Offered by Mecum | Kissimmee, Florida | January 11, 2023
Photo – Mecum
The first Shelby Mustang was a GT350 in 1965. A second generation was produced for 1967 and ’68, and the third and final versions were sold in ’69 and 1970. Examples of the latter model year were actually unsold 1969 models re-VIN’d and fitted with a chin spoiler and hood stripes.
They were powered by a 5.8-liter Windsor V8 rated at 290 horsepower. Fastback coupes and convertibles were offered. This particular fastback has an automatic transmission and other exotic options like power-assisted steering and brakes along with a center console.
The total number of 1970 Shelbys was 789 cars, split between GT350s and GT500s. As far as Shelby Mustangs go, these are not the most expensive. Still though, the average price hovers around six figures over the last few years. Click here for more info.
Offered by Bonhams | Carmel, California | August 13, 2021
Photo – Bonhams
With the Americans really stealing AC’s thunder, the company decided to launch a grand tourer model instead. They took an extended Cobra chassis and dropped a Pietro Frua-designed body over it in 1965. The body featured an aluminum trunk lid and hood.
For power, they turned to Ford. A 7.0-liter (428ci) FE V8 was chosen, and when fitted with a four-barrel carburetor, generated 345 horsepower. The big issue was two-fold. First, the cars were expensive to produce, as the chassis were built in England, shipped to Turin to get a body fitted, and then returned to England to be completed. Second, the big engine put off a lot of heat, a lot of which would end up in the cabin.
This Fastback is one of 51 produced and one of about 80 428s (or Fruas, as they are also known) produced in total. It is expected to sell for between $150,000-$200,000. Click here for more info.
Update: Sold $173,600.
1968 AC 428 Spider
Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 12-14, 2021
Photo – Bonhams
And here we have the drop-top version of the AC 428/Frua. It features essentially the same Frua styling but with a retractable cloth roof. Power was also provided by a 345 horsepower, 7.0-liter Ford V8.
The Spider variant is even rarer than the already-scarce Fastback. Just 30 were built out of the total run of 81 cars. This is sort of the peak example of the last true, stylish AC car. Sure, the company is still around, but everything after this really lacked the same sense of style. Not to mention that, once the 428 went out of production in 1973, AC didn’t offer another car until the 3000ME came along in 1979.
No pre-sale estimate is available at this time, but it is worth more than the coupe. You can read more about it here.
Offered by Mecum | Glendale, Arizona | March 18-20, 2021
Photo – Mecum
This is the top dog among first-gen Mustangs. The Boss 429 was offered in 1969 and 1970 only, and it was more of a pure muscle car when compared to its namesake relative, the Boss 302 (which was produced for Trans Am homologation). The 429 was all engine, and that’s really the reason exists.
Ford needed to offer the 429 in a road car in order for it to be allowable in NASCAR. The Z-code 429 was a, well, 429-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) V8 rated at 375 horsepower. Only 499 were produced in 1970, and this one is finished in Grabber Green with a matte black hood scoop over black. The ’70 model was rarer than the ’69.
It features a limited-slip differential, a front spoiler, the Drag Pack, and a competition suspension. Only manual transmissions were available, and air conditioning was not an option. These are exceptionally cool Mustangs, and they are very rare. This is why they cost a lot more than their 302 Boss counterparts. You can check out more about this one here and see more from this sale here.
Offered by Mecum | Kissimmee, Florida | January 15, 2021
Photo – Mecum
Since 1965, there have been quite a few Shelby-branded products that weren’t Cobras. And this is the best of them. They were built around the early, light first-run Mustangs. The first-generation GT350 was technically built in 1965 and 1966, but the ’65s are better.
All 562 first-year GT350s were finished in Wimbledon White, and most had Guardsman Blue Le Mans stripes. Power is from a 4.7-liter (289) V8 rated at 306 horsepower. This particular car was originally used as a Shelby factory demonstrator.
It has less than 7,000 original miles, having pretty much sat in storage with every one of its many owners of the years. Mecum estimates it to be worth between $400,000-$500,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
Offered by Bonhams | Carmel, California | August 13, 2021
Photo – Bonhams
With the Americans really stealing AC’s thunder, the company decided to launch a grand tourer model instead. They took an extended Cobra chassis and dropped a Pietro Frua-designed body over it in 1965. The body featured an aluminum trunk lid and hood.
For power, they turned to Ford. A 7.0-liter (428ci) FE V8 was chosen, and when fitted with a four-barrel carburetor, generated 345 horsepower. The big issue was two-fold. First, the cars were expensive to produce, as the chassis were built in England, shipped to Turin to get a body fitted, and then returned to England to be completed. Second, the big engine put off a lot of heat, a lot of which would end up in the cabin.
This Fastback is one of 51 produced and one of about 80 428s (or Fruas, as they are also known) produced in total. It is expected to sell for between $150,000-$200,000. Click here for more info.
1951 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn Fastback Coupe by Pininfarina
Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | September 9, 2017
Photo – Bonhams
The Bentley Continental Fastback of the 1950s is one of the most popular classic, post-war Bentleys. Rolls-Royce never built something quite like it, the exception being this one-off, coachbuilt Silver Dawn.
The Silver Dawn was built between 1949 and 1955. In all, 760 were made – almost all of them four-door sedans. The 1951 Silver Dawn was powered by a 4.6-liter straight-six and the power rating was “adequate” in RR terms.
This particular Silver Dawn was purchased as a chassis by an Italian and it was sent to Pininfarina for this body. It is the only Silver Dawn bodied by Pininfarina. Its cost in 1951 was extraordinary, costing the original owner roughly five times the price of an average home in the U.K. at the time. Displayed at the 1951 Turin Motor Show, it was restored by its current owners in 2014.
As a classically-bodied one-off, this Silver Dawn is one of the most stylish, coachbuilt post-war Rolls-Royces. It should bring between $580,000-$710,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Bonhams’ Goodwood lineup.
Offered by Mecum | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | August 3-5, 2017
Photo – Mecum
Hertz is a company that has been involved with automobiles since 1923. At one point they were part of the Yellow Coach company, a manufacturer of buses that eventually became part of GM. In the 1960s, Shelby built a run of special cars for the rental car agency: the GT350H.
The GT350 is powered by a 4.7-liter V-8 that was modified by Shelby to put out 306 horsepower. The Hertz cars were almost all painted black with gold stripes. Dubbed “Rent-a-Racer,” the GT350H could be picked up at your local Hertz counter – if you were a member of their Sports Car Club.
Back in the day, people rented these and entered them in SCCA events. The fun legend is that some would be returned to Hertz with remnants of a welded-in roll cage. There were 999 of these built – and those that hadn’t been totaled in racing accidents (it had to have happened at least once) were returned to Ford after a specified amount of time. Ford removed any go-fast parts aspiring race car drivers may have installed and then flipped the cars onto the public market.
Imagine something like this today. It would never happen. It’s like if you could roll up to Avis and request a new Dodge Demon to take to the drag strip. Society, as litigious as it has become, would never allow for it. This is a piece of motoring history because it is a product of its time. And because of that, it is really, really cool. This well documented, well presented example can be yours. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Lake Como, Italy | May 23, 2015
Photo – RM Sotheby’s
Hans Glas GmbH was a German auto manufacturer that built things like the Goggomobil and a few cars under the Glas brand. In 1966, BMW acquired Glas, mainly for their production capacity. They phased out most of the Glas models, or at least changed their names to BMWs. The 3000 was branded as BMW-Glas 3000 V8 for 1967 and 1968.
The original Glas 3000 was designed by Frua. It was a kind of boxy coupe, but when BMW came in, Frua designed this Fastback version. BMW took it to motor shows all over Europe, but it was the only one like it built.
It is powered by a 160 horsepower 3.0-liter V-8. It is coming up for sale off of a fresh restoration and has just under 65,000 miles on the odometer. Being one of one, it will command a premium over all over 3000 V8s. It should sell for between $410,000-$520,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
Offered by Barrett-Jackson | Las Vegas, Nevada | September 25-27, 2014
Photo – Barrett-Jackson
Everybody loves the first generation Mustang. GM and MOPAR guys, even if they don’t love them, have to at least respect them. Ford offered some serious muscle in the Mustang line alone in the late-60s. Like this Boss 302.
There were two 302 cubic inch engines available on the 1969 Mustang. The 4.9-liter Windsor V-8 and the Boss V-8. Those who bought the Windsor must’ve felt shortchanged with only 220 horsepower. The Boss 302 was built for 1969 and 1970 only and was underrated at 290 horsepower.
It was sort of a homologation model so Ford could run this engine in the Trans Am series. They had flat black graphics that clearly screamed “Boss 302” on the fender. Only 1,628 Boss 302s were built for 1969 and over 7,000 for 1970, making the ’69 much rarer. There was also a badder Boss – the 429 that was also offered. This car is correct in every way and should top the $100,000 mark. Click here for more info and here for the rest of this auction’s lineup.
1954 Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback by Franay
Offered by RM Auctions | Monaco | May 10, 2014
Photo – RM Auctions
The Bentley R-Type was introduced in 1952 to replace the Mark VI, which was Bentley’s first Post-War car. The R-Type Continental was a two-door variant of the R-Type with increased power. It is significantly rarer and more sought after.
The aforementioned power comes from a 4.6-liter straight-six making 178 horsepower, which is about 45 more than the standard R-Type. Bentley R-Type Fastbacks are pretty popular, but most (all but 15) were coachbuilt by Mulliner. This one was built in France by Franay.
It is one of only three Franay Fastback Continentals and one of only five Franay-bodied R-Type Continentals in total. And it is one of two that are left-hand drive. This car has undergone a recent (date unknown) mechanical restoration and is ready to run. Of the 2,323 R-Types built before production ended in 1955, only 207 were Continentals. And this is one of the best of them. The pre-sale estimate is $1,000,000-$1,400,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest or RM’s Monaco lineup.
