Original Owners

[TFStang]

Any original owners on here? Share your story. How hard was the car to get, did you have a good experience with your dealer, was the car everything you hoped it would be?

Would love to hear from some original owners.

 

[nmp1]

I am the 2nd owner of my car but I’m big on history and documentation so I had the original owner write and sign a letter for me regarding the history of the car. The story goes…

The first owner, let’s call him “J”, worked for Ford corporate in Michigan and his co-worker “C” was number 1 on the 2000 R waiting list at Avis Ford in Michigan. When C found out the car was only available in red he no longer wanted it as he was only interested in yellow. If C had taken his name off the list it would have gone to the next person in line so the bill of sale (which I have a copy of) had both C’s and J’s name on it. After it was sold J immediately go a new title with his name only. He bought the car for himself as a retirement gift.

When the car was being build J, who had access to Dearborn, and his son who is a ford engineer walked the car down the assembly line and watched it being built. He pulled off and saved every piece of paperwork seen on the car in the binder photos. The build sheet, the checklist, even status inquiry sheet from the internal Ford computer.

Shortly after taking the car home J noticed a crease in front of the hood. So, he drove the car back to Dearborn and they replaced the hood with one from the original 2000 R batch on the spot and it was a perfect match since it was from the same run as all the original hoods.

The car was pretty much perfect when I inspected it prior to purchase, but what really sold me was the paperwork and documentation. I had watched these cars very close for 5+ years and had never seen anywhere near this level of rare and original paperwork and my jaw nearly hit the floor when he brought all this stuff out to show me. The car was well worth the wait.

 

[specracer]

^^^^
That's fantastic! Great story.

I very happy to report I'm not the original owner of the 00. The original owner of our car paid $65xxx ($10k over). I'm ok with getting for more than 20 less, around 10 years later, with a whopping 22xx miles.

3rd owner of the 95

 

[DAVESVT2000]

I am legally the 3rd owner of my 2000R, got it in November of 2001 with 1500 miles.

 

[TFStang]

I am the 2nd owner of my car but I’m big on history and documentation so I had the original owner write and sign a letter for me regarding the history of the car. The story goes…

The first owner, let’s call him “J”, worked for Ford corporate in Michigan and his co-worker “C” was number 1 on the 2000 R waiting list at Avis Ford in Michigan. When C found out the car was only available in red he no longer wanted it as he was only interested in yellow. If C had taken his name off the list it would have gone to the next person in line so the bill of sale (which I have a copy of) had both C’s and J’s name on it. After it was sold J immediately go a new title with his name only. He bought the car for himself as a retirement gift.

When the car was being build J, who had access to Dearborn, and his son who is a ford engineer walked the car down the assembly line and watched it being built. He pulled off and saved every piece of paperwork seen on the car in the binder photos. The build sheet, the checklist, even status inquiry sheet from the internal Ford computer.

Shortly after taking the car home J noticed a crease in front of the hood. So, he drove the car back to Dearborn and they replaced the hood with one from the original 2000 R batch on the spot and it was a perfect match since it was from the same run as all the original hoods.

The car was pretty much perfect when I inspected it prior to purchase, but what really sold me was the paperwork and documentation. I had watched these cars very close for 5+ years and had never seen anywhere near this level of rare and original paperwork and my jaw nearly hit the floor when he brought all this stuff out to show me. The car was well worth the wait.

Great story.

The last R (as in not the current 00R) that I had, I originally spotted at a car show in 2000. The guy was real snippy and wouldn't let anyone near his car and when asked questions, gave snide replies as in "why are you asking me questions" type of replies. Not very friendly. Although I did love the car and the sound of the Bassani exhaust he put on it. Flash forward 13 years to 2013....I see a local Craigslist ad for a 2000 Cobra R with 4K miles and it was literally right in my back yard (neighboring town). I call on it and make arrangements to see the car. I pull up to the house and who comes out to greet me?!!! You guessed it! That same guy I met at the car show 13 years earlier!!! This time he was pretty nice. I assume because he wanted to sell the car. The car was just as nice as I remembered it. He was the original owner, so he had all the paperwork and items that the car came with. He actually took very good care of the car. It was a real nice one with no bubbles on the hood or paint work t speak of. Needless to day, I bought the car. Who would have thought when I encountered that guy at the local car show 13 years earlier that I would one day be buying his prized 00R. Crazy how things happen sometimes.

 

[specracer]

Did you mention to the guy, that you remembered meeting him back in 00?

 

[Goose17]

Good story TFStang! No need to be a prick to anyone!

Glad you scored the amazing 00R!

 

[TFStang]

Did you mention to the guy, that you remembered meeting him back in 00?

I told him that I remembered seeing his car at a local car show back in the day. Didn't really get into details with him. Funny how things happen sometimes.

 

[TFStang]

Good story TFStang! No need to be a prick to anyone!

Glad you scored the amazing 00R!

Agreed and thank you!

 

[flattrack53]

I would love to find the first R that I saw... You guys are going to laugh. I remember when my dad pulled me out of school early (5th grade) to go by Towson Ford as they just got one in. I will never forget that experience from walking into the showroom, talking to the salesman and walking around the car countless times. They had a very hefty markup on the car... I wonder what ever happened to that one?

 

[specracer]

I told him that I remembered seeing his car at a local car show back in the day. Didn't really get into details with him. Funny how things happen sometimes.

Of course, totally inappropriate to comment on the negative initial impression of the gentleman. Yes, very funny how things happen, and how small the world can be sometimes.

 

[Cobra R Man]

I would love to find the first R that I saw... You guys are going to laugh. I remember when my dad pulled me out of school early (5th grade) to go by Towson Ford as they just got one in. I will never forget that experience from walking into the showroom, talking to the salesman and walking around the car countless times. They had a very hefty markup on the car... I wonder what ever happened to that one?

1965 or 1995? LOL

 

[flattrack53]

1965 or 1995? LOL

00R; I'm only 28.