Check Out These 3 Fantastic Mustangs Headed to Auction
Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale brings out the big guns, including a GT350R with provenance, a GT-500KR, and a gorgeous color-matched Cobra Jet.
January brings two of the biggest auctions of the year, and this trio of 1960s Mustangs should grab your attention. All three will cross the auction stage at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale from Jan. 13 to 21 in Arizona. We love all of these, although the road-racing GT350R stands out as particularly special.
1965 Shelby GT350R
Unlike the “normal” GT350 built in 1965, Shelby built the “R” models to go road racing. The R’s 289 cubic-inch V8 got solid lifters and a healthy 306 horsepower. That would allow the pony car to attack Corvettes in the Sports Car Club of America’s B-Production class. Shelby sold only 36 (or 33, depending on where you read) GT-350Rs at $5,995 a piece.
Experts consider this particular car the winningest Shelby ever built. Roger West campaigned it originally, then sold it to Charlie Kemp. Kemp did nothing special aside from racking up 34 wins in 52 races, including an astonishing 17 consecutive victories. That added up to an SCCA Nationals victory and three regional championships from 1968 to 1970.
Incredibly, this one still sports most of the original sheet metal. That’s no small accomplishment in racing and this one should bring a substantial pile of money.
1968 Shelby GT-500KR
As you likely already know, “KR” stood for “King of the Road” on these tweaked Shelbys. These cars sported fiberglass hoods and front panels along with the distinctive, functional “nostril” dual air scoops. Under that fiberglass lurked a 428 cubic-inch V8 with hydraulic lifters, dual-branch headers, and a big ol’ 735 cfm Holley four-barrel carb. While Ford called it a 335-horsepower mill, the GT-500KR’s 428 made much closer to 400 ponies.
This auction item clocks in as a particularly rare GT-500KR combination. Shelby built just 318 convertible versions. This represents one of just 57 with factory air and a four-speed manual. Of those, only four came with the gorgeous Lime Gold paint and the Saddle Decor bucket seats.
Hagerty shows the prices on the GT-500KR well down from their mid-2000s level, but as high as they’ve been since the 2008 Recession. That said, this one should have no trouble fetching at least $150,000.
1969 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet 428 Convertible
The ‘69 Cobra Jet got a slightly milder version of the 428, one which really made 335 horsepower. The Cobra Jet featured as part of the widening array of Mustangs that accompanied the car’s second restyling. Ford built 1,628 Cobra Jet Convertibles, which sold originally with a $3,761 base price.
That makes this one up for auction not quite as rare as the others, but the Acapulco Blue paint and color-matched wheels have rendered us a bit dumbstruck. This will turn some heads and it’s one of just 20 Convertibles with the “Q-code” (non-Ram Air) in the VIN and a manual transmission. Only three Q-code Cobra Jets Convertibles came in Acapulco Blue, which is probably why we’re drawn to this one.
Want some more provenance? This car set the NHRA E-Stock Eliminator elapsed-time record in the early 1970s during a long drag-racing career. Now, this well-documented Cobra Jet heads to auction after a full restoration. Hagerty pins the value in the high five figures, possibly bordering on $100,000.
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