Uber-rare 1969 Shelby GT500 Prototype Discovered by Accident in Detroit
Any 7k-mile classic Shelby is special in its own right, but a little more research confirmed that this wasn’t just any rare barn find.
In recent years, we’ve seen quite a few rare and prominent Mustangs reappear, as if by magic. From two surviving Bullitt movie cars to Shelby prototypes, these cars just keep popping up all over the globe. And you’re probably wondering – how the heck is this happening all of a sudden?
The driving force behind this phenomenon is actually pretty simple – research. Turns out, the automotive world has gotten pretty darn good at tracking down and identifying these historically significant cars. And those exhaustive efforts are exactly what led to this most recent discovery highlighted in an article from Ford Performance.
This latest find is nothing less than a Shelby Automotive pre-production prototype engineering and marketing development car. The ’69 convertible is just one of four such cars used to determine and develop what would be offered to the public on actual production models. This Raven Black Shelby is also the only 1969/1970 painted this color, as well as the first 428CJ and the first convertible built in Dearborn. How’s that for historical prominence?
Amazing stuff, indeed. But the story of how this Shelby was “rediscovered,” believe it or not, is even crazier. After sitting in a barn for decades, someone found the car and soon offered it up for sale. A trio of hardcore Shelby enthusiasts jumped at the opportunity and brought it home for a full restoration.
At the time, it was a complete and running car with just 7,579 miles on the odometer. As the restoration proceeded, the group quickly discovered the presence of several pre-production prototype features. Research through the SAAC Registrar Vincent Liska and a corresponding Marti Report confirmed that diagnosis.
Perhaps our teachers were right after all. Maybe, just maybe, doing your homework does pay off.
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