On November 2nd, a mass of members of Mustangs of East Texas decended on Las Vegas for the annual SEMA Show. Our mission was to present the Pay it Forward Mustang to Scott Drake and show him our contribution to the program that he started. His random act of kindness began by his contributing the car and $10,000.00 worth of parts to build the 1966 Mustang Convertible.
On Wednesday, Novermber 4, a press conference was held to introduce the car and our club to the media. There were a number of magazines and members of the Barrett Jackson organization present. Scott Drake is in the black shirt by the car. Jerry Heasley, a freelance photograher who shot our Mustang Monthly cover and 8 page spread, is taking a group photo of club members with Scott.
Below are the club members who attended SEMA and the press conference. Standing beside Scott Drake is Mary Jean Wesche, the editor of Mustang Times magazine, the official newsletter of the Mustang Club of America. She has been a great friend to our club and has run coverage of our project every month since we began. She told me at SEMA that we are going to be on the cover of the next issue. Thanks to Mary Jean for her contribution to this project.
The next few photos are some of the highlights of the SEMA Show. Below is a "dressed" Flathead Ford V8.
Bubble Top Rat Fink mobile.
Below is the stage for the car that was built during the SEMA Show in the Ford display area. The stars of Pimp My Ride and some other TV show were doing the build. They were going to do it the four days. We could have done it in three!
Jim Ellis, Danny Alexander, Craig Chesley, Robert Owens and Parnelli Jones.
On Tuesday, November 3, several club members toured Shelby Automobiles, which is located near Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This is the entrance to the facility.
These cars were on display outside of the building in the parking lot.
One of the highlights of the tour is the very first Cobra ever built.Shelby turned down $23 million for this car.
On Wednesday, November 4, several members took a tour of the Drake Automotive Group facilities in Henderson, Nevada. We were treated to a personal tour by Scott Drake of their 86,000 square foot office, manufacturing and warehouse faciities. Below Mitch Ardoin is standing beside a supply of Styled Steel Wheel centers waiting to be welded to the rims.
Below, a Scott Drake employee is riveting two parts of a Bronco mirror into place. The machine he is using is custom made for that purpose.
Danny Alexander standing proudly with Scott Drake beside one of their two "uncut" Broco test mules. He really wanted to take it home.
The Vegas strip by day...
and by night.
The fountains at the Bellagio Hotel.
Several of Mustangs of East Texas members having dinner at Margaritaville. Note the large green tank at the top of the photo. Ask anyone who was there about it.
Thanks to Danny and Donna Alexander for taking several of these photos.