Old Garage Yields Two Incredibly-preserved Classic Shelby Mustangs
After being kept in storage for more than 30 years, these Shelby GT500 Mustangs are ready to get new owners – and hit the road.
Sometimes real life can be like a game show. You just never know what prize is on the other side of a certain door. Earlier this year, Christopher Zlamal Sr. of Classic Cars of Sarasota looked behind an unnamed 87-year-old man’s garage door and found not one, but two classic Shelby Mustangs: a GT500 and a GT500 KR.
According to Daily Mail, the elderly owner bought the two cars in 1980. Seven years later, he lost the ability to drive them and put them in a garage, where they remained until 2002. That’s when he transferred them to a storage space. Once there, they started collecting thick coats of dust.
That all changed once Zlamal stopped by the elderly Tampa Bay man’s property. Even with the man’s permission, getting to the cars wasn’t easy. Zlamal told Daily Mail, “The door to the garage had to be unscrewed, it took half an afternoon to unbolt the door as it was closed for 17 years and all the hinges were rusty.”
Zlamal said, “It takes a lot for me to get out of my chair and drive an hour north of my location.” It was worth the time and effort. He opened the door to see a black GT500 and a Lime Gold GT500 KR.
It turns out the GT500 was a 1-of-184 four-speed car and only five other GT500s were equipped with the same options it had, according to Zlamal.
The KR had a Cobra Jet V8, power disc brakes, and only 12,994 miles on it. Both cars were under a heavy blanket of dust, but it helped preserve their paint.
The owner, who had no spouse or children, ended up selling both cars to Zlamal for a great cause. He intended to give the money he made to charity.
Getting the cars running required installing new gas and fuel tanks, batteries, service items, and a few other minor things. Of course, a good cleaning was necessary, too.
Zlamal found someone willing to pay six figures for the GT500. Now he’s selling the Shelby GT500 KR on eBay. As of right now, the bidding is up to $115,400, but hasn’t met the reserve price. Whoever puts in the winning bid or pays the asking price of $135,000 before the listing ends on Wednesday afternoon gets it. Hopefully, that person drives it often enough and fast enough that no more dust touches it.
Photos: Screenshots
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