Duane Myers' 1965 Shelby Tribute

     I blame my Grandfather who was a car nut and drug me to all sorts of car shows and swap meets.  I will always cherish the time we spent out at the Pate Swap show back when it was in the cow pasture.  Up and down the dusty or muddy trails (often tripping and becoming mud-clad or covered with in the first hour of being there. Thousands of vendors with trash and treasure. I learned how to "trade and barter" and so much about cars that there was NO WAY I would not have a classic!

 

     Around the age of 11 is when I lost my mind.  It was the days of the Smoky & the Bandit Trans-Am height.  I was on 1960 in North Houston.  Ridding shotgun with my Uncle James.  When out of no where a super rough 1965 Shelby Fastback with open exhaust passed us rattling every window in the truck.

 

     The car had a rough life. It had almost no quarter panels left.  Dirty, Greasy Hand prints all over the front, stripes almost faded off.  The image of the car was BURNED into my mind. I was..in fact..In LOVE.  This was No puppy love I tell you.  I knew then I would have one!

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     I immediately asked my Uncle what kind of car is that?  Him, not being a car guy, got very close. "It's a 1965 Mustang Fastback 2+2".  Years went by and my Love of the Mustang grew.  While others plastered their walls with posters of bands or hot girls, mine was covered with Mustangs.  At a early age I was somewhat if a aficionado and could rattle off specs and options on a particular Mustang like others my age did ball players.

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    Just a few weeks before my 16th birthday.  The last day of August, 1985 was the day.  I had made several attempts to buy a few bondo buggy's and cars that literally needed everything with the $3800 I had earned working summers ever scene the sight of that first GT350, talked out of each thank goodness.  A basic, 289 2 barrel, hubcaps, whitewalls, powder blue with a white power top.  Just 2 grand over my budget...Mom and Grandfather to the rescue!  Pa talked the guy down $500 or more and they pitched in the difference.  Life was never the same.

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     NO, it was not the Shelby I had in my dreams, but it was close for a 16 year old.  I drove he car throughout High School.  Swapped out the intake and carb, bloody knuckles with every lesson. Detailed the hell out of it.  I jacked up the rear of the car and got true-spoke wire wheels (very stylish for the day), and raised white letter tires. A radio and managed a new paint job, same color before it was time to continue my scholastic career. 

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     I should have known something was up.  Mom and Pa had been throwing hints all during my last semester of High School.  "College parking lost are the worst!", "That car sure drinks a lot of gas", "It's sure Hot in summer don't you want one with AC", many more I'm sure.  They had reasoned, with the time I spent on the car, they doubted I would ever open a book in college.

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     I went to help my Grandfather "clean out his garage at work" one Saturday about two weeks before School started.  When I opened the door there was a gently used Toyota Celica.  The car was clean, good on gas and had AC.  I knew what was up.  The deal was struck that I had free storage for my classic as long as I left the keys and took the Toyota....

 

     Let's just say that most folks that spend the time in college that I did have DR. in front of their name.  At any rate I did graduate and start a new career.  I drug the Mustang to Austin and started on it.  Back to Houston, then to Seabrook and back to Houston again.  It was time. 21 years after I parked the car. It's rebirth as a GT350 clone with all the bells and whistles I had dreamed of Blasted out of Classic Mustangs of Houston.  Still lacking AC but loving every second I'm in the car.

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     I have met so many great folks with the car.  Many are now best friends and others I consider family.  I have loved the Mustang People and am honored to be the current President of Space City Mustangs.

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Duane Myers