Huh?

From: http://www.suntimes.com/output/autoshow/cs...autoshow15.html

 

Oh yeah, she's a rare one for sure. She should have been destroyed, but was stolen which screwed up Ford's records.

I think there's an article in this month's Mustang Monthly about her.

 

Yup, and Brad has some good pictures of it in the 67 Timeline.

 

Is that the same car as in the 1967 timeline, the EXP?

EDIT: Duh!!

 

Yeah, I have pics of the original unveiling on my website as well as a copy of the marti report.

I had actually heard that it wasn't so much stolen, but actually got reworked and sold as a 68' at one point in it's life.

This is my total dream car, I have always had plans to clone one some day, way before this car was even discovered.

 

If I remember correctly, it was stolen and converted to '68 specs and sold after it was recovered.

 

http://www.volocars.com/news3.html

Chicago, IL - Carroll Shelby ran into an old friend at the 2004 Chicago Auto Show, a prototype 1967 Shelby Cobra GT-500 convertible that he used as a personal driver in '66 and '67.

The famous pony car is valued at nearly $1 million and is the highlight of the Volo Auto Museum's antique-car display in the Grand Concourse at McCormick Place. The show runs through Sunday, Feb. 15.

While in attendance to promote his new concept car, Shelby generously accepted the museum's offer to visit's its display and sign the prototype's hood.

"I remember this one," Shelby said. "I'm surprised it still exist."

A mysterious incident and a clever disguise enabled the striking-red experimental car to escape a strict Ford policy dictating the destruction of all prototype vehicles.

Former chicken rancher and racecar driver Shelby first teamed with Ford in 1965 to produce the now legendary Shelby Cobra GT-350 and GT-500, winners of the Sports Club Car of America Championship in '65, '66 and '67.

Shelby's muscle-car masterpieces originally cost between $4,000 and $5,500. Today, a GT-500 convertible in good condition is worth about $100,000.

On Aug. 16, 1966, Shelby ordered two prototype GT-500s - a notchback coupe known as "Little Red" and the museum's convertible - to replace his personal driver, a 1966 prototype convertible that Ford confiscated.

The museum's convertible was initially assigned to Shelby as a personal driver. His employees and friends also drove the car from time to time.

Shelby's company, Shelby America, drove "Little Red" to promotional events and photographed it for marketing materials. However, the company never publicized or even snapped a shot of the convertible.

Ford eventually destroyed "Little Red," but the convertible has survived to become the single most valuable artifact of the Muscle-Car Era.

In the summer of 1967, while on loan to a Ford executive, the car was reported stolen. Ford recovered its prototype in February of 1968, re-fitted it with 1968 Shelby parts and sold it as a used 1968 Shelby GT-500 convertible. Charges in connection with the theft were never filed.

The museum purchased the questionable and undocumented convertible in 1999 under the assumption that it was a rare 1968 prototype in need of restoration. The restoration process revealed the vehicle's actual model year and its personal link to Shelby.

"It was like hitting the lottery," Museum Director Greg Grams said. "All Shelby Mustangs are special, but the story behind this prototype truly is amazing."

The prototype is the only 1967 Shelby convertible ever produced. It also is the only Shelby convertible ever powered by a true big-block engine, a 428 that pumps out about 400 horsepower.

In 2003, Shelby authenticated the vehicle in an interview with Donn Gurney, President of Race Legends, Inc., and in a letter to the museum.

Shelby signed the letter, spun it around so it faced Gurney across the desk and said, "That car is now worth a lot of money - think what it will be when I'm gone."

 

Thanks Bob!

 

Hello all, Ive been a troll until this point and I’m definitely coming out of nowhere here, but THIS car was close to being in my garage... kinda long story, but if your interested you would be amazed that this car was in my local classifieds :shock: ...



5 or so yrs ago my father called me up and mentioned he was going to a divorce auction to bid on a mustang. Claimed it was a Shelby prototype and he found the auction ad in the classifieds in the paper. I originally thought nothing of it as my father has a new investment idea daily and it was a 1" ad in the Chicago Tribune next to the typical 'become a millionaire in 2 weeks' ads. I was later convinced of its uniqueness and value, so I decided to attend to see this piece of history, while my father had more serious intentions. Well it turned out this poor fella was getting a divorce and his wife was forcing the auction of his 2 mustangs: a 67 Shelby GT500 Convertible and a 65 GT350 clone track car.

The story we got from the owner was that the car was changed by shelby so it wasn’t to be destroyed, and was then stolen and disappeared for yrs later turning up with this man... but I’ve heard many variations of this story and the story above, even from the ppl at volo. Any who, this auction was held at the Midwest auto exchange in Alsip IL. Upon arriving that early sat morning I figured for a mob of ppl like the Barrett Jackson auctions id seen on TV, but it was nothing of the sort, rather a half dozen or so ppl...and in reality only 2 ppl who intended to bid, my father being one of the two.

At this point I hadn’t a clue about the classics as I had just gotten into the fox bodies a few yrs previous, but looked over the car for nearly an hour, was very solid and complete but needed plenty of work. Now today if I would have gone over the car it would be an entirely different story, but life is full of regrets. The car had many parts off 68s including a front fascia/bumper, steering wheel, styling bar wheels and misc others.

Nonetheless bidding began and my father and another man went at it. This being my 1st auto auction, and such a light turnout I was extremely excited in that there was a chance we could take this home. And just previous to bidding we spoke with the bank and were given the go by freak chance we did win. I was in shock to see my father and the other man going back and forth bidding, especially since at this point either of us had zero restoration experience and virtually no experience with any classic car. Bidding climbed and I regret the fact that I eventually started getting cold feet around the 50k bids and started hinting defeat, because it was an un-restored car, and I truly did not see the brighter picture in its complete value. It was definitely one of the most intense 10 minutes of my life. I do take much of the blame in convincing my father to throw in the towel and regret it daily, but we later learned the 2nd bidder was the owner of the volo auto museum, so took some comfort in the fact that we likely would never have out bid him had we not tossed in the towel.



Almost 2 yrs later we attended the 1st re-unveiling of the car at their annual Shelby and Ford day at the volo museum. Was pretty interesting, learned of the many traits to verify its authenticity, such as the holes in the floor from the original roll bar vs the later added styling bar. It was just quite a shock to see it again, and in mint condition. And after talking with the owner and his ignorance to me upon asking questions, I took some pleasure it knowing we cost them prolly $50k more than anyone else there would have bid. But atleast the car was properly restored, this was not the car for 1st time restorers and we ended up taking home the rust free gt350 clone for next to nothing…so it wasn’t a complete defeat.

Sorry for the rambling and if this story got nowhere, just crazy where u may find things and how close u can be to owning such a piece of history.

ill try to dig up the pics i took that day and post them later this week so chk back