Shannons will ‘make America great again’ at its Sydney Spring Classic Auction on November 7 – the day before the US Presidential election – with a highly prized 1968 Shelby GT500KR (short for King of the Road) going under the hammer.
The Shelby, with its date code-correct 428 Cobra Jet V8 and four-speed manual transmission, is a true ‘survivor’ of the golden American muscle car era, with just 61,000 miles (believed genuine) on its odometer.
The car’s accompanying Marti report and tags point to it being a May 1968 build, while Shannons say it appears to have all its original factory Acapulco Blue paintwork, based on its easily spotted original condition.
Imported from Texas in 2009 by its current owner, this highly sought after original left hand-drive coupe is the last ‘true’ Shelby GT500 before Ford took over production for the 1969 model year.
The GT500KR was the ultimate road-going Shelby Mustang you could buy in 1968 and this car is thought to be one of only 300 or so manual KR fastbacks built, making it both collectible and a lively driving experience compared with the much-softer automatic-equipped versions.
Because of its rarity, apparently original condition and low mileage, Shannons are expecting the Shelby to sell in the $160,000-$180,000 range to an enthusiast who wants to make this classic 1960s American Muscle Car great again.
Other great Americans in the November 7 auction are two stylish four-speed Chevrolet Corvette roadsters – a blue-with-white-scallops 1959 C1 model fitted with a non-factory 283cui V8 ($65,000-$75,000) and a red 1968 C3 ($60,000-$70,000) equipped with a desirable 390hp 427cui big-block V8, which is correct according to the numbers.
Offered with ‘no reserve’ the healthy 427 V8 has had light modifications done to boost its power to an owner-estimated 450hp and the sale includes a spread of spare parts including its original Rallye wheels.
Also offered with ‘no reserve’ in the auction is a very big American – a 6.14 metre (20ft 2in) long right-hand drive 1961 Cadillac Fleetwood Series 75 Limousine that is expected to sell in the $30,000-$40,000 range – potentially offering the biggest ‘bang for buck’ of any of the vehicles in the November 7 sale.
View all November 7 Shannons Sydney Spring Auction lots
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