who that old gray-headed SOB is in my rear view staring back at me (LOL). It also makes me want to look for a Sunco 260 station and get some of that 104 octane from back in the day for 35.9 cents a gallon again. The '70 Mach will probably be a part of my estate when I "raise the handles and punch out " for the last time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Hamilton Posted November 8, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2010 That is the most awesome thing ever! Enjoy the ride! Side note: How do you like Charleston? I recently applied for a SOLL II job there but i had to pull my application because i didin't have a Class 3 flight physical done . Maybe some day i will make it there! Charleston's terrific, everybody in airlift wants to be here. I'm a "VFR / CAVU" kind of guy in my old age and don't do the "nightlife" like in my younger days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2010KonaBlueGT Posted November 10, 2010 Report Share Posted November 10, 2010 My wife said the Shelby was a 30th Wedding anniversary present as we have it coming up next Valentine’s Day. I just know I’ll treat her like a beautiful Princess and love her for the next thirty years … and that goes for my Wife too. Hmm. One of you is in the US Army and the other one is AF (or is that a Space Command flight suit..can't see yer patch/s)? I'm surprised one of you doesn't kill the other one! lol I live in a Military town (Co. Springs, CO) and all of my buds are retired Military. The AF guys love to make sure and tell the Army guys how spoiled the AF E&O's (and NCO's) are! I"m just curious (and if you don't answer, I understand)...what's yer rank and MOS? You a flyboy? I LOVE Military aircraft. Get to see everything in the AF/USN fly out of here including the F/A-18's and F-22's. The occasional A-10, F-16 and even a F-4 on a rare occasion (also have a small air show). Heck, at last years AF/Navy game we had a couple of F-117's in the air. Saw a B-52 circling Cheyane Mtn. (NORAD) one time too at about 5K AGL over the top of it. My biggest thrill is seeing a C-5A Galaxy comin' in low and slow. Did I say I LOVE Military aircraft? Well, I do! lol Anyway, welcome to TS forums, Phill Pollard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Hamilton Posted November 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2010 Hmm. One of you is in the US Army and the other one is AF (or is that a Space Command flight suit..can't see yer patch/s)? I'm surprised one of you doesn't kill the other one! lol I live in a Military town (Co. Springs, CO) and all of my buds are retired Military. The AF guys love to make sure and tell the Army guys how spoiled the AF E&O's (and NCO's) are! I"m just curious (and if you don't answer, I understand)...what's yer rank and MOS? You a flyboy? I LOVE Military aircraft. Get to see everything in the AF/USN fly out of here including the F/A-18's and F-22's. The occasional A-10, F-16 and even a F-4 on a rare occasion (also have a small air show). Heck, at last years AF/Navy game we had a couple of F-117's in the air. Saw a B-52 circling Cheyane Mtn. (NORAD) one time too at about 5K AGL over the top of it. My biggest thrill is seeing a C-5A Galaxy comin' in low and slow. Did I say I LOVE Military aircraft? Well, I do! lol Anyway, welcome to TS forums, Phill Pollard Actually the wife and I are both Air Force. We are full-time Air Reserve Technicians and both CMSgts (E-9). She's a Group Medical Administrator Superintendent and I'm a C-17 Loadmaster Squadron Superintendent. I'll retire in about a year and she's a few behind me. I've always been an airlifter and have a little time in C-130's, C-5's, and a lot in C-141A's, C-141B's plus C-17's. It's been a great life and allowed me to enjoy many Mustangs over the years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theseeker Posted November 11, 2010 Report Share Posted November 11, 2010 Great story and thanks for sharing it with us. Congrats and enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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