Shelby Holy Grail Hits Bring a Trailer, so Expect Seven Figures!
Authentic 1965 Shelby Mustang GT350R has been everyone from Peru to California, and now it’s looking for a new home.
When Ford wanted to paint the Mustang in a performance-oriented light, they knew exactly what man to turn to. Carroll Shelby, who had already developed the legendary GT350, went to work on a turn-key racing variant of his iconic Mustang. The result is this, the Mustang GT350R. Originally known as the GT350 competition model, Shelby developed the GT350 R to dominate Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) races. Shelby accomplished this mission, undoubtedly. The GT350R took three consecutive SCCA B Production class national titles. The iconic Texas racer only built 36 production GT350Rs, so the chance to buy one is extremely rare.
That explains, then, why this GT350R currently listed on Bring A Trailer already has a high bid of $775,000 with five days of auction time remaining. Sure to surpass the seven-figure point, this GT350R has a pretty wild story of its own.
GT350R Is a World Competing Racer
In 1966, A wealthy Peru sportsman imported this GT350R and a few others to compete in rallies and endurance races. After over two decades of automotive competition in Peru, a collector in Arkansas brought it back to the USA alongside two of the other Peruvian exported GT350Rs. Finally, after 20 years in Arkansas, it made its way to California. There, it underwent a refurbishment to restore it to its former glory. It even won a Triple Crown on the Shelby show circuit in 2017.
In 2018, the current seller of the car purchased it. The current owner installed a 289 cubic-inch HiPro V8 with a Holley four-barrel carb and a Cobra high-rise intake manifold. The sale also includes another 289ci V8 that was rebuilt to racing spec under its previous ownership.
Other features included on this gorgeous historic Mustang are a close-ratio Borg Warner T10 four-speed manual transmission, a Detroit Locker 9” rear axle, an oil cooler, a high-capacity radiator, and an electric fuel pump. Additionally, it has a 34-gallon fuel tank, a fiberglass front apron with brake cooling ducts, traction bars, 15” aluminum wheels, plexiglass rear and side windows, a roll bar, and a bolstered driver’s seat.
So, this is clearly not a street car. Shelby built it to go racing, and that’s exactly what it did.
How Much Will This Shelby Holy Grail Sell for?
It’s hard to say what this car will sell for. Earlier this year, the GT350R prototype driven by Ken Miles sold at Mecum’s Kissimmee, Florida auction for an eye-watering $4,070,000 after fees, making it the most expensive Mustang ever sold. However, while this car is certainly rare, it’s not quite the same caliber as the prototype model.
The sale does include a ton of amazing paperwork verifying the serial number as an actual GT350R. It also comes stacked with historical photos and documents and a clean Texas title.
So, while it may not carry the same rarity as the prototype, this will undoubtedly still fetch a remarkable number. Hagerty currently values a “good condition” GT350R at $770,000, and this auction has already blown by that price point with nearly a week remaining. Surely, it will cross over the million-dollar mark. To find out by how much, though, all we can do is watch.
Photos: Bring a Trailer