We see plenty of desirable classics at Barn Finds, and this 1970 Ford Shelby GT500 fits that mold. However, it also has an interesting backstory, having spent much of its life on foreign shores. It has returned home as a beautifully preserved survivor with a genuine 30,000 miles on the clock. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Curvette for spotting the Shelby listed here on eBay in Jonesborough, Tennessee. The seller set their price at $175,000 with the option to make an offer.
The story of this GT500 is fascinating and would undoubtedly be a great conversation starter at any show or Cars & Coffee. Rolling of the Dearborn production line in June 1969, the car was dispatched to a dealer in Watchung, New Jersey. From there, it was purchased by a Saudi Arabian Prince and was shipped to his home country. It remained his prized possession until it was spotted in the 1990s by an American gentleman working in Saudi Arabia. He negotiated its purchase and shipped the Shelby back to North America when he completed his work in the Middle East. This isn’t a tall tale, because the GT500’s entire history is supported by extensive documentation that dates back to Day One. Some of the paperwork is in Arabic and will require translation. However, doing so would be worth the effort to provide complete clarity. The originality of this Shelby and its overall condition suggest that it spent its downtime protected from harsh UV rays. The Gulfstream Aqua paint possesses a beautiful depth of color and shine, and the distinctive stripes are free from checking. The GT500 is rust-free, and the trim looks exceptional. It retains all of its distinctive Shelby features, including the unique grille, taillights, and alloy wheels.
Powering this Shelby is Ford’s magnificent 428 Cobra Jet V8, producing a factory-quoted 335hp and 440 ft/lbs of torque. The first owner’s decision to order the car with a three-speed C6 automatic transmission, power steering, and power front disc brakes should provide an effortless driving experience. Although not expressly stated, the indications are that this GT500 is a numbers-matching survivor. I do not doubt that with the extensive documentation, verifying the mileage claim should be a piece of cake. Potential buyers can consider this Shelby a turnkey proposition, with no mechanical issues mentioned in the listing.
The Prince focused on comfort when ordering this GT500. He selected air conditioning, a tilt-away wheel, a Sport deck rear seat, Deluxe belts, a tachometer and trip meter, and an AM radio/8-track player as factory options. When combined with White Clarion Knit vinyl, that is a classy combination. The interior condition is as impressive as the exterior. The vinyl is free from significant stains and wear, and there is no evidence that the Saudi Arabian sun has impacted the dashpad or plastic. It appears that apart from the wheel wrap, there are no aftermarket additions.
It is debatable whether its history adds to the inherent value of this 1970 Ford Shelby GT500. However, it has allowed the car to remain beautifully preserved, and you will struggle to find one of these classics on the market today with such a low odometer reading and extensive documentation dating back to Day One. The BIN figure, while hardly chicken feed, is realistic for a car of this caliber. The listing statistics suggest that people like what they see, but do you believe that the interest will translate into sales success?
Marti Report in Arabic ? 🇸🇦 😀😲 😎👍
Looks like the Sultan had a priority on comfortable cruising. Mild 3.00 open gears, with the Cruise-O-Matic, and some comfortable options.
Nice write up! Great color with a neat back story.
25 miles from me wow, gotta grab the checkbook….laterz…..lol
Cool car. GT means Grand Touring, and this Shelby seems to fit the bill.
$175,000 or make offer.
I will trade you 4 cows, 12 chickens and a Gear wrench set?!
If you throw in a 10mm socket…you might close the deal…!!
Add on your daughter, and we have a deal.
When my former in laws and family travelled overseas, they were offered 3 cows and a goat for their eldest daughter. True story!
” Your women…..I want to buy your women”-Jake Blues.
Probably get a better deal trading goats and camels
Toss in 3 or 4 wives and you got a deal.
There are two mustangs of this body style on Booker auctions in Washington State just outside of Spokane I don’t believe they are of this quality but they look like nice cars from his estate and a lot cheaper auction ends Wednesday. I don’t think even if I were wealthy enough to do it that I could bring myself to drop that kind of money on a car.
Rockin’ the Casbah
Yes at that price it better be turn-key.
Gorgeous, original, AM/ 8 track, 30k on odometer. It doesn’t get any better than this!
I wonder what $$ he gave the prince for it?
I am very surprised to see a May, 1969 build listed as a 1970 model year
Some of these ended up as 1970 models for some reason.
Sales of the ’69 model were so poor, they had to do something with the left-over inventory.
Technically there are no 1970 Shelby’s. The unsold 69’s were given some minor changes and marketed as 70’s
While the Marti report indicates this car was “born” with an AM/8 track, what’s there now is a factory AM/FM stereo radio. It looks period correct, and may have been swapped out at the dealership when new. The wiring harness was already set up for stereo, so it was just a matter of removing and replacing.
You are correct about the AM/FM, I looked closer. I’ve been racking my brain trying to remember which of my buddies had the AM/8-track…must be CRS!
This car brings back an interesting memory for me from about 20 years ago about a 1969 or 1970 Shelby Mustang in this color combination. Certainly this is a different one than the one I saw.
I was in town just finishing up pumping gas when I saw a double decker car carrier with a few everyday cars on it then on the top row was a Shelby Mustang in faded aqua paint with a yellow side stripe. I hopped in my car and was able to roll up next to it. It had old-school Cragar S/S rims with old wide bias ply tires in the back, aftermarket sidepipes, and primer on the passenger door. It looked like it was pulled out of a garage somewhere after decades of sleep. As I pulled further up, I saw a 428 Cobra Jet badge on the front fender and on the nose stripe near the front bumper it said GT500. Was so cool to see!