With online auctions just a swipe away, we can check out mint-condition pieces of American car history (selling for record prices these days) at any given time. However, with some of these machines being half a century old, the story of how they became whole again might just be even more captivating than their perfect shine under the hammer. And when such a tale involves a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 from the first year of production (1967), you can count on our undivided attention.
This green OG GT500 had been resting in a garage for about 30 years before the family of the late original owner—he reportedly bought the car new—came to the conclusion that the pony had to get some fresh air.
However, establishing the authenticity of the iconic fastback was no easy task, since the inner front fender VINs were missing, probably after various repairs performed following at least one less-than-minor accident the vehicle was involved in decades ago. As for the major roof dent, this took place due to somebody reportedly climbing on top of the vehicle while this was stored.
Speaking of which, with the machine sitting in a garage in Detroit, the Shelby Research Group was summoned to help identify the exact nature of the vehicle, with YouTuber Ryan Brutt (aka Auto Archaeology) capturing the hands-on-the-car part of the process on camera—the enthusiast doesn’t mention when the shenanigan took place, but it seems like the adventure took place within the past few months.
A brief trip underneath the Mustang revealed a tranny-located VIN that was verified with the help of a ’67 Shelby registrar and showed the original nature of the machine, albeit not before a bit of an emotional rollercoaster.
This is a remarkably complete vehicle
However, with multiple exterior and interior details appearing to be legit, this vehicle had a strong start. Oh, and would you look at that FE 428 ci (7.0 L) V8, which still has its pair of four-barrel Holley carbs on!
As the YouTuber states in the final part of the clip, the family did end up selling the car and while the sum was not disclosed, it’s fair to say this was quite a bit under the $250,000 estimated value (as described by a member of the said Group in the video) of a mint-condition 1967 Shelby GT500—the said repair job, or perhaps another fix that came over the years, saw the vehicle being brazed with brass rods, which explains while the whole thing is a bit out of shape in the clip.
Alas, the new owner of the Shelby reportedly passed away, preventing the YouTuber to document the revival of the legend until the very end. Even so, the man tells us the vehicle turned out to be an all-original 1967 GT500 and that it was in store for a proper restoration.
And with just 2,048 units of the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 having been built for 1967, it’s uplifting to see this example receiving the attention it deserves.
