Source: Motorpress / Concours South Africa
Completely original and unrestored Shelby Mustang GT 500
The organisers of the Concours South Africa Classic Car Auction 2018 are expecting huge global interest in a completely original and unrestored 1968 Shelby Mustang GT 500.
Interior of the Shelby Mustang GT 500
The achingly-original special Mustang GT500, one of just over 1 100 examples produced by Carrol Shelby in conjunction with Ford in 1968, will go under the hammer at the auction which is being orchestrated by international classic car auctioneers Coys of Kensington.
Coys have already distributed their catalogue to some 25 000 of their clients and global bidding is expected to be intense for the auction which will feature almost 80 cars and some rare motorcycles.
The Shelby GT 500 is one of the 75 cars forming the Plit Portfolio, which will be auctioned on the Saturday evening, as one of the highlights of the three-day Concours South Africa 2018 spectacular. Johannesburg collector Wayne Plit is the third owner of the Shelby, which was bought new by a South African travelling in the US in 1968. The car was driven around the US, including a trip to Disneyland in 1969, before being shipped out to South Africa in 1970.
Soon after it arrived here it was acquired by its second owner, Johannesburg enthusiast Francois Lamprecht who owned the car for four decades before selling it on to Wayne Plit.
The car still wears its original Wimbledon White paintwork with Guardsman Blue door sill striping. It was ordered by the original owner with the high-horsepower KR-specification 428 cubic-inch V8, and also KR-spec dual fuel tanks. It still wears its original, unrestored 10-spoke alloy Shelby wheels and a T-bar Hurst shifter (also factory-original) for its four-speed gearbox. The engine has never been opened, and the original spare wheel still resides in the boot.
This car was super-quick in its era, with a 0-100 km/h time under six seconds. Every single piece of trim and Shelby-specific equipment is present on the car, which has only covered 67 300 miles!
“This car may well be the only original, un-restored Shelby GT 500 in existence,” says Concours South Africa organiser Greg Marucchi. “The Mustang is only slightly patinated despite being half a century old, and we would advise the new owner who acquires it at Steyn City on 11 August to preserve its originality as an absolute priority.
“A car is only original once. As soon as it has been restored it loses that factory-built originality which is irreplaceable. The wonderful thing about this Shelby is that it is still remarkably presentable in its original paint and trim.
We would love to see it entered, as sold, at Concours South Africa 2019!”
Paul Kennard
auction@concourssouthafrica.com
Coys have already distributed their catalogue to some 25 000 of their clients and global bidding is expected to be intense for the auction which will feature almost 80 cars and some rare motorcycles.
The Shelby GT 500 is one of the 75 cars forming the Plit Portfolio, which will be auctioned on the Saturday evening, as one of the highlights of the three-day Concours South Africa 2018 spectacular. Johannesburg collector Wayne Plit is the third owner of the Shelby, which was bought new by a South African travelling in the US in 1968. The car was driven around the US, including a trip to Disneyland in 1969, before being shipped out to South Africa in 1970.
Soon after it arrived here it was acquired by its second owner, Johannesburg enthusiast Francois Lamprecht who owned the car for four decades before selling it on to Wayne Plit.
The car still wears its original Wimbledon White paintwork with Guardsman Blue door sill striping. It was ordered by the original owner with the high-horsepower KR-specification 428 cubic-inch V8, and also KR-spec dual fuel tanks. It still wears its original, unrestored 10-spoke alloy Shelby wheels and a T-bar Hurst shifter (also factory-original) for its four-speed gearbox. The engine has never been opened, and the original spare wheel still resides in the boot.
This car was super-quick in its era, with a 0-100 km/h time under six seconds. Every single piece of trim and Shelby-specific equipment is present on the car, which has only covered 67 300 miles!
“This car may well be the only original, un-restored Shelby GT 500 in existence,” says Concours South Africa organiser Greg Marucchi. “The Mustang is only slightly patinated despite being half a century old, and we would advise the new owner who acquires it at Steyn City on 11 August to preserve its originality as an absolute priority.
“A car is only original once. As soon as it has been restored it loses that factory-built originality which is irreplaceable. The wonderful thing about this Shelby is that it is still remarkably presentable in its original paint and trim.
We would love to see it entered, as sold, at Concours South Africa 2019!”
Paul Kennard
auction@concourssouthafrica.com
Engine compartment of the Shelby Mustang GT 500
1969 ford mustang boss 429