Original Owner '65 Shelby GT350 Story-Updated With Pictures

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TrainTrac

TrainTrac

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Location
Mahomet, IL
Last summer I posted about becoming reacquainted with this man and his GT350. I saw him again last weekend at a car show and was able to get some pictures of him and his unrestored, 41,000 mile GT350.



This past weekend, I entered my STA in a county fair car show. While looking around at the other entrants, I noticed a car I hadn't seen in over two decades. Around 25 years ago, one of my high school buddies owned a couple of Mustangs that we would show. While doing so, we became acquainted with a guy in our town that was showing his '65 Shelby GT350. He was the original owner, and it was unrestored. Needless to say, it was a beautiful car.



Flash-forward 25 or so years to last Saturday, and I run into him again at the show. He's now in his early '70's, and still owns and shows the Shelby. It is still unrestored, showing only about 40,000 miles on the odometer. The only things he's replaced over the decades are normal tune-up preventive maintenance items like plugs/points, battery, etc. Other than that, he had to have the transmission rebuilt because he tore it up racing the GT350 at Elkhart Lake, WI in the '60's. The paint, chrome, interior, and overall condition of the vehicle look like it just rolled out of the showroom! He had a display with the car containing the original window sticker and his original purchase contract. And get this: On the original contract, it stated that he traded a '64 GTO in on the Shelby! So this guy has owned two pieces of automotive history.



The window sticker showed an MSRP of around $4400. I asked him what it was worth now, and he said that he'd talked to Barrett-Jackson reps about it. He sent them an information sheet on the car and they called and talked to him. They told him that they could get between $350,000 and $500,000 for it. Well, he then he also informed them that he was the original owner, and the only remaining original owner of a '65 GT350 in the country. After they regained their breath, they told him that it would probably go for around (Dr. Evil pinky to mouth pose) $1,500,000.



He's not going to sell, just wanted to know what it was worth. He's already got it in his will that the car goes to his son.



Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera, so no pictures. I plan on going to a couple of more shows this summer, so if he's there, I'll get some pics.



And for what it's worth, he still drives this car to shows. It's not a trailer queen!
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71 years old, and he still occasionally opens the Shelby up to over 140mph!

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It's not rolled over, that's actually 41,192 miles!

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Chuck jokes about how folks criticize him at shows for having a dirty engine. He just informs them that it's 45-year old original dirt! The only things he's done to this car in 45 years are usual maintenance stuff like tires, battery, tune-ups, etc. The engine is solid and runs like the champ that she is!

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No radio, no A/C, all business. Built to race!

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When building these cars, Shelby American removed the rear seat to save weight.

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Check out the shine on the original paint!

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He's not selling it. He's willing it to his son, who's also a car guy. So it won't be sold. It'll stay in the family for years to come.
 
Very nice indeed, but the STP decal on the trunk lid is da bomb!!!!!!!!!!:D



Brings back Richard Petty-s #43 memories!!!!!!!!:banana:
 
No AC, no radio, no backseat...truly it was built to race. But 40,000 miles is a beaucoup of 1/4 mile runs.



Are most of his miles just driving to shows, because 40k in 44 years is ridiculously low. If it wasn't a Ford it would have probably fallen apart from disuse :(



Spiffy looking car, but what kind of insurance rates do you pay on a ride worth millions?
 
as a collectiable it can be insured thru any speciality insurance co (i.e: hagerty) for the agreed value. that requires an appriasal from a certified expert..

a traditional insurance co (i.e: allsate,geico) is NOT the type of company you would use.
 
I hear ya garys. Kinda like your Matrix / Scion XB'a. Only insurable through Lloyd's of London!!!:lol:



I mean you know...nothing but the best. Not unlike Tom's Escort convertAble!!!!!!
 
TrainTrac,



Do you know the big bald guy in the 2nd to the last pic?



Looks like he had a great day. Cool shades, a chance to see a Shelby, and a corn dog....solid day indeed! ;)



Thanks for the pics.



TJR
 
No AC, no radio, no backseat...truly it was built to race. But 40,000 miles is a beaucoup of 1/4 mile runs.



Are most of his miles just driving to shows, because 40k in 44 years is ridiculously low. If it wasn't a Ford it would have probably fallen apart from disuse
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Not 1/4 mile runs, but road racing. Shelby built these GT350's mainly to kick the Corvette's butt in road racing in the '60's. And after this owner bought it new, he used to drive from Central IL up to Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI and race it. He did that quite often 'til about 1970. Then he stopped racing and started to baby it a little more.



And funny that you mention insurance... When he bought it, in order to get approved for financing, the bank made him take out a life insurance policy!:blink: He's still got the policy paperwork stapled to the original sales contract.



Do you know the big bald guy in the 2nd to the last pic?
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He's actually a friend of Chuck's. (GT350 owner). And the bald guy had his '67 GT500 parked next to Chuck's GT350.

 
I wanted to go to that show on Saturday and meet up with Andy, but I instead spent the day helping my father buy a new car trading in hos old pickup for the clunker cash that was ending today.



Maybe next show Andy....





 

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