Rare Shelby 1000 going to auction with Slattery

The latest car to be offered by Slattery Auctions & Valuations in a multi-day online auction is a genuine rarity that not only packs a four-figure horsepower punch, but also marks a significant – and poignant - period for the company that created it.

Released in 2012, the Shelby ‘1000’ was an idea that had been brewing in Carroll Shelby’s head for years. Since reuniting with Ford in 2001 to produce a modern take in the GT40, then high-performance Mustangs and Ford pickups, Shelby had dreamt of offering a Mustang with 1000 horsepower.

The supercharged Shelby GT500 from 2007 was a potent car, but not in the 1000hp league. Building the Super Snake off the GT500 brought the goal a little closer – 850hp – but not close enough. Shelby American then created a GT500 fitted with twin turbochargers. This car, known as the ‘Code Red,’ achieved the desired 1000hp, but the turbo system was considered too costly and complex to offer to customers.

However, by 2011, the supercharger technology that had been considered sub-par five years earlier was now capable of delivering the magical 1000hp. That propelled Shelby American to make Carroll Shelby’s dream a reality, and thus, the Shelby 1000 was born.

Using the production fifth generation (S197) Ford Mustang body and 5.4-litre V8 engine as a base, the 1000 added a bunch of existing GT500 aero parts, model-specific wheels and special badging. These were the obvious changes.

Under the skin, the body was strengthened in key areas to prevent torque twist, while the 5.4 V8 was rebuilt with forged internals, ported heads, a more efficient fuel system, improved cooling and tuned exhaust system. Some of these upgrades had been applied to the GT500, too, but the larger, twin-screw Kenne Bell supercharger was the gamechanger.

While the factory six-speed manual transmission was unchanged, Shelby installed a stronger driveshaft and upsized the diff from 8.8 to 9-inch. Six-piston brake calipers were added, with stiffer suspension (including Eibach shocks) fitted all round, too.

Making its debut at the 2012 New York International Auto Show, the Shelby 1000 was offered in ‘street’ and ‘track’ form. The former delivered 920hp, but the latter put out a genuine 1,100hp, exceeding Shelby’s original goal.

At the time, Shelby American announced that production would be capped at 100 units annually. However, it’s believed that far fewer were actually built. Some sources say only 20 such cars left Shelby American that year, while others say 23.

Barely a month after the Shelby 1000 debuted in New York, Carroll Shelby passed away, making the 1000 the very last Shelby Mustang to have his direct input.

While already a rare unit, what makes the Shelby 1000 consigned with Slattery Auctions & Valuations even rarer is that it’s right-hand drive and has been in Australia since new.

The car carries a Shelby American build number of 12SM0005, so it comes from VERY early in the planned 100-unit run and is one of two that the vendor purchased new, direct from Shelby American (as shown by the ‘Museum Delivery’ plaque inside). The vendor, an avid car collector based in North Queensland, went so far as flying to the US to see his pair of hot Mustangs being modified in Shelby’s Las Vegas facility before having them shipped home.

As factory RHD Mustang production didn’t commence until the sixth generation (S550) in 2014, this S197-based Mustang had to be converted for use on Australian roads. Autosmith International on the Gold Coast did the right-hand drive conversion, which was complied in late 2015, according to the import plate. The Mustang it’s based on is a July, 2011 build, so Shelby’s upgrades to 1000 spec would have been done sometime later that year or early in 2012.

Finished in Race Red with a black interior, no other modifications have been made since the RHD conversion, so items like the massive underbonnet air filter, ‘cue ball’ gear shift knob and auxiliary gauges in the A-pillar are all as Shelby American built them.

Rarely used since it was purchased, the odometer reads just 222.9km. The vendor states that about half that total was done on Shelby’s dyno when the car was being run in! The rest of the car reflects its minimal mileage, still appearing new in most areas.

To be sold as is and unregistered, the rarity of this car means the starting bid has been set at $200,000

The Slattery Auctions’ Shelby 1000 online auction opens from 6:00PM (AEDT) on Friday, 20 October, and closes at 8:00PM (AEDT)on Tuesday, 31 October. For more details, click HERE.