Fords Muscle into Shannons Auction

[Donut King]

A gymload of muscular Fords is heading for the hammer at Shannons Sydney Winter auction on Monday July 23. King of the ab-fab cars on offer is a fastidiously-restored left hand drive Shelby Mustang GT500KR Fastback Coupe that Shannons predict could sell for a record Australian auction price in the $280,000-$320,000 range.

Fully documented by the Shelby American Registry, this 1968 GT500KR (build number 03302) was originally delivered through a Wyoming, USA Ford dealer with its C-6 automatic transmission and 3.50 Traction-Lok axle ratio.

Painted in factory Candy Apple Red with bucket seats finished in a black-knitted fabric, (one of only 55 built with this paint/trim combination), the car has had only two previous owners in America.

It was carefully restored back to factory original condition in 2000 and has traveled barely 100 miles (160km) since, with its odometer now showing 90,521 miles.

As an alternative for Mustang fanciers, Shannons are also offering a beautiful black with tan trim 1967 left hand drive ‘Eleanor Replica’ Fastback, which they expect to sell in the $70,000-$85,000 range.

Aussie Ford muscle will be flexed by a 1969 Ford Falcon XW GT-HO 'Phase 1' sedan, a 1968 Ford XT Falcon GT sedan and a 1978 Ford XC Cobra 351 Hardtop.

The GT HO is an exceptionally original, rust-free country NSW car that has covered just 45,840 miles from new.

Built in September 1969, the car came from the factory with rear seat belts, a deleted black bonnet and 8-track tape deck and was originally sold by Peter Warren Ford to a Bathurst enthusiast. After he died, the car sat in his garage for over 10 years before successively passing into the hands of owners in Tumut and Cootamundra. It has traveled just 900 miles in the past three years.

Because of its unmolested originality and low mileage, Shannons expect the GT HO to sell in the $150,000-$200,000 price range – still a relative bargain compared with the $525,000 paid for a Phase III GT HO at Shannons Melbourne Winter Auction in early June this year.

An alternative for more budget-conscious buyers is the matching numbers 1968 Falcon XT GT that is believed to be one of only 317 automatics of this model made.

The car retains its original 302-cid engine and has been with the present owner for the past 15 years, covering approximately 8,000 miles in that time – much of it country driving.

Over the years, the Falcon has been progressively upgraded mechanically without affecting its overall originality and prior to the current ownership it was repainted in its original GT Gold – Ford’s trademark XT GT livery.

The vehicle is being sold with a comprehensive history file and the all-important original logbook. Shannons expect bids in the $40,000-$50,000 range.

A third well-muscled Falcon going under the hammer on July 23 is a 1978 Ford XC Cobra 351 Hardtop that has spent a number of years in storage and is believed to have traveled just 56,783km from new.

With GT HO and GT Falcon sedans fetching huge prices today, Cobras Hardtops are now eagerly sought-after by enthusiasts as an equally collectable alternative.

The manual gearbox Cobra offered by Shannons was built with a 302-cid V8 but has since been converted to 351 specification, reputedly by the dealer, and retains the original, numbered block. Importantly, it also has both its factory ID tag and separate Cobra tag, while its Globe mag wheels are also the original date stamped items.

Because of its good overall conditions, Shannons are predicting a selling price range of $60,000-$75,000.