Article courtesy of MustangsDaily.com, your source for all the latest Ford Mustang news and articles. Taking a look back at the articles we’ve written about Lethal Performance, it’s easy to see the Wellington, FL-based shop is very good at doing one thing – making Mustangs go very, very fast. We’ve showed you videos of their […] More »

by Amie Williams Mustang Forums Sometimes conversions work and sometimes they just don’t work at all. This one falls a little short, but their intentions were good. First of all, mixing Ford and Chevy together is somewhat blasphemy, but that didn’t stop this Indian mash up including a Chevy Optera meeeting the drool-worthy Eleanor, the […] More »

by John Coyle Mustang Forums This crash happened during the Formula GT500 Copa–that’s Formula GT500 Cup– in Columbia, and demonstrates that even with AWD and a slew of electronic nannies, high-powered exotics can be a handful. Just ask this Lamborghini driver, who stomped on the gas only to have the Raging Bull go sideways and […] More »

by John Coyle Mustang Forums This isn’t the first time these two all-American bruisers have been compared, but it’s the first time that Chris Harris has done it, which is reason enough to watch it. Initially, he takes both beasts for a spin around the streets of New York City–accurately described as “the worst place […] More »

by Brian Lohnes  BangShift When we got the call from our pal Jon at Tube Chassis Designz that we needed to get down to his shop to see something cool, we jumped in the car and went.  We were greeted with one of the coolest single cars we have ever seen. This is a factory […] More »

by John CoyleMustang Forums His old 300C is for sale, and the only things he’s driven since before being inaugurated are golf balls. But that couldn’t keep him from checking out the 650HP 2013 Shelby GT500 at the Washington DC Auto Show on Tuesday. According to Jalopnik, he checked out a bunch of rides, including […] More »

A highlight of this year’s SEMA show in Las Vegas was the original Shelby Cobra prototype on display. Unrestored and unpretentious, its presentation was in stark contrast to the event’s requisite highly polished, no-holds-barred rides surrounding it. 

Patina be damned, its provenance commanded due respect.

Just in time for Shelby fans comes the next big event, and it’s in Plainfield, Indiana this weekend: the auction of an unrestored 1968 Shelby Cobra Mustang GT500-KR with just over 9,000 claimed original miles.

As reported on BringATrailer, the Shelby is one of four vehicles offered in an estate sale, along with the typical household and outdoor goods. Yet somehow, we get the impression it will overshadow the knickknacks and lawnmowers.

The 1968 GT500-KR routed air through its functional hood scoop to a 428 cubic-inch Cobra Jet V-8 with 360 horsepower, mated to either a three-speed automatic transmission or a four-speed manual, the latter being present in this car. By no means a 100 percent complete time capsule, it has escaped over-restoration and a high-profile auction flip.

Then again, this is already a high-profile affair among collectors, and we wouldn‘t be surprised if passionate bidders pushed the Shelby into six-figure territory before the winner pushes it onto his or her trailer. From there we can only imagine what it will take to charm this snake back to life. But judging by the period video road test we unearthed a while back, it would be worth the effort.

At least a rich backstory is included with the car. As alleged by Earl’s Auction Company overseeing the sale, it belonged to longtime local resident Ruth Hughbanks, who passed last year at age 84. Her son Bill had the car specially built and bought it new. After he took ill and died in 1980, she kept the car as-is and drove it around town–quite sparingly, if the odometer’s 9,159-mile reading is original as reported. The accumulated cobwebs, dirt and 2004 license plates suggest nobody’s prowled Plainfield with it in some time.

On top of it all, a rare find under unique circumstances begets interest. Interest begets drama. There’s no shortage of either online. Parties claiming to be familiar with the car and family seem adamant about the car’s history, miles and originality. Shelby experts and general skeptics are plentiful, debunking this is an off-the-rack 109,159-mile car with its share of aftermarket and missing parts.

Neutral bystanders like us are just curious to see what unfolds.
This story originally appeared at Motor Authori