1969 Shelby GT500 found under 40 years of dust

[Drache]

From dust to dust, people and cars come and go, but sometimes the old is reborn ... and out of the dust emerges something immaculate.

A 1969 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 428 Cobra Jet is a mouthful to say but it will drop any car enthusiasts jaw. This particular garage-find was owned and perfectly preserved by a now-deceased automotive connoisseur.

Larry never washed the car for fear of scratching the paintjob or cause even the slightest bit of rust. Yahoo News estimates that the only time the car was ever washed was before delivery. Accordingly, the car is in absolute show room condition, except for a layer of dust.

This snake features a larger, 428-cubic-inch Cobra Jet engine mated to a four-speed manual transmission, which has only run 8,500 miles in total. The spark plugs, belts, fan, and hoses are all original. The only items that are not from 1968 are the tires.

Considering this highly collectable GT500 has sat since 1973 it's an extreme rarity. The Mustang was originally purchased for just $5,245 in 1969. Now, though,it should sell at auction for over $100,000.

The car will be auctioned off by Ron Gilligan Auctioneering on April 25th.

It also looks like pack-rat owner also owned a 1971 Ford Ranchero with only 53,000 miles on it, and get this ... a 1974 Ford Econoline Custom 100 van with only 554 original miles. Both vehicles are for sale along with a variety of other mint, perfectly maintained vehicles from the estate.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/one-rare-super-snake-appears-40-years-dust

[JB400]

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,109110.0.html

[billssuperbird]

That would be only ford I would love to own and gt350.

[TruckDriver]

This is the van. I posted it in the van thread.

[hemi68charger]

Amazing................ 

[odcics2]

What a waste of a nice car.  He should have enjoyed it more.   

[69white hat]

HAHA! Those slotties look better on that van than they ever did on any charger!

[A383Wing]

I drove an original 70 GT500 back in the late 80's...was 428CJ with auto trans...thing was a turd...couldn't even light off the tires

[6spd68]

What a waste of a nice car.  He should have enjoyed it more.   

Agreed.  One of the reason I hate barn finds like this...  Now it'll be sold for stupid money, to someone who may clean it up and drive it here and there.  It will never see the roads the way it should've.  It'll never have that fun Thursday night drive, by a 30-something year old who just wants to take his funky car out for a rip.  without the concern over hitting a puddle, or if that sand on the road will get kicked up onto the paint.

Instead, it'll likely go right into a 'collection', and just sit some more.

[Aero426]

Before they were were considered commodities in a portfolio.

Photo is from the Mustang corral at the 1969 Trans-Am race at Louden NH.

[bill440rt]

What a waste of a nice car.  He should have enjoyed it more.   

Agreed.  One of the reason I hate barn finds like this...  Now it'll be sold for stupid money, to someone who may clean it up and drive it here and there.  It will never see the roads the way it should've.  It'll never have that fun Thursday night drive, by a 30-something year old who just wants to take his funky car out for a rip.  without the concern over hitting a puddle, or if that sand on the road will get kicked up onto the paint.

Instead, it'll likely go right into a 'collection', and just sit some more.

Maybe by just keeping it in his garage WAS his own way of enjoying it.   
People enjoy their cars different ways. Some drive them, some race them, some let them sit in their backyard turning into dirt, etc.
Personally, I'd rather see someone preserve a car in a garage then let it rot into a field somewhere. 

[Aero426]

Maybe by just keeping it in his garage WAS his own way of enjoying it.  
People enjoy their cars different ways. Some drive them, some race them, some let them sit in their backyard turning into dirt, etc.
Personally, I'd rather see someone preserve a car in a garage then let it rot into a field somewhere.  

There is no one "right" way to enjoy your car.  

This car in question at least had some care given to it.   It's dusty, but that's not 40 years of dust.   

[rt green]

i wonder if it even runs. nice car though

[JB400]

Article claims that he kept it running clear up to his passing

[ws23rt]

Maybe by just keeping it in his garage WAS his own way of enjoying it.  
People enjoy their cars different ways. Some drive them, some race them, some let them sit in their backyard turning into dirt, etc.
Personally, I'd rather see someone preserve a car in a garage then let it rot into a field somewhere.  

There is no one "right" way to enjoy your car.  

This car in question at least had some care given to it.   It's dusty, but that's not 40 years of dust.   

I to agree---This guys way of enjoying his car was to preserve it and now it is in front of us

It's a hard case to make that he wasted this this car by keeping it.  It can still be wasted though if that's what these cars are for

[ACUDANUT]

I bet there a few of us, guilty of not driving our cars.

[A383Wing]

I have not driven the Pontiac or the Daytona for almost 2 years now....hopefully that will change this year

[DadsCharger00]

I have not driven the Pontiac or the Daytona for almost 2 years now....hopefully that will change this year

If ya tell me where you live.....I'll drive em for ya 

[moparsr2fast]

I have not driven the Pontiac or the Daytona for almost 2 years now....hopefully that will change this year

If ya tell me where you live.....I'll drive em for ya 

  Just offer to cut his grass..

[A383Wing]

yea...Kyle still has not shown up.... 

[DadsCharger00]

yea...Kyle still has not shown up.... 

I can mow a mean yard!

[myk]

Like I said in another thread here, having a car like that and not driving it is like being married to Tera Patrick or Brooklyn Chase but sleeping in different beds then they do.  If that's how someone wants to enjoy their ride, be it a car or even their wife that's their business, but.....jesus what a waste...

[6spd68]