On the Block (Again): Mustang GT350 Prototype
According to the listing on the Mecum Auctions’ site, “short-term ownership for a car of this magnitude is very unusual.”
If it seems like the Mustang GT350 prototype raced by Ken Miles was just on the auction block, you’re not mistaken. Back in July of 2020, this piece of history sold for a whopping $3.84 million, which eclipsed the $3.4 million a collector paid for the Mustang used by Steve McQueen in Bullitt. According to the listing on the Mecum Auctions’ site, “short-term ownership for a car of this magnitude is very unusual,” though the exact reason it’s being unloaded now is unclear.
Right now, the pre-sale estimate says this car is expected to go for between $3.7 and $4 million dollars, and it’ll be interesting to see where it lands in that spread. Given the provenance of this car — first of its kind, raced by Miles, subject of the famous “Flying Mustang” photo — it seems unlikely it’ll go for less than it did last time it was on the block. So in all likelihood, this Wimbledon White test mule will remain the most expensive Mustang ever sold at auction.
After Carroll Shelby and his team were done with this car, it was sold to Bill Clawson, a Ford Performance engineer and amateur racer. During his ownership, Clawson kept meticulous records of the GT350, and even used his connections at the Blue Oval to score a new engine for it. As luck would have it, the engine he was able to get was a racing mill built for the famous GT40, which was tagged as experimental — and never supposed to leave Ford property.
That’s just one of the many details which make this machine such an amazing piece of automotive history, and I can’t wait to see what it fetches when the hammer drops in Kissimmee, Florida next month. Honestly, it’s tough to imagine an example of the Mustang which would prove more compelling for well-heeled automotive enthusiasts. But if you can think of a car that might be able to outshine this baby when it comes to top-dollar sales, hit me up and let me know!
Photos: Mecum Auctions
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