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Tow Yard Find: 1989 Shelby CSX-VNT

This 1989 Shelby CSX-VNT is one of just 500 examples made and represents one of Carroll Shelby’s final production models as part of his relationship with Chrysler Corp. The CSX-VNT was a sophisticated factory hot rod, good for a startling top speed of 156 miles per hour. The car that is otherwise known as a Dodge Shadow featured numerous other innovations and upgrades, such as “Fiberride” wheels, a Recaro interior, and special paint and aerodynamic add-ons. The car shown here has an interesting history after being declared abandoned by a storage facility and found in a tow yard. The seller has made some improvements and used it for the summer show season, and it’s now listed here on craigslist for $12,000.

The CSX-VNT was stolen in 1991 in California and branded with a salvage title upon recovery. This same exact scenario is what gave my dearly-departed 1995 BMW M3 a California title with a big red X through it, as the original leather bucket seats were swiped and the car otherwise emerged unscathed. However, the seats taken from my car were easily sourced; you’re going to have a far harder time finding actual Recaros emblazoned with the unique Shelby script to replace the generic bucket seats that are currently installed (but a very decent match for the original backseat). I would find a set of Recaros good for recovering and try to get as close to a factory match as possible; sadly, the original Shelby fabric is very much NLA and likely rare as hen’s teeth to source. The good news is the thieves didn’t apparently take any of the other Shelby-specific bits, like the three-spoke steering wheel and dash plaque.

The VNT cars were the final year the turbocharged Shadow was offered, and it represented a fairly decent leap forward in terms of drivetrain engineering. The VNT, or variable nozzle turbo, featured “variable turbine technology” that allowed for a healthy 205 lb-ft of torque available from an incredibly low 2,100 RPM. The engine made good power all through the rev range and pulled strongly to its impressive top speed. The seller notes his car was running quite poorly when he retrieved it from the tow yard but all he notes for maintenance under his ownership is new spark plugs, an oil change, and a fresh battery. That almost seems too easy, especially given these cars required synthetic oil and premium fuel, which just seems like the sort of thing you’d stop doing if you’re the type of owner to let your rare CSX-VNT get repo’d by the storage lot.

Regardless, the seller apparently found a diamond in the rough as this CSX still presents well despite its years of neglect. There are some dings and scrapes but nothing major; being a California and Colorado car all of its life has helped keep rust to non-existent. The seller notes some panels have evidence of being repainted so it’s a mixture of original paint and resprays. The front bumper has been replaced with a new one from Kaminari, which is a common fix for the damage-prone front bumper and valence. The rear spoiler has also been painted. Overall, despite the title murkiness and the missing seats, this looks like a very decent example of a rare CSX-VNT, and it’s great to see this one escape from the tow yard relatively unscathed.

Comments

  1. Avatar Bakyrdhero Member

    This car is neat, I don’t care about all the hate it’s about to get. I can’t however imagine traveling at 156mph in a Dodge Shadow having owned the stripped down version.

    Like 17
  2. Avatar Claudio

    I also owned a shadow and i cant imagine having another
    I cant see any benefit with the shelby mods
    Its still a sh*ibox, with no qualty and no appeal from the malaise era of horror

    Like 7
    • Avatar Steveo

      But…but…but it’s a Shelby…think of the stories you can tell at cars and coffee.

      Like 3
  3. Avatar Mike Hawke

    This is a quality car that really appeals to us! The Shelby mods are quite a benefit!

    Like 14
  4. Avatar Dean R.

    No matter how rare a vehicle is, a branded title is a “no thank you” from me – regardless of the circumstances that led to it.

    Like 3
  5. Avatar GREGORY POLLACK

    I had a chance to buy The Shadow with the 22 turbo 2 5 speed but I ended up buying the LeBaron GTC turbo 2 5 speed instead.
    No governor Bury the speedometer at 125 easily. And still have 4th and 5th to wind out.

    Like 2
  6. Avatar Rick in Oregon

    Having had several of the Shelby Chargers I can these are insanely fun to drive. Torque steer like made but my little turbo Chargers would eat Chevy small blocks off the line all day long and they’d never catch me in the twisties!!!

    Like 3
  7. Avatar Dwayne Stewart

    I have one of these and also a 88 shadow es. Performance between the two is night and day. Keep in mind also that this is a REAL shelby car. Not a Ford Mustang that was modified by ford’s special vehicle team and then branded with a licensed shelby logo. These shadows were in the actual Carol shelby garage and hand modified by his team then given a number 1 to 500.

    This particular car is missing the original seats and the shelby decal in the windshield is also not original. 12k may be a bit high. Considering some of its faults. Just be sure all the vin numbers match.

    Like 4
  8. Avatar Bob-O

    I think that if I bought this car I’d turn it into a land-speed racer and run it at Bonneville and other land-speed venues. It’s a cool car!

    Like 2

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