motor cars

MOTOR CARS | 169

One of the great iconic muscle cars of the 1960s, the Shelby
Mustang continued to be based on the stock version, receiving the
latter’s styling changes and mechanical improvements while retaining
its own distinctive special features, until production ended in 1970.

This exceptionally well documented GT350 comes with a wonderful
history covering virtually its entire life, including the all important Marti
Report confirming its authenticity. The car was completed 22nd
March 1967 (28 days behind schedule) at the San Jose, California
factory and shipped to Minar Ford Inc in Minneapolis for retail sale.
It is one of 1,174 GT-350s manufactured in 1967, of which 821 had
manual transmission like this example. We are advised that the current
odometer reading of 24,852 miles is believed correct and that the car
retains its original block cylinder heads, transmission and rear axle.

The first US owner is not known but in any case the Shelby was soon
exported to the UK (in 1968) where it was raced competitively in club
events before being sold to Anthony Wolfe Motors of Middlesex in

1971. On 4th June 1971 Mr R G C Watling purchased the GT350,
      which came complete with a trailer and a set of slick-shod racing
      wheels (bill of sale on file). In February 1978 the car was purchased
      by Simpson’s of Wembley (the UK’s largest importer of new
      American cars) still wearing its white and blue racing livery. Simpson’s
      reinstated the original colour scheme and ‘WME 9G’ was run by Phil
      Simpson, a director of the company.

The car’s next purchaser was Mr Robert William Mael in 1979. While

in his ownership ‘WME 4G’ was photographed with Carroll Shelby

at the inaugural Street Racing Promotion in Birmingham in 1984.

Repatriated to Florida, USA in 1986, the car had two private owners

in Florida (details on file) before passing via a dealer in Colorado to

Robert Brooks, founder of Brooks Auctioneers and Bonhams’ current

Co-chairman.

Re-imported to the UK in December 1989, the car comes with

records of its racing career in the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s and has FIA

papers dated 1990. Purchased by the Marlboro Tobacco Company,

the Shelby given as the star prize in its ‘Coast to Coast’ promotion

in July 1991 and was won by Mr P Hanson of Bradford, Yorkshire.

In March 1992 the car was purchased from a Bradford motor dealer

by D Dean Motors of Ruislip and then had two further private owners

(details on file) before its purchase by the current vendor in 2001.

In 2008 a full ‘last nut and bolt’ documented restoration commenced

in consultation with Alan Faulkner-Stevens of muscle car specialists

Dragon Wheels of Buckinghamshire at a cost of circa £100,000+VAT

(bills on file). Only some 130 ‘shakedown’ miles have been covered

since the rebuild’s completion in January 2014 and the car is

presented in effectively ‘as new’ condition. Taxed, MoT’d and offered

with V5C document, ‘WME 4G’ represents a rare opportunity to

acquire one of these iconic muscle cars, fresh from total renovation.

£90,000 - 120,000

€110,000 - 150,000