Shelby Mustangs and Shelby Cobras and More Shelby Mustangs!
20 genuine Shelbys are available at Mecum in the next few days – two Cobras and 18 examples of what Carroll could do with the Ford Mustang. The first of these to cross the block is a 1969 Shelby GT-350 Fastback with power steering and power front disc brakes, powered by a 351 cid 290 HP V8, paired with a five-speed transmission. Of course that car was equipped with a four-speed from the factory, but from personal experience we can attest to the increased drivability of a GT-350 when it sports a five-speed manual transmission.
Mecum will have a 1966 Shelby GT-350H available on Friday as well – this is a genuine Hertz car, although it no longer retains the factory black and gold colors. Another very exciting Hertz car on offer is the 1966 Shelby GT-350H that is said to be one of twenty “Official Hertz Prototype Brake Test Cars.” It’s an early production model, actually a carry-over car and is finished in Wimbledon White with classic Shelby blue stripes, the default color scheme until Hertz finalized their black and gold design. The second of these cars will sell on Saturday.
We should note that the “Prototype Brake Test Car” is equipped with a four-speed transmission now, but it did not come from the factory as such. It was originally equipped with an automatic, but if you’re not a stickler for accuracy it’s likely to be a very enjoyable car on the road. Mecum estimates this will sell for $225,000 – $275,000 and that’s a bit high in our opinion. Not to say that with the right people the bidding can’t get there, but that’s a very steep price for a Hertz car, especially one that was not equipped with a four-speed manual from the factory.
A well-known Shelby collector who has actively driven some of his GT-350s on long-distance tours has four Shelby Mustangs crossing the block on Friday. The cars from the Gary Thomas Collection include a very rare 1968 Shelby GT-350H finished in Sunlit Gold, one of only 233 examples of the ’68 Shelby GT-350H built. It includes factory air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, and shows 68,245 miles which are believed to be original.
Original Owner 1966 Shelby GT-350
Arguably the most exciting Shelby Mustang to hit the block this weekend will be lot F131 – a single-owner 1966 Shelby GT-350 Fastback. This car has had one owner since it was delivered to Reynolds Motors, Inc. in Syracuse, NY. We mentioned this car in the past, but to provide a little refresher – the owner of this car had a Paxton supercharger installed on it in 1968, which was later rebuilt by Paxton. It still has its original fuel pump and water pump, to name just a few things that one is likely to never see on another GT-350 that hasn’t been owned by one person since new. This is the second-longest ownership we know of when it comes to Shelby GT-350s (more on that another time) which is why Mecum’s estimate of $275,000 – $350,000 isn’t entirely out of the ballpark. Sure, that’s higher than the median value of any old ’66 GT-350, but this isn’t just any old GT-350. Expect to pay a premium for this car’s known history and incredible originality.
Don't Forget the Cobras!
Mecum is also offering two Shelby Cobras this weekend – a 289-equipped example that sports a rare automatic transmission and a 1965 Shelby 427 Competition Cobra that won its class at the 12 Hours of Sebring in ’66. The competition Cobra is one of 23 factory competition cars and has a well documented history in the Shelby Registry as well as other publications. It was restored by Mike McCluskey and Billy Andrews who went all-out for the restoration. Lots of receipts and documentation is included with the car and we expect the auction estimate of $1,000,000 – $1,200,000 to be a very fair price at the end of the day.
If you’ve found yourself with the cash to get a Shelby at the last minute, this seems to be the auction for you! In addition to all the Shelbys there’s plenty of Mopar and, well, everything else hitting the block in Indianapolis through the weekend so check it out if you’re in the market for a car – Shelby or otherwise.