We all dream of finding something amazing hiding in a barn, whether it’s a rare Italian supercar or a limited production American muscle car. There’s no doubt in my mind that one of the most dreamt about barn finds has to be the elusive Shelby GT 350, actually it’s probably more like a close second to the Shelby Cobra. I wouldn’t mind finding one of Carroll’s incredible creations in a barn, even this slightly beat up GT 350 would satisfy me! It’s a carry-over, which means it’s a ’66 with all the features of the ’65, and was just recently discovered in a barn! It’s now set to go to auction at the Greenwich Concours on June 5th and you can read more about the event here at Bonhams. Special thanks to Drew V for this tip!
According to Bonhams, this car was used as a demonstration model at a Ford dealership in Massachusetts, but also saw some racing action. It eventually was sold to the current owner, making this a one owner car! With just 55k miles on the dial, they parked it in their barn in 1976 and that’s where it has remained ever since!
This car really is a barn find in the truest sense. It seems no one knew about it, which is almost unheard of in the Shelby world. The good people at the Shelby registry go to great lengths to document every car ever built, but this one somehow eluded them. Don’t worry though, it has all of its original documents and is a legitimate GT 350.
It will be interesting to see not only what this unrestored Shelby goes for, but what ends up happening with it. There aren’t many of these cars left in all original condition, but at the same time this car is far from perfect. Hopefully the next owner will do what they can to preserve its originality! So what would you do with it, if you just happened to find it parked in your barn?
Wouldn’t suprise me to see a new record.
I was a bigger car nut before the prices went up in the 80s
Ferrari GTOs were attainable for less than 100Gs
“Less than 100Gs” was still unobtainable for most folks back in the 80’s :-/
I stopped by the auction park here in Auburn yesterday to scope out the cars prepping for the Auburn Spring auction (by Auctions America). Shelby GT350’s are in abundance (I saw at least three).
It will surely set a new auction record for an unrestored GT350. Elsewhere, an all-original, barn-find Mini Cooper S with a seized engine just sold for $55,000, about 3-4 times its (assumed) true value, which proves that some folks place a huge premium on all-original, unrestored cars.
i would sell it and use the money to pad my retirement account, minus $5000 that i would use to buy an old daily driver or two. i think this car will bring a lot of money at auction then be restored for a lot more money. great find.
I think I just wet myself…..
I think Bonhams has this Shelby underpriced, maybe tactically.
As a previously “lost” car, at least as far as the Shelby community and clubs are concerned, I think it will probably sell for more than the $80-120K estimate. Assuming it’s real and can be properly documented, this must be one of the very few lost Shelbys left, and that and its originality will be worth something. The SCM Guide says the median price paid at recent auctions for these is about $147K, with the highest price paid being $313.5K.
If it really has a race history and only 55K miles and runs and drives well—or at all—it will probably sell for over the recent range of auction prices paid. And from the point of view of Shelby fanatics, that will probably be seen as a good buy.
I’m too much of a car nut? How in the HECK does someone park it in 1976 and not drive it? I just don’t get it. And never will own or understand how cars like this get parked and left. I can only imagine what to do with it. I think I’d just as soon clean it up, stop any rust from proceeding and drive it as is. Maybe some new wheels. Keep the old ones for provenance, of course.
Wow. Shaking my head….
This car will go for a small fortune. Double Bonham’s range and you’ll be close. They are only original once and this one is outstanding. Hard choice will be how to preserve it’s originality over restoring it .
The low estimate is a very smart move; it attracts more buyers, and when it sells for a lot more than Bonham will use that to the seller as to show him how hard they work for him.
No profanity, political rants, or personal attacks allowed, therefore I have no comment
I would absolutely trade my house for this.
IMO this will not stay original. Too much deterioration in the body.
Rusty old cars and millionaires, what a combo. Sure cut out the real car guys who really did grow up with and love cars like this.
Here’s my newly acquired 1969 “R” code Cobra Jet that was last registered in 1986 with 41,071 miles, 3k miles put on since 1975. There are still incredible cars to find…..
great find. more photos and the story on how you found this please. thanks.
What’s with the headrests? Never seen a 66 Shelby with headrests, or am I seeing things?
Somebody added those (probably in the ’70’s).
It must have needed carburetor work also, cause the original 715cfm Holley carb was replaced with an over the counter dual line Holley and rubber fuel line. BIG mistake!
You’re Welcome Barn Finds…
C’mon guys. This car is REAL rusty. There is no mention of an original drivetrain or if it drives. No picture of the underneath This car is a money pit and if (!!!) it needs new sheet metal,new floors, torque boxes it will be expensive. Then what if it is not numbers matching? No mention was made of this which leads one to believe it is not. Surely that would help the sale if it was numbers matching. After all it was a “racecar” at one time. If the internals of the Hi-Po are toast where are you going to get another? How about the trans? Etc. Etc.
At best this car after restoration will be a rusty car someone thought they were getting a deal on but instead spent a fortune and it will never be as good as a correct, matching numbers car with good sheet metal and floors. If it goes for $125,000, it would cost $100,000 to make it drivable and stop the cancer. Anyone that says to leave it as is wants it to disappear …..soon. If an underside pic would help the auction house sell the car they would have supplied it. Notice no truck pic??!!
You usually get what you pay for, and this proves it.
Sheet metal costs the same no matter what its on. As long as the shelby specific parts are there… then its worth the money. People don’t find shelbys like this often. Its not always about money. Its about having an unrestored 350. I know a guy who has 4 restored ones… and id take this one over them any day.
Do you know anything about the Repop Ford sheet metal? Do you know that it needs a lot of work to fit them correctly ? How about that Hi- Po? Where are you going to get one if the one in the car is no good ? How about the K code specific parts? Have you ever owned a K code or Shelby? If not please realize you know little about this.
It doesn’t appear to be all original to me. #1- no top stripes. #2- trunk, rear body, and rear valance are to clean for the rest of the car (see front valance). #3- headrest are not factory to Shelby but added since it was primarily a demo car. #4- is that little yellow turn signals in the headlight bucket? Definitely not factory Shelby. Just a few of my quick observations. I would have to see it in person and do a lot of research before bidding.
The top or “LeMans” strips were an option.
Has an electric pre-lube pump, under-drive alternator pulley and a rare MICO brake master cylinder usually only found on Hertz Cobras. Also a Delta airlines parking decal on the front bumper. Could this be an old Hertz car?
The amber indicator light only in the drivers headlamp bezel…..I don’t have a clue.
Paul R.,
Great catch on the MICO brake booster. Completely missed that one. While these are correct for Hertz cars, not all Hertz cars had them. My guess here is, if the car was bought and driven as a demo, they put the MICO brake booster on it for driving. A close up of the booster should show the MICO stamp on top. Aftermarket MICO style boosters did not have the MICO stamp.
As for the electric pre-lube pump, I would say it was added after purchase since the car was in a very cold winter region. Pure speculation though. We all know that anytime you buy an old car, at some point in its life something non-factory was added.
Just saw one more interesting add on. Is that a piece of sheet metal under the alternator?
Looks like a sheet metal belly pan to keep air out from under the car.. It has a deep finned oil pan and right side exhaust. One pipe is missing but the bracket is there for both exhaust to exit the right side in front of the rear tire.
The car has had several mods to make it a track car. Would be interesting to know more history as it was apparently road raced at one time.
Guys I have what maybe is a stupid question but…..am i seeing two ignition coils? One on the drivers side front of the engine and one on the passenger side? If so, what’s with that? Also appears to be two windshield washer reservoirs: the older “bag” type and right next to it a plastic reservoir.
Its not an ignition coil and I originally thought it was an electric pre-lube pump due to it being located right beside the oil sending unit port. Apparently its not that either. I looks more like a Holley electric fuel pump would now be my guess as the engine is equipped with a dual line Holley carb also. The plastic bottle is to catch radiator overflow. Don’t want coolant on the track!
Its a neat find indeed!
Definitely would like to know what it is! Since ignition coils are generally mounted in either location I can see a fuel pump being put there. Very interesting.
Great find! It is a REAL GT-350. The chassis is actually a ’65 Mustang shipped to Shelby with the ’65 Mustangs provided by Ford. It didn’t get completed during Shelby’s production run, so they just upgraded the few(’66) items and titled it a ’66. I had one in my younger days. I had to buy a parking cable, and found out it was a ’65 part.
That does look like a Holley electric fuel pump. Odd place for a fuel pump.
Racers do odd things to race cars for what they think will work for them.
Actually no one knows it it is a REAL GT350.
I’ve owned one ’65 GT-350 & one carryover ’66 GT-350 & one early (4-speed) Hertz GT-350.
I can tell by the pics that this is a real ’66 GT-350. Granted we can’t see inside the eng., but when you buy a 50 yr. old car, you don’t always get the original eng. If it isn’t original, someone changed it 40yrs. ago. Any interested party willing to spend that kind of money has the means to do a personal inspection in person, and should.