When you take in all of the various features of the cars Carroll Shelby modified for Chrysler in the 1980s, it really does make you yearn for yesteryear. After all, will we ever see a gentleman like Shelby allowed back into the boardrooms of Detroit, given permission to take every econobox in a company’s lineup, and equip those cars with all sorts of go-fast add-ons? Unlikely to happen ever again, sadly. Cars like this 1987 Shelby CSX listed here on Facebook Marketplace had one goal and that was to create a high-performance, entry-level vehicle that showed you could improve even the most basic car with the right ingredients.
The Shadow was an inoffensive car from the start. The styling is still attractive, especially considering what the modern economy car (does that segment even exist anymore?) looks like. Seeing all that glass and body lines with actual definition reminds me how much your average new vehicle has been anonymized to look like everything else on the road. The Shelby treatment not only included drivetrain upgrades but also extended to the bodywork, with a variety of aerodynamic enhancements, and the wheels and tires, which were equipped with racy Goodyear Gatorback rubber. This CSX is sadly missing its Shelby-specific front bumper.
The 175 horsepower engine was both turbocharged and intercooled, and Shelby’s magic got it to run to 60 in 7.1 seconds and reach a top speed of over 130 miles per hour. There was likely plenty more left in the tank, so to speak, for upgrading the power even further, but Shelby’s work struck a nice balance to keep performance respectable without disintegrating the engine. The seller notes that this CSX was locked up when he got it, but he has since gotten the engine free. However, there is no fuel tank, so he hasn’t done anything else beyond unsticking the engine. The missing bumper and fuel tank makes me wonder if this was a junkyard rescue.
Which, truth be told, would make me want it even more. I love the idea of cars being brought back from the brink of death, especially special or limited-production models like this. What’s more incredible is that parts like this original Shelby steering wheel, and the plate just underneath the instrument cluster with Shelby’s signature and the CSX’s production number, still remain attached to the car. Since you can get a standard Shadow fuel tank to drop in, it won’t be too challenging to get this one set up to run. The CSX is a rarity with under 1,000 made and plenty of enthusiast group support for finding the missing front bumper, so it seems well worth the $1,850 asking price.
Car’s rough but it’s cheap.