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Posted on 01/13/2019 9:58:48 AM PST by ETL
A legendary Ford Mustang sold for a historic price at the Mecum Auctions event in Kissimmee, Fla., on Friday night when the bidding ended at $2,200,000.
That made it the most expensive Mustang ever sold at auction, and with good reason.
The Shelby Mustang 1967 GT500 Super Snake was a one of a kind prototype that Carroll Shelby had built for a tire test conducted by Goodyear.
He swapped out the GT500’s already potent 428 cubic-inch V8 for one of the 427 cubic-inch racing V8s from Ford’s Le Mans-winning GT40 and updated the rest of the powertrain and suspension to match.
The result was a Mustang coupe that could hit 170 mph and averaged 142 mph over 500 miles at a high-speed track in Texas where it was running on a set of Goodyear’s new whitewall Thunderbolt economy tires.
The initial plan was to build 50 of the cars for sale, but at an estimated double the price of a standard GT500 there weren’t enough takers and the sole prototype was sold for just $5,000.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
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According to the Shelby American Automobile Club, Carroll Shelby asked Shelby American chief engineer Fred Goodell to install a GT40 Mk II 427 engine, with aluminum heads and solid lifters, in a '67 G.T. 500 for a tire test on Goodyear's five-mile banked oval in San Angelo, Texas. With members of the press invited, including Time and Life magazines, Carroll made the trip as well, driving members of the media around the track at speeds up to 150 mph. During the actual testing of Goodyear's new Thunderbolt tires, the Shelby set a record by averaging 142 mph for a continuous 500 miles.
With its test duty completed, Goodell searched for a buyer, eventually reaching out to former Shelby American field sales representative Don McCain, who had moved to performance dealer Mel Burns Ford in California. McCain recognized the opportunity to offer a unique 427-powered G.T. 500 through the Mel Burns dealership, similar to high-performance Chevy offerings from Yenko and Mr. Norm on the east coast, and suggested a run of 50 cars. However, when it was determined that such a car, even with a detuned 427, would retail in 427 Cobra territory at $7,500, McCain's idea was shelved.
http://www.mustangandfords.com/events/1309-million-dollar-mustangs-at-mecums-spring-classic-auction/
This is some serious car porn
Unbelievable! Even I could've come up with $5,000 in 1967. What a bargain that guy got!
I've hit 125 in my '69 but vowed not to attempt it again until I do something to firm up the suspension - it's too flighty!
Imagine what you could tell your spouse after selling that set of tires in storage for 60 years.
“See Honey, I told you they were worth something.”
Now about those GI Joe’s with “lifelike” hair.
You have a '69 Mustang Shelby GT500?
Nowadays they'd probably come out with a transgender GI Joe, if they haven't already.
ONE of a kind is as rare as it gets.
Those skinny bias ply tires don’t stand a chance.
Amazing performance for 1967.
Equal to a 2019 Ford Mustang GT.
Basic GT.
From Mecum Auto Auction, a YouTube clip of the sale of the car...
1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake // Lot F124 // Mecum Kissimmee 2019:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN23ZdtzX-s
Saweet! And I’m a 67 Chevy Camaro guy.
Re: From Mecum Auto Auction, a YouTube clip of the sale of the car...
Sorry! It wasn’t a clip of the sale, but rather a promo for the car.
I don’t really know if they a bias ply or radial tires.
The car screams for wider ones.
I just looked up the median family income in 1967.It was $42,000, far more than I expected. $5,000 was about 9% of average income, so that sure seems affordable. One heck of a deal he got, for sure.
In production, it would have retailed for $7,500. That still wasn’t that much of the average family income for such a high performamce beast. People are willing to pay far more today for performance.
“I’ve hit 125 in my ‘69 but vowed not to attempt it again until I do something to firm up the suspension - it’s too flighty!”
I got chicken in my 67 Camaro convertible at 110. Needs the spoilers.
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