Bill Williams 68 Shelby Cobra, GT 500 and 1971 Eldorado Convertible.

47, just divorced, living in Newport Beach California - Image was everything -  when it came to his cars. 

An avid reader of Playboy, this Shelby Cobra ad, struck the perfect image for a soon to be eligible bachelor. In the Spring of 1970, after separating from my mother, Pauline, my father, Bill Williams, walked straight into Theodore Robins of Costa Mesa Ca, and bought the Shelby Cobra GT 500 convertible, for $4,000 cash, right off the showroom floor.  It had 900 miles on it, because, according to the salesman, it used as a promotional car, driven by Carroll Shelby himself.  Bill had to have it, and pulled out of the parking lot and into his new life.

Mrs. Judge Kearney, Chuck, aka, BB1, his mother, Jean Williams.  Josephine answering the door at the Bernard Maybeck estate in Montecito California.


Wanting to show off his new sports car, Bill and Linda, (his soon to be second wife,) along with my future husband, Gene Dorney and I, attended my cousin Chuck Williams, aka, BB1's, 21 Birthday Bash, and received the shock of our lives when.....

The parking attendant rolled the Shelby on a joyride around the Montecito,'s curvy roads.  Luckily the roll bar saved his life, but the car was crashed.  My dad had the Shelby, in the shop for 6 months and than, gave it to me for my 24th Birthday.

In the mean time, a new image had to be created for Captain Bill of the Balboa Bay Club!  This ad appealed to my father's vanity, with it's long hood - screaming.....

                             I'm 48 and I have arrived!!!!!

Captain Bill and the Swiper, on the way to Catalina Islalnd.

My Father, Bill Williams and my grandmother, Evelyn Williams on Lido Isle, Newport Beach, January 1971, showing off the new Eldorado with it's........
                                "BILL, Vanity Plates."

My dad began collecting classic cars, after moving to Palm Springs - where he could buy an estate with several garages.