The Truth Behind Shelby Lancers?

[DC Turismo]

Hey everyone. I'm here with a question.

I can recall hearing at some point or another that the Shelby Lancers were initially planned to sport a gray or gunmetal paint scheme instead of the red? Perhaps this could have been just for prototype cars, but I am not sure. I sort of doubt this because of Barry's Shelby Lancer EXP vehicle, but I am pretty sure I heard this from a couple of people.

Steve? Barry? Anyone?

I personally think they would have looked neat in a gunmetal, and apparently car companies nowadays also like that color (seeing that many models are produced in this color nowadays).

Thanks in advance for any input.

[j4278h]

I always thought the story was since shelby was targeting the german performance lux. sedans with the lancer he wanted a darker color and chrylser wanted flash so they sent him red cars.

I also believe that was the case with the shelby dakota in taht he wanted them all white and ended up with the red ones. At the dealers the white ones left much faster than the red. But i am not the guru and my statements shouldn't be taken as an absolute truth.

[DC Turismo]

Thanks anyways for the information Jason. Can anyone else vouch for the truth behind either of our statementS?

[ShelbyMotorsports]

Well the first Lancer prototype was wearing gray paint and most BMW/Mercedes sold wear black or gray paint so its logical that the Shelby Lancer was envisioned wearing gray paint at one point in time.

Who changed the paint to red I don't know but what I do know is that Chrysler had more control over Shelby Automobiles than most people think. My guess is someone at Chrysler marketing got their way thinking that the Lancer needed more flash. Just look at magazine covers. Most cars that make it onto the cover are wearing red, yellow or some other flashy paint.

Personally I would have liked to have seen the Shelby Lancer in a gunmetal gray but I honestly don't think the paint color would have any effect on sales. Trying to market the Shelby Lancer to BMW/Mercedes buyers was just plain nuts. A better choice would have been to market it to the Taurus/Sable buyers which by the way was the number one selling four door car back then. Even Ford realized there was a market for a four door FWD performance sedan and came out with the SHO in 1989 selling over 15,000 SHO's the first year.

Somewhere around here I have some pics of the gray Lancer but unfortunately they are B&W photos which don't do it justice.

[2.216VTurbo]

My understanding from a 'former Shelby employee' (who owns a Banzia Blue Prototype P body:) ) was that Carroll was pissed when they stuck him with the red. We had that conversation many years ago and I had no reason to doubt the source, he was there for sure:amen:

[Birddog]

Trying to market the Shelby Lancer to BMW/Mercedes buyers was just plain nuts. A better choice would have been to market it to the Taurus/Sable buyers which by the way was the number one selling four door car back then. Even Ford realized there was a market for a four door FWD performance sedan and came out with the SHO in 1989 selling over 15,000 SHO's the first year.



I wouldn't exactly say nuts, I may be wrong(happens a lot) but wasn't the point of Lancer and SHO to go gunning for the entry level high end market for quite a bit less dough(BMW 3 series,Mercedes 190, Audi 80, Merkur XR4Ti etc....)

[86Shelby]

My understanding from a 'former Shelby employee'

He covered that during SDAC15 as the keynote speaker.

[BadFastGTC]

The same thing was told to us all at SDAC-15, same guy too! Carroll wanted charcoal gray and Mopar told him he was getting red.



My understanding from a 'former Shelby employee' (who owns a Banzia Blue Prototype P body:) ) was that Carroll was pissed when they stuck him with the red. We had that conversation many years ago and I had no reason to doubt the source, he was there for sure:amen:

[ShelbyMotorsports]

I wouldn't exactly say nuts, I may be wrong(happens a lot) but wasn't the point of Lancer and SHO to go gunning for the entry level high end market for quite a bit less dough(BMW 3 series,Mercedes 190, Audi 80, Merkur XR4Ti etc....)

And that's were I feel they were nuts. They went gunning for the wrong buyers thinking that someone who was interested in a 3 series BMW or a baby Benz would even consider a Dodge. Anyone who is buying an entry level BMW or MB is doing so for the name and believe they are impressing people by saying "I drive a BMW" or "I own a Benz".

A BMW buyer is not a Lancer buyer and a Lancer buyer is not a BMW buyer. Two completley different people.

[DC Turismo]

The same thing was told to us all at SDAC-15, same guy too! Carroll wanted charcoal gray and Mopar told him he was getting red.

Then that's where I heard it! :thumb: I'm attempting to get someone right now to photoshop a Lancer to sport the gunmetal paint job. I'll post it as soon as they complete it for us.

Thanks a lot for the responses!

[Birddog]

And that's were I feel they were nuts. They went gunning for the wrong buyers thinking that someone who was interested in a 3 series BMW or a baby Benz would even consider a Dodge. Anyone who is buying an entry level BMW or MB is doing so for the name and believe they are impressing people by saying "I drive a BMW" or "I own a Benz".

A BMW buyer is not a Lancer buyer and a Lancer buyer is not a BMW buyer. Two completley different people.

I never thought of it that way.... You're right it's the status not the performance!
My bad:o

[speedyshelby]

I got a friend that has own a bmw and benz and the only Td that he like the looks of is a lancer.

[shmedley]

I got a friend that has own a bmw and benz and the only Td that he like the looks of is a lancer.


But would he ever buy one?

[ScottD]

I agree that a charcoal Shelby Lancer would've looked much better. And marketing to BMW/MB buyers was insanity. I have a friend into TDs who has a BMW, and I'm sure he bought the BMW because it was NOT a TD as he's owned many over the years :-)

I also think they should have made the Shelby Dakotas in black. The black and gray decals they used looked better on the white trucks in my opinion. A black Shelby Dakota with charcoal gray/silver decals would've been really sharp looking.

[GLHS592]

A black Shelby Dakota would be cool. You've given me an idea if I ever find a decent Dakota convertible. :)

Speaking of should haves...I've always wished that the Charger GLHS would have been a different color (silver?) and called something besides GLHS. To most people, GLHS conjures up images of the Omni version. Maybe CSX would have been a better name for the Charger GLHS.

[ScottD]

My guess is that since the GLHS Omnis were so popular it made sense at the time to name the Charger that as well, a sort of brand identity if you will. Remember the Omnis sold out pretty quick, it was everything else that languished on dealer lots. Think about that. These cars for the most part were a hard sell. They were soooooooo far ahead of their time though, the problem was you had a buying public still wed to V8 power. Sport compacts are now all the rage, there are so many drivers who have SRT-4s who don't even know what a 2.2/2.5 turbo can do it isn't funny.

[Captain Chaos]

I also think they should have made the Shelby Dakotas in black. The black and gray decals they used looked better on the white trucks in my opinion. A black Shelby Dakota with charcoal gray/silver decals would've been really sharp looking.

You've got the perfect candidate for a one off black convertible clone.:thumb:

[boostboy]

A shelby Dakota convertible would be an awesome truck. I have had 4 dakota convertible and I always wanted to give one of them the Shelby treatment. I got a spare cab and top for a dakota convertible so If I find a V8 Dakota short box regular cab, Im in buisiness!

[ScottD]

The factory decals are in good shape on my Dakota Sport vert, I just had the hood, cowl and roof repainted on it, it looks pretty good now.

It has 194k on it the original drivetrain, if the 3.9 goes eventually I'm considering putting a V8 in it. Even with the slow as molasses 3.9 in it, with the 5 speed I love driving it, it is one of my favorite vehicles I've owned.

I think there is someone working on a Shelby Dakota convertible. I think there were two CSX convertibles at the SDAC in Wisconsin, they were cool, a Shelby Dakota vert would be very cool, though figuring out the lightbar with the top would be a challenge!

[SL#63]

Then that's where I heard it! :thumb: I'm attempting to get someone right now to photoshop a Lancer to sport the gunmetal paint job. I'll post it as soon as they complete it for us.

Thanks a lot for the responses!

Any news on the photoshop paintjob? I'm debating a color change, and would only do it if the gunmetal looks awesome!

[DC Turismo]

I'm still waiting for it myself! I haven't been able to get in touch with the person who was going to do it for us?! :(

I'll try to email them again tonight.

[shadow88]

I've mentioned it once before. This goes to anyone. Send pictures to me for things like paint colours, stipes, rims etc. My girlfriend will do them in her spare time and I'll post 'em up for you.
She doesn't have "mad photoshop skills" like J+H ryan, but she can do this easy stuff.

[DC Turismo]

Here we go!

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/BooGTS/Shelby/grey2.jpg

[2.216VTurbo]

Changes the whole charater of the car, I LIKEY:thumb: It's almost sinister now:evil: instead of whatever they are when red...

Makes me miss my Shelby Lancer (s):mecry:

[ScottD]

Wow, that looks good!

[boostboy]

That looks wicked. If I had a Shelby Lancer I would probably paint it that colour, it makes the car look so much more mean.

[mcsvt]

Makes me want an SL even more!! I do like the Red with black rims :nod: But that's not so bad either.

[SL#189]

OOooOOooOOooh!
Since mine needs bodywork anyways, that's a possibility!! :thumb:

[racer-xerols]

Much better. I never did like red, either on my old SL or my current Spirit R/T.

Hmmm....wonder what a charcoal (or black) R/T would look like? ;)

[supercrackerbox]

3.9 goes eventually I'm considering putting a V8 in it. Even with the slow as molasses 3.9 in it, with the 5 speed I love driving it, it is one of my favorite vehicles I've owned.

Don't hold your breath. My brother's 3.9/5spd Dakota has about the same mileage and still runs like a champ, and believe me, there's much slower pickups you could buy. His would probably walk away from my Daytona. My roomate's old '92 3.9/auto had over 450,000 miles on it and had never even had the valve covers off. It still actually runs today, but unfortunately it was stolen and totaled by a crack head a few years back.

[87ShelbyJT]

That Lancer looks great in that color! Almost makes me want to do one up that way.

[J&H Ryan]

Hey, should've let me know you wanted me to make it for a thread I would be interested in...

Sorry it took so long, I've been kinda busy and my Jeep has been taking up my time.

It would look better in a metallic grey, but since my car is a flat red, thats all I can get it to look like.

[mech1nxh]

THX for the work J&H....

that is just perfect, does indeed make the car look "sinister"..
hehehe....