Latest news with #ShelbyAmerican
Car and Driver
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
View Photos of the 1990 Shelby Dakota
Read the full review The Shelby Dakota marks ol' Carroll's return to the land of V-8s. Using a pickup truck as the base for a hot rod is an interesting decision, but it may eventually prove quite prescient.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Car of the Week: This 1965 Ford GT Prototype Roadster Could Fetch $10 Million at Auction
Here is the car that helped pave the way for Ford's historic domination over the Prancing Horse at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966, a motorsport saga that inspired the 2019 blockbuster film Ford v Ferrari. This 1965 Ford GT Competition Prototype Roadster was one of only five low-slung, open-top examples built in the run-up to Ford's four consecutive landmark victories at Circuit de la Sarthe between 1966 and 1969. Of that quintet, GT/109 is the only one that competed in the legendary French endurance classic. To see the car's place in racing history, rewind to 1965 when Ford was fast-tracking its Le Mans-focused GT40 program. In preparation, its Ford Advanced Vehicles division—in the UK—had built a total of 12 hardtop and roadster prototypes. More from Robb Report How the Jaguar XK120 Put the Marque on the World Stage Jerry Seinfeld Finally Sold His 'Le Mans' Porsche After Turning Down a $25 Million Offer Why the Jaguar E-Type May Be Our Automotive Ideal Compared to the other four GT Prototype Roadsters, GT/109 was unique in having a three-inch longer chassis and a thundering Shelby Cobra–spec 289 cubic-inch V-8 that was mid-mounted behind the cockpit. It also came with knock-off Halibrand magnesium racing wheels instead of wires, front corner air dams, side-mounted engine oil coolers, and a removable center-section rollover bar. Prepared by Carroll Shelby's famed Shelby American workshop in Venice, Calif., GT/109 was painted in the Ford of France racing livery presenting white with a dark blue center stripe bordered in red. Weighing 2,350 pounds, the car was the lightest of the six Ford GTs entered at Le Mans in 1965. For the race, the car would be piloted by French motorsport stars Maurice Trintignant, who drove a Daytona Coupe for Shelby in the 1964 Tour de France, and Guy Ligier, who went on to compete in Formula 1 before becoming a long-time F1 constructor. Trintignant was pilot for the start of the race but was in the pits after just two laps with an engine misfire. Back out on the track, the car lasted just nine more laps before a broken gearbox ended its race. None of the other five GT Prototypes would finish either. After the race, GT/109 went to Ford's Michigan-based prototype builder, Kar Kraft, for use in the development of the GT40. There, it was tested with an experimental four-cam racing V-8 as well as an experimental braking system. When Kar Kraft's work on the vehicle was completed, it was shipped to Shelby American in Los Angeles for a full rebuild, then trucked back across country to Ford's headquarters in Detroit, where it was mothballed in storage. In 1968, Dean Jeffries, a renowned Hollywood stuntman and car customizer, was in Detroit with racer A.J. Foyt to see Ford's head of racing, Jacques Passino. The story goes that during the meeting, Jeffries spotted GT/109 sitting in the warehouse and asked Passino if he could buy it. 'No problem, you can have it. We're done with the Roadsters,' said Passino. Jeffries, famous for having painted 'Little Bastard' on the side of James Dean's ill-fated 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder, would go on to keep this open-top GT for 45 years, until his death in 2013. That year, auction guru Dana Mecum bought the car from Jeffries' son and immediately plunged into a concours-quality restoration with Harley Cluxton III of Arizona-based Grand Touring Cars Inc. The renovation of GT/109 was completed in the nick of time for its debut at the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, part of a special class celebrating the 50th anniversary of Ford's Le Mans victory. It took second in class, behind the fabled 1966 Le Mans–winning GT40 piloted by Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon. A week later, it won Best in Show at the Milwaukee Concours d'Elegance. Last year, it finished second in class again, this time at the Amelia Concours d'Elegance in Florida, where it lost out to the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO that won the 1964 Tour de France. Martyn L. Schorr, Ford GT40 authority and author of Ford Total Performance, calls GT/109 'a stunning example of Ford's open-top Prototype GT, with the added distinction of being only one of two still in existence. He also states: 'This is the car commissioned by the Godfather of the GT40, head of Ford Advanced Concepts, Roy Lunn. . . . It is truly a unique part of Ford racing history.' The only other Ford GT Competition Prototype Roadster in existence, GT/108, was sold at the 2019 RM Sotheby's Monterey auction for $7.65 million. This example is set to cross the auction block at Mecum's Indy 2025 sale in Indianapolis on May 17, where it's estimated to fetch between $7.5 million and $10 of Robb Report The 2024 Chevy C8 Corvette: Everything We Know About the Powerful Mid-Engine Beast The World's Best Superyacht Shipyards The ABCs of Chartering a Yacht Click here to read the full article.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
The only Ford GT Roadster to race in the 24 Hours of Le Mans is going up for auction
When it comes to car collecting, major enthusiasts with deep pockets are always searching for a car that screams of exclusivity, rarity, and has a great story to tell. Much like Jerry Seinfeld's Porsche 917 signed by Steve McQueen that recently sold for upwards of $25 million, this Ford GT Roadster is the Holy Grail of motorsports collections, and the centerpiece to the upcoming Indy 2025 auction hosted by Mecum. This 1965 Ford GT Competition Prototype Roadster GT/109 is an extraordinary piece of automotive history, holding the incredible distinction of being the only Ford GT Roadster to ever compete in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. During its heyday, sitting behind the wheel were accomplished French racers Maurice Trintignant and Guy Ligier, both legends in the world of racing. Completed in March 1965 by Ford Advanced Vehicles (FAV) in Slough, England, GT/109 is one of just 12 prototypes, with only five Roadsters ever built—today, only GT/109 and its sister car GT/108 remain. The GT prototype burst onto the scene in April 1964, a marvel of (then) modern engineering that combined exotic beauty with the most advanced technology of its day. Despite facing a rocky start with devastating crashes and unfinishedhed races, the program was reinvigorated in December 1964 when Ford sent two Coupes, GT/103 and GT/104, to the talented team at Shelby American in Los Angeles. Under the watchful eye of Shelby Chief Engineer Phil Remington, these cars underwent an intense phase of testing and refinement, culminating in a triumphant victory at the Daytona Continental in February 1965. GT/109 was then entrusted to Shelby in March 1965 for final modifications in preparation for Le Mans. This included a race-ready Cobra-spec engine, lightweight Halibrand magnesium wheels, and an array of design enhancements such as front corner air dams and side-mounted engine oil radiators, which all but guaranteed peak performance on the track. Upon arriving in France, GT/109 was re-numbered from 9 to 15 and wore the racing colors of Ford of France, a head-turning combo of white paint with a bold dark blue center stripe bordered in vibrant red. With a weight of just 2,350 pounds, it was the leanest competitor among the six Ford GTs entered that year. During the race, it was initially piloted by Trintignant, but fell short of finishing after suffering a gearbox failure on the 11th lap. Interestingly, at one point, GT/109's driver door was temporarily borrowed by another Ford GT that had lost a door, showcasing the camaraderie among competitors. Though none of the Ford GTs finished the grueling Le Mans race in 1965, GT/109's legacy paved the way for Ford's future triumphs in endurance racing. After the Le Mans race, GT/109 bounced back to Shelby American for some servicing, with a work order set up on June 28 to get it back in shape. It then became a test vehicle at Kar Kraft for the J-Car project, where they worked on various parts, including an automatic transmission and a 4-cam Indianapolis engine. Eventually, GT/109 returned to Shelby American for a rebuild and spent around two years in storage before being moved to a Ford warehouse in Detroit. In 1968, Hollywood stuntman Dean Jeffries stumbled upon the car while visiting Detroit with A.J. Foyt. Excited to see it, he asked to buy it, and Ford Racing Director Jacques Passino casually said, 'No problem, you can have it. We're done with the GT Roadster program.' By the '60s, Jeffries had made a name for himself in the fast car scene in Southern California. He was famous for painting 'Little Bastard' on James Dean's Porsche 550 Spyder and had a solid partnership with Carroll Shelby while working on the Cobra project. When he picked up GT/109, he went all out on the restoration, first trying a 4-cam Indy engine before switching to a Shelby-built 289 CI racing engine that had actually seen action at Le Mans. He later showed it off at Ford's '100 Years of Racing History Celebration' in August 2003. In 2013, Dana Mecum bought GT/109 from Jeffries' son and enlisted Harley Cluxton III of GTC Mirage Racing to give it a professional restoration, bringing it back to its original Le Mans setup. The rebuild included a Ford/Shelby intake manifold, Weber carburetors, and the famous 'Bundle of Snakes' exhaust. Other original parts featured a rebuilt 1965 ZF transaxle, SEV Marchal headlights, Halibrand magnesium wheels, a rare NOS Ford GT wiper blade, and Carroll Shelby's original brake-light switch. GT/109 snagged Second in Class at the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, finishing right behind the 1966 Le Mans winner. It also took home Best of Show at the Milwaukee Concours and served as Honorary Marshal at the American Speed Festival in 2023. In 2024, it proudly landed Second in Class at The Amelia Concours. As one of only two surviving Ford GT Competition Prototype Roadsters and the only one to race at Le Mans, GT/109's achievements helped put Ford on the map against Ferrari and made the 1965 Ford GT Competition Prototype Roadster the world's first American supercar. If you want a piece of this unbelievably unique automotive unicorn, head to Mecum's auction in Indianapolis on Saturday, May 17th, and make sure you've got your credit limits raised. The post The only Ford GT Roadster to race in the 24 Hours of Le Mans is going up for auction appeared first on The Manual.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Shelby American Revives GT350 for 2025; Win Serial Number 50 through SAAC Fundraiser
⚡️ Read the full article on Motorious Shelby American is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the iconic GT350 by unveiling a brand-new, supercharged 2025 edition—the most powerful GT350 ever produced. Enthusiasts now have the unique opportunity to win serial number 50 through a special fundraising drawing organized by the Shelby American Automobile Club (SAAC). Equipped with a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 engine delivering a staggering 810 horsepower, the 2025 Shelby GT350 has been carefully engineered for exceptional performance. Shelby engineers have upgraded suspension components and installed a high-performance exhaust system to manage the vehicle's newfound power. A comprehensive aerodynamic package ensures maximum stability at high speeds. The latest GT350 pays homage to Shelby's heritage with design features such as 60th anniversary badging, exclusive carbon fiber trim, and a functional aluminum hood equipped with heat extraction vents. Inside, the cabin blends Shelby's legacy with modern comforts, creating a cockpit suited to both spirited track use and comfortable cruising. Limited production will heighten the GT350's desirability among collectors, but Shelby fans have a unique opportunity: Serial Number 50 of this limited run is being offered as the prize in a fundraising giveaway conducted by the Shelby American Automobile Club (SAAC). Proceeds from donations will benefit SAAC, the organization dedicated to preserving the history and legacy of Carroll Shelby and Shelby American vehicles. The giveaway represents an exciting chance for enthusiasts to own a piece of Shelby history, particularly this special 50th serial number edition. The SAAC encourages participation, highlighting that even a modest donation can secure a ticket in the drawing. As Shelby American continues its tradition of creating legendary high-performance machines, the 2025 GT350 not only honors the past but also looks to set new standards for American muscle cars. Entries into the drawing are open now through the SAAC website, providing enthusiasts with the possibility to own a highly exclusive Shelby GT350. Enter here.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Shelby Vs. Regular Mustang: The Key Differences Explained
Very few driving experiences can match the thunderous roar and the raw power of a Shelby Mustang. To celebrate the 60th anniversary of its true American automotive icon this year, Shelby American debuted a revived GT350 at January's Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. A new Shelby Mustang is also the perfect opportunity to highlight how different Shelby's creations are from Ford's standard Mustang. We obviously have to start with Carroll Shelby. The Texan was an accomplished sports car driver during the 1950s. Shelby was named Driver of the Year by Sports Illustrated twice in 1956 and 1957. The highlight of his racing career would come in 1959 when he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans behind the wheel of an Aston Martin DBR1 alongside British driver Roy Salvadori. Shelby's racing career would come to an abrupt end in 1960 after he was diagnosed with angina pectoris, a hereditary condition caused by reduced blood flow to the heart. While no longer able to race, he didn't want to leave the automotive world. Shelby realized there was an opportunity for an American sports car manufacturer to emerge during his time winning races with European machinery. As a result, he founded Shelby American in 1962. Read more: The 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor Is Exactly What You Want It To Be The fledgling company found competitive success with the Cobra and Ford approached Shelby to build a high-performance version of the Mustang. Management at the Blue Oval intended to boost the pony car's racing pedigree and its sales by tying its image to Shelby, but the Texan took the task seriously. The Mustang's 289 cubic-inch V8 engine was fitted with a larger Holley carburetor, Tri-Y headers, and a high-rise intake manifold. The modifications increased the engine's output to 306 horsepower, 35 horsepower more than stock. The Shelby Mustang wasn't intended to be a drag-strip car. The car also featured larger brakes and an improved suspension for better handling around race tracks. In the 2000s, Ford used the Shelby name on its own factory-modified performance Mustangs like the GT500 and GT350, but Ford no longer licenses the name for itself, so the moniker is back to only being used by the Shelby American company. The 2025 Shelby Mustang GT350 fits the same mold for performance. This time around, Shelby is bolting a supercharger to Ford's stock 480-horsepower 5.0-liter V8 engine, surging the motor's output up to 810 horsepower. Buyers willing to shell out even more can get a track-focused Mustang as the partnership originally envisioned. The GT350R features a carbon-fiber interior, a half cage, four-point racing harnesses and carbon aero appendages. Performance does come with a price. If you want to feel like a modern-day Steve McQueen, the GT350 will start at $109,995. You'll have to place your order directly with Shelby American, as Ford doesn't sell Shelbys through its dealers anymore. Read the original article on Jalopnik.
