There seems to have been at least a few posts on this site that have, shall we say, attracted the wrong kind of attention. It's a damn shame when I have to swat away parasitic 'bots like so many flies. If you haven't gotten the message, if you're reading this, and English is not your first language, I don't know how to express it other than to say, STOP IT!!!! THIS IS NOT A COMMERCIAL SITE!!!!! THIS IS MY SOAPBOX! Or, in perhaps a more subtle fashion, (yeah, I know, there's a first for me......) in the immortal words of W.C. Fields, "Go away, kid, ya bother me..." The parasitic posts don't even seem to have anything to do with some of the latest ones, I had to go back a couple pages, and delete stuff. Just BUGS me.

In other news, Carroll Shelby has always been known to be a bit arcane, and seemingly always made an effort with Shelbys to sell them in places people would appreciate them. Like the following information found about 1971-72 Shelby Europas. The photo below is accredited to a website called http://www.ponysite.de/ ergo the photo and information are (to my mind, anyway,) duly accredited. The information below is of foreign (non-U.S.) origin, and thus was chock-full of the usual English Language Learner grammar mistakes. I oughta be credited with fixing their English, whoever wrote it. Long-story-short, the one pictured below was shipped through a Detroit-area Ford dealer around the summer of 1971; 14 were made all together, and 9 are still known to exist. Kinda funky lookin', if you ask me, but who am I to judge?

VIN: 1F03M202545
Body: 76D = Mustang Convertible
Ext Color: Z = Grabber Green Metallic, Ford #5002-A
Int Color (Trim): CA = Black Knitted Vinyl Bucket Seats
Axle: R = 1:3,25 Traction-Lok
Trans: U = C-6 Automatic Transmission
DSO: 48 = Detroit, Michigan
Scheduled Production Date: 10E = May 10, 1971
The Original US dealer where the car was ordered from by original owner Claude Dubois: Bob Ford Inc, Detroit, Michigan. This car never went to Bob Ford, but was delivered ex-factory directly to a shipping company called SOPAC Transport in Newark, NJ. It is assumed that the other Shelby Europas of this batch were 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 ordered are as follows:
Black power Top with Glass Backlite
C-6 Select Shift Cruise-o-Matic
Traction-Lok differential
E78-14 Belted Tires (with 14x6" steel rims)
Convenience Group
Power Steering
Power Front Disc Brakes
Ram Air Hood Option
Full Console
Decor Group
Power Side Windows
Competition Suspension
Tachometer and Full Instrumentation Group (Oil, Ampere, Temp)
The Shelby Europa was offered as a fastback (sportsroof) and convertible, both powered by a 351. According to French and Dutch sales literature, they were offered in a G.T.500 version as well. At least one had a 351 race engine with a 780cfm Holley carb and 360HP, another one a 429 with a Drag Pack option and close to 400HP. The cars were not allowed to be re-imported to the U.S. due to the then stronger safety and exhaust emissions regulations. Due to the high fuel prices, the demand for a Shelby Europa was not really big, only Scandinavians seemed to like them, as is the case with most muscle cars in this period. Only 14 Shelby Europas were built and sold in 1971 and 1972. 9 are currently accounted for and on file with the Shelby American Auto Club.
There were 3 in the Netherlands, however the third dutch Shelby Europa of C.V. Bastiaanse was stolen in 1987 and never appeared again. Watch out for a red one. One of the other one not yet found is the white 429 equipped Shelby Europa.

THOUGHTS TO PONDER

• If we refer to the race of Brits as "Celtics" (pronounced with a beginning "K,") why do we pronounce the Boston basketball team with a beginning "S?"
• A student walked up to me yesterday, as I took a class out for recess, (and mind you, this is not one of the kids in the class I was in,) and said, "Eat fruits more than vegetables. They're better for your colon." I didn't really know what to make of a student who seemed so interested in my gastro-intestinal health, but....eh, some of them really care, I guess....maybe....
• Who exactly did put the ram in the rama-lama-ding-dong?
• Check this one out, believe me, you'll thank me. http://www.kopps.com/. Always fun to keep an eye on the frozen custard "Flavor of the Day."As I write this, it's German Apple Streusel and Tiramisu. Enjoy.