- Only 249 Series 1 models were ever produced by Shelby.
- Despite its age, this example has been driven just 1,800 miles.
- This is the only Series 1 in Guardsman Blue with white stripes.
Shelby made its name transforming ordinary Ford Mustangs into something far more exciting, but in the late 1990s it went off script and built a convertible sports car from the ground up, known as the Series 1. Production was capped at just 249 units, and it has largely faded into obscurity, to the point that many enthusiasts still don’t know it exists.
One of those rare Series 1 models has now surfaced for auction out of Zionsville, Indiana, and is looking for a new home. It was sold new to a famous Japanese-American violinist Shoji Tabuchi, and is thought to be the only one painted in Guardsman Blue with Wimbledon White racing stripes.
Read: Shelby’s New GT350/TA Costs More Than A ZR1X, But Offers Something The Corvette Won’t
Shelby built the Series 1 on an aluminum chassis and then installed carbon fiber and fiberglass body panels. Design inspiration was obviously taken from Cobras of old, albeit morphed into something looking a little more modern. While this car is a 1999 example, it’s been driven just 1,800 miles (2,896 km).
Classic Looks With Some Modern Tech
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Building a car from scratch sounds romantic, but it’s also expensive and complicated, so it’s hardly surprising that Shelby leaned on an existing 4.0-liter V8 from Oldsmobile instead of developing its own engine. It was far from stock, though, gaining a carbon fiber intake, revised camshafts, and a Borla stainless-steel exhaust. With the optional X50 package fitted, output sits at around 370 hp, while a supercharger was available to push it up to 450 hp.
Among the car’s other key features are 18-inch multi-piece alloy wheels with 275/35 front and 345/35 rear Toyo Proxes RR tires. Alcon multi-piston brake calipers handle stopping duties.
More importantly, it sticks to the old-school formula where it counts. The V8 is paired with a six-speed manual sending power to the rear wheels. No paddles, no shortcuts. Just a proper driver’s setup.
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A peek inside the Series 1’s cabin reveals a pair of bucket seats clad in black and gray leather, and green-blue tinted carbon fiber across the dashboard and transmission tunnel. It also includes special badging, a cassette stereo and CD player, and air conditioning.
It’s rare, it’s weird, and it’s very much a proper Shelby that isn’t a Mustang. Go have a look at the listing at BaT over here and see what you make of it.
