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Why were so many '66 Company cars green?

Discussion in '1965-1970 Shelby Mustang GT350 & GT500' started by TJinSA, Aug 28, 2005.

  1. Aug 28, 2005 #1
    TJinSA

    TJinSA Well-Known Member

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    Someone has to be able to answer this question. I seems when ever there's a company car, i.e. Lew Spencer's, Carroll's, etc. in '66 it was Ivy Green... Could they not move them (sell them)? They were finally "rolling in the green"? There's got to be a story there, even if it's just a small one.
     
    TJinSA, Aug 28, 2005
    TJinSA, Aug 28, 2005
    #1
  2. Aug 29, 2005 #2
    rshelby

    rshelby ShelbyForums Admin Staff Member

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    Re: Why were so many '66 Comapny cars green?

    My dad drove this one as a company car when it was new. He later found it and bought it in the mid 90's. At least I'm almost positive (99.9% sure) it was a company car. I'll try to ask him later this week to see if he has any insight.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2006
    rshelby, Aug 29, 2005
    rshelby, Aug 29, 2005
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  3. Aug 30, 2005 #3
    roddster

    roddster Well-Known Member

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    Re: Why were so many '66 Comapny cars green?

    Even the Factory Paxton prototype (1 of 1,GT 350 S) was that shade of green.
     
    roddster, Aug 30, 2005
    roddster, Aug 30, 2005
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  4. Oct 24, 2005 #4
    TJinSA

    TJinSA Well-Known Member

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    Re: Why were so many '66 Comapny cars green?

    Thought I'd check back to see if there any new information-- sorry for the hiatis, like most of America, I, too, have been on the move.
     
    TJinSA, Oct 24, 2005
    TJinSA, Oct 24, 2005
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  5. Nov 7, 2005 #5
    Power Surge

    Power Surge Member

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    Re: Why were so many '66 Comapny cars green?

    Green was a pretty popular color back then. I really have no idea why. Not my cup of tea, but obviously lots of people liked it in the 60s! :)
     
    Power Surge, Nov 7, 2005
    Power Surge, Nov 7, 2005
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  6. Jul 26, 2006 #6
    rshelby

    rshelby ShelbyForums Admin Staff Member

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    Patrick Shelby, my father, whose car is pictured above, couldn't recall any specific reason why, but thought that it was the least desirable color at the time. They may have had extras because they weren't selling well. His brother Mike also drove a green one.
    Randall
     
    rshelby, Jul 26, 2006
    rshelby, Jul 26, 2006
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  7. Jul 26, 2006 #7
    eljimb0

    eljimb0 Well-Known Member

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    Here is a theory.
    In the early 60's in racing...green ( BRG as in british racing green) was a go-fast color. Remember when Jimmy Clarks Lotus showed up at Indy... It was green,, and a big fuss was made about it. No Green cars had raced at the brickyard in centurys... There was a kid in my high school who had a brand new fastback 66 ..K car... (How did a kid come up with that kind of money???) the car was metalic dark green.... so was the Bullit Mustang It was a fashion at the time.. Red cars were cop bait.
    jimbo
     
    eljimb0, Jul 26, 2006
    eljimb0, Jul 26, 2006
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  8. Jul 28, 2006 #8
    Mike Christie

    Mike Christie Well-Known Member

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    I think jimbo is right on about BRG theory. At least that's why I bought a green 66 GT350 #1257 back in the late sixties. It was the only green one in a lot full of Hertz Shelby's at a Ford dealership in Denver, CO.
    It did not have any stripes.
    I just assumed it was called British Racing Green and never new it was Ivy Green until just recently when I found the original title application and original warranty documents and tried to find the present owner through this forum.
    Mike
     
    Mike Christie, Jul 28, 2006
    Mike Christie, Jul 28, 2006
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  9. Jul 28, 2006 #9
    rshelby

    rshelby ShelbyForums Admin Staff Member

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    Ok, I can see that green was a popular color but from what I understand, they didn't choose to drive the green cars, there just happened to be extra green cars so that's what they got. Why would there be extra green cars if it was such a popular color? Wouldn't they be the first ones sold with such a high demand? Does anybody know how many ivy green 1966 GT350's were produced?
    RS
     
    Last edited: Jul 31, 2006
    rshelby, Jul 28, 2006
    rshelby, Jul 28, 2006
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  10. Jul 31, 2006 #10
    2334

    2334 Active Member

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    As mentioned above BRG was a very popular color back in the mid to late 60's. It was a very hot color on all of the British sport car's along with the American road racing influenced machine's as well. Such as Shelby's, Corvette's, Mercury Cyclone's, Fairlane's, Camaro's and so on.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 3, 2006
    2334, Jul 31, 2006
    2334, Jul 31, 2006
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