NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Scott Black | TPRM | 214-520-3434 |
sblack@tprm.com
TRIO OF STEPHEN BECKER CERTIFIED CARS TO BE AUCTIONED AT LAS VEGAS BARRETT-JACKSON AUCTION
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Sept. 23, 2014 – A trio of cars certified by classic car expert Stephen Becker, principal of Planet Shelby Cobra, will be sold at no reserve during the Barrett-Jackson auction in Las Vegas, Nevada, which runs Sept. 25-27. A genuine Shelby 427 Cobra, an original 1968 Shelby GT500 fastback and a 1977 “survivor” Corvette will cross the Mandalay Bay Hotel auction block.
“These cars will certainly shine under the Las Vegas neon,” said Stephen Becker, president of Planet Shelby Cobra. “The 427 Cobra is still one of the most iconic vehicles in the world. And the unrestored American performance cars are wonderful time machines.”
A highly preserved 1968 Shelby GT500 fastback, Lot #788 is an all matching numbers car originally owned by Ford Motor Company and sold to Shelby American as a factory demonstrator. Featuring a rare gold exterior with black deluxe interior, it includes the original Shelby Kelsey Hayes 5-spoke wheels that were installed by Shelby American when new, an automatic transmission, power steering, tilt steering, power brakes and a factory AM radio. Still wearing its original black and yellow California license plate, the GT500 has never been wrecked or restored. Documentation includes its original sale date, window sticker, Eminger Sheets, build sheets and binder containing historic photos to preserve the car's provenance dating back to new. The GT500 was recently serviced by Planet Shelby Cobra's factory authorized Shelby Mod Shop, which documented its condition and history.
The second Shelby in the group, Lot #765, is a genuine big block continuation Cobra. The cars are built still today by Shelby American in Las Vegas.
“Outfitted with the proper 427 side oiler, big block Cobras are capable of 0-60 runs in under three seconds and 10 second quarter mile times,” said Becker. “Its performance stats are on par with contemporary supercars.”
This particular new Shelby Cobra (CSX6123) was titled recently and awaits its first owner directly from a factory authorized Cobra dealer with over 30 years of experience. CSX6123 is fully documented with a copy of the original MSO signed by Carroll Shelby.
The Cobra’s fiberglass body is strikingly finished in the Shelby Blue with Wimbledon White LeMans stripes, has Halibrand wheels, the classic wood-rimmed steering and nearly every factory option. Power is provided by a period-correct vintage 427 side oiler V8 with medium-riser aluminum heads and a Shelby-style side-winder intake.
For bow-tie fans, Mr. Becker will auction a special silver and black 1977 Corvette (Lot #77). The original, unrestored, survivor Corvette has its original silver paint. It has full black leather factory interior that is correct down to the original AM radio and the half rubber half carpet Corvette factory floor mats. Everything works on the car including air conditioning, AM radio, gauges, lights and pop up lights. The Corvette was been fastidiously maintained since new.
“Each car was meticulously inspected and certified,” said Becker. “Where necessary, we completed fixes to ensure the car is correct. But to preserve these rare pieces of history, we left everything possible original. These are destined to be crown jewels in someone’s collection.”
About Planet Shelby Cobra
Planet Shelby Cobra is the most trusted resource for buying and selling genuine Shelby’s today. In the business for over 30 years, experts at Planet Shelby Cobra have access to unlimited contacts, databases and insider information that can help enthusiasts buy or sell a Shelby Cobra or vintage Shelby Mustang at the best possible price. Led by Stephen Becker, a well-known and respected Shelby expert, Planet Shelby Cobra offers premium customer service, unmatched experience and historically correct documentation for each vehicle sold. More information is available at
Planet Cobra.
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