[Nedsel]

2416 was ordered and delivered as a drag car, painted Princess Blue, with the Stage III (Weber-carbureted) 289, a hard top, and American Racing alloy wheels. The car's invoice makes no mention of altered springs, shocks, or slicks. It was returned to Shelby American two weeks after its delivery to Frye's for a repaint to Rangoon Red. Among the questions that remain unanswered: Did Frye's Ford order the car for themselves, or for a customer? If the former, did they plan to campaign the car for publicity purposes? If the latter, why did he return it for a color change? And, regardless of who ordered the car, why was it apparently lacking some of the features Shelby recommended for a drag car? I'm not sure satisfactory answers to these questions will ever be found. BTW, CSX 2416 is the car pictured in front of Shelby's Carter Street building in Dave Friedman's book "The Shelby American Original Archives" on page 86, and in Colin Comer's "The Complete Book of Shelby Automobiles" on page 20.