[jcnesq]

In probably 1965 (I was a teen), somehow (I have no recollection how), I got a ride to LAX in a Shelby Mustang GT, following a Ford GT. Got to airport, and got a ride in the Ford GT. Assumed at the time they were going to fly it somewhere. Had no idea why they were building it or racing it.

It was only when I saw Ford v. Ferrari that I realized I was at Shelby's shop at LAX, and the whole story behind the Ford GT. I would guess I was likely getting a ride in one of the Ford GT's that raced at LeMans.

Oh and in several prior years (early teens), I was a regular at Riverside Raceway and Willow Springs, glory days of sports car racing, saw Ken Miles, Shelby and a bunch of other well knowns frequently.

[wsh]

As a kid, the "big deal" for us was to go down "the boulevard" on Sunday afternoon with my dad....Porsche dealer, Fiat, M-B etc
Every now and then we'd go to Douglas airport (Now Charlotte Douglas Int'l Airport in Charlotte).... behind the airport was Holman-Moody shop. We could walk around and see Cobras, GT-40's etc. Just cool stuff. Never realized it was THE SHIT back then. Walking up to airplanes, Nascar racers, LeMans cars etc was just a thing. Hard to believe now

[jcnesq]

I just did some searching and Shelby made 3 GT's for the 1966 Le Mans race, Holman Moody 2. So now I am almost postive I got a ride in one of the 3 Shelby built and won with at Le Mans. But yeh, it was "fun" at the time, but no real understanding of how actually f'ng cool it was.

Similar, went with somewhat older friend to lots of sports car races in early teens, tons of fun but a bit lacking on what a big deal it was. Lots of young and later famous drivers, Shelby, Miles, Penske, ad nauseum.

[linderpat]

This is so frickin cool! To think about a ride in one of those extraordinary cars! Your family must have been very plugged in to the car scene there in order for that to happen. They would not have just let any random kid hop in the passenger seat for a ride.

[jcnesq]

This is so frickin cool! To think about a ride in one of those extraordinary cars! Your family must have been very plugged in to the car scene there in order for that to happen. They would not have just let any random kid hop in the passenger seat for a ride.

Family had nothing to do with it, and I have no memory how I caught those rides. As a young teen forward (growing up in Hollywood), I was actually quite mobile on my bicycle (and extremely independent). Then the day I turned 15 1/2 and got my "learners" license (could ride a motorcycle alone but needed an adult along for a car), I bought a Honda 305 Super Hawk MC and rode the snot out of that for six months, then the day I turned 16 I bought my first car, an Austin Healey "Bugeye" Sprite (and drove the snot out of that til the next car, an MGB).

As noted elsewhere, I had an older friend (~5 years older?), no recollection of how I met him (might have been at a hobby shop / slot car place I frequented), but good guy heavily into racing. (I still have the first place - all time record trophy from that hobby shop for slot car racing; owner is another long but very interesting story for another day, involving Arnold Schwarzenegger, who I still know and spoke to a year or so ago, but in his 90's and not sure he is still alive.) For some years I went to most of the Riverside Raceway sports car races, as well as Willow Springs, saw a lot of the later famous people driving in those days.

Speaking of Ford GT's, Dean Jeffries, famous custom car builder mostly of movie cars, was a fixture around town going back to me youth. Never met him until ~10 years ago, but was driving by his shop, roll up door was open, someone in a 356 was parked out front, and so I just went in. Jeffries was sitting by his Ford GT 40 tinkering away, I believe just having fun, looking happy. (I believe he no longer was "in business".) Had a nice hour long chat with him. He passed ~ a year later. Exactly how he and the car looked when I visited.

[linderpat]

My first motorized thing also was a Honda 305, but I had the scrambler. Was a blast to ride.