To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys' Monterey event, 15 - 17
August 2019.
Estimate:
$275,000 - $325,000
- Offered from the Fonvielle Collection
- Fully restored by Curt Vogt's Cobra Automotive
- Upgraded for touring with all original components retained;
perfect for vintage rallies
- The perfect GT350 to show, drive, and enjoy
- Highly sought-after "carry-over" GT350, delivered in October of
1965
Originally shipped to Dub Richardson Ford of Oklahoma City on 29
October 1965, this GT350 bearing chassis number 6S180 was
originally earmarked as the dealer's demonstrator and remained with
them for the following eighteen months. Interestingly, in May of
1966, at 63 miles on the odometer, the car's original engine was
replaced, and the invoice from Shelby American for the new motor
(which is still fitted to this car) is included in the history
file. Its first private owner was Michael Tom McNeight of
Stillwater, Oklahoma, who purchased his new GT350 in March of 1967,
trading in a 1959 Chevrolet in the process. The SAAC Shelby
Registry mentions that the car came with an owner's manual printed
in both English and French, and that the car's metric speedometer
was replaced upon McNeight's purchase with one reading in miles per
hour, hinting that the car was most likely specified for the
European market.
The Shelby passed through owners in Arizona in the 1960s and 1970s
before being purchased by Dale A. Johnson of Nashwauk, Minnesota,
around 1981. Chassis number 6S180 would call Minnesota home for the
next 25 years, passing through at least one other Nashwauk-based
owner. Passing through noted Shelby collector Paul Andrews of
Jamestown, Rhode Island, in 2006 before being acquired by the
current owner, the car was fully restored by the Shelby specialists
at Curt Vogt's Cobra Automotive of Wallingford, Connecticut, and
was acquired by the current owner upon completion of the
restoration. The car was found to be a solid, rust-free example
retaining its original body panels, including its original
fiberglass hood, clearly thanks to its early days in the
southwest.
During the restoration, the car was upgraded for touring, with
numerous mechanical components replaced to add greater performance
and reliability, including the fitment of a top-loader transmission
and 3:50 gears. All original components replaced were retained,
including the original aluminum T-10 Transmission, and accompany
the car today, should its next owner decide to return it to fully
original condition.
Shipped to its new home in Florida, the car has remained with its
current custodian for the last decade, sharing garage space with a
handful of other Shelby Cobras and Mustangs. SFM 6S180 is reported
to drive beautifully and is ready to be enjoyed on rallies such as
the Copperstate 1000 and GT350 tour, and thanks to its impeccable
restoration, it could easily be returned to concours- or
competition-ready condition.To view this car and others currently
consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at
rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/mo19.