July 4, 2016
Updated January 2023

With contributions from Bill Collins, Howard Pardee and David Teves






Hayward Ford was one of the top ten Shelby dealers between 1965 and 1970. Overall, they were ranked number 9 nationally selling 221 cars. They were the number two dealer on the west coast.




Hayward Motors was owned by Lionel Sullivan (on left) and his partner, Art Brabant. The dealership opened in 1950.




Hayward was located at 25501 Mission Blvd, Hayward, California. Hayward is near San Jose, California. This picture taken in 1968 shows two 1968 Shelbys, a Cobra Jet Mustang and a California Special on the lot.




Here is a awesome picture of a Hayward sponsored Cobra. Check out the guy's jacket.




This jacket is a close match. It came from a bonafide Hayward Cobra salesman.




According to SAAC Registrar, Howard Pardee, Hayward sponsored at least two 1965 race cars. This car is 5 019. It was converted to a race car in 1965 and never saw street duties. They also sponsored 5R001, the car formerly driven by Ken Miles.




Chris sent this Hayward sponsored Shelby. The photo is from the Monterey Historic races. I think it's important we acknowledge the contributions of the dealers.




Mark's picture of 5S026 looks like it belongs on a poster. Its nice to see one of the originals.




Vincent always something to share. If you haven't contacted the SAAC Registrar lately, he might have some goodies, like this original Hayward stationary!




1965 Shelby # 5S184 was an original Hayward Ford car.




The original invoice from 6S1315 shows it went to Hayward.




The car found its way to Pennsylvania. It was an Ivy Green car and later went to Australia!




Greg sent me this photo of his 1966 Shelby. It is # 1802.




I must admit, I am attracted to unique dealer items like this Hayward ashtray. John Thornton was a salesman.




...and if you are going to smoke, you will need some matches from your favorite Hayward salesman!






I found this 1966 sales card while looking at cars for sale.




The grey Magnum wheels really look good on # 2170. Thanks Peter!




November of 1966 marks the arrival of the new 1967 Shelbys.


This advertisements filled the newspapers. Hayward was a full service dealership offering an array of modifications. This ad is from January 1967.




Rex sent along this picture of his beautiful 1967 GT500. It is number 2464.




Jimmy sent along a photo of his 1967 owner's manual. It was stamped by the salesman, Carl Carico.




Peter sent along a photo of his 1966 Fairlane. It was original Hayward car and still has a Hayward license plate frame.




This 1967 GT500 was from Hayward. Bill Collins (www.bcfords.com) found the car in California and later sold it to a customer in eastern Europe.




Ford's racing victories fueled sales at record rates. Hank Medeiros was one of the dealerships top salesmen.


That's Hank Medeiros behind his desk. In the 1960s, salesmen typically were older and more experienced.




Hank might have given you this rare Playboy brochure . . .




. . . or he might have given you this hot 1967 promotional piece!




Then he would have taken you out for a test drive, after explaining the finer details of high performance driving. That's Hank on the left.




I got a chuckle out of this piece of Hayward literature. Apparently, the salesman, Carl Carico reused one that was previously stamped by Hank Medeiros! I can see Carl at his desk, stamping the spec card a thousand times to obilerate Hank's name. This was probably right after the monthly sales totals came out.




The larger dealerships usually had racing connections. Here is Ed Terry's Cobra Jet "135" drag car at the dealership.




This photo turned up on eBay. It shows a new 1968 Shelby convertible and Bill Cosby's "Cobra of all Cobras". Cosby's car was a 427 with twin Paxton superchargers!




I recognize Hank Medeiros with this Hayward promotional car, but the serial number has not been identified yet. The car is probably Sunlit Gold or possibly Lime Green.




Hunting for Hayward license plate frames just got harder. Now you need to match your salesman's name :-) There is another version that says "Hayward" along the top.




This advertisement from April of 1968 has a used "never raced" Paxton equipped 1966 for sale.




Serial Number 537 is a Hayward car that started off Sunlit Gold. Hayward sold 35 1968 Shelbys. Most were GT500s.




Even though cars had been around for about a month, Hayward held it's 1968 premier in January, 1968.




Serial Number 996 is a White, fastback that arrived at Hayward in 1968. It was one of the cars that Hank Medeiros sold new.




I believe this 1969 Shelby was a pace car at the Sears Point race track. It should be serial number 507. This has to be my favorite vintage Hayward photo.








While I was looking around the web, I found David's account of Hayward Ford. He graciously shared this post from his blog: (confessionsofacarman.blogspot.com)


I was very sad to learn that Hayward Ford has shut down. Built in the early 60’s Hayward Ford was one of the iconic car dealerships in the Bay Area. In its time it was the Big Leagues, one time one of the top Ford dealerships in the country.

And now it’s gone. My connection to Hayward Ford goes back over 40 years. My older brother, Danny, went to work there as a salesmen in 1964. By the end of the decade he was the sales manager, and was part owner in the mid-70s. I started working there in 1969 when I was 19. I washed cars, did dealer trades and any other odd job they would throw my way. On October 20, 1970 I started work there as a salesman. I was dumber than dumb, but I managed to sell a car on my first day! To hundreds of Bay Area car salesmen Hayward Ford was the mother ship. It was the place where many learned their trade. It was home for many pros whose abilities still astonish me to this day. It was a place of good times to be savored for a lifetime. It was also a place of incredible stress and long hours. In other words it was a real big-time place to learn and work. Many of the stories I have told on this blog occurred at Hayward Ford.

In those first heady years of my introduction to the world of a Car Man, everything seemed bigger than life, and for the most part it was. There are many stories I have never written about Hayward Ford. Some of these stories I wouldn't dare tell you; others I will surely tell in time .

In its lifetime Hayward Ford had many owners, but at its soul were two men: Lionel Sully; Sullivan and Art Brabant. They were the two men who built the facility and set in place the careers of so many people. I believe that much of what I know about selling cars emanated from Sully who taught my brother, who then taught me.

Random memories: For many years Hayward Ford had a huge tower out front about a hundred feet tall with a revolving Ford emblem at the top. In the early 70s Ford standardized its signage, so the tower had to come down. There was once a huge fountain in front of place. When a salesman was having a bad spell, my brother would gather all the guys around, take him out to the fountain and splash water on him to change his luck. The service department was in back of the dealership separated from the parts department by the length of a parking lot. The parts guys used to run parts out to the mechanics on these three wheel electric carts. On Saturday mornings we would go into the shop, take the carts off their chargers and race around the huge T-shaped building.

Lots of fun Hayward Ford was one of few Shelby/Cobra dealers in the United States. I have memories of a gray 1964 A/C Cobra on the showroom floor. Damn I wish I had that car! As a teen my brother let me drive a 66 GT 350, the first stick shift I ever drove! If you were a performance car nut, Hayward Ford was like going into a candy shop I know I speak for many that Hayward Ford is kind of like an automobile shrine, and it seems almost sacrilegious to see it go. But as George Harrison used to sing, All things must pass. . . So here’s to you Hayward Ford! Thank you for giving me a start in my career. Thanks for making me learn and stressing me out to the max. Working for you was like going to a boot camp, but I will always remember you fondly.

One last memory. Late one evening in December 1970, I remember my brother giving me a wash outcheck for $480. (I had received a $300 draw earlier in the month.) It was the most money I had ever had in my hand at one time. I remember that feeling to this day. Thus is the magic that is the car business. I hope you have a similar memory too.



More items for Hayward owner's to look for....








Hayward Ford closed in 2015, after more than 50 years of doing business in California.








If you have anything associated with Hayward Ford, I would apreciate hearing from you.