Most of the magazine crew is out in Monterey this week, hosting our Classic Motorsports auction tours, covering the events, and meeting with the people.
While the auctions attract some of the finest, rarest and most expensive cars ever built, this one definitely caught our eye: Carroll Shelby’s personal 1986 Shelby Omni GLHS. The odometer sports just 7733 miles, and …
It's worth about $8-10k without the history. With the history, it's worth...about $8-10k. But I'm sure some Shelby aficionado will pay through the nose and park it in a climate controlled chamber. Obviously Carroll didn't enjoy driving it very much!
So you're saying that JG and I might get engaged in a bidding war?
Keith Tanner wrote: It's worth about $8-10k without the history. With the history, it's worth...about $8-10k. But I'm sure some Shelby aficionado will pay through the nose and park it in a climate controlled chamber. Obviously Carroll didn't enjoy driving it very much!
I agree. But then again, I'm one of the most non-sentimental people you'll ever meet.
Keith Tanner wrote: It's worth about $8-10k without the history. With the history, it's worth...about $8-10k. But I'm sure some Shelby aficionado will pay through the nose and park it in a climate controlled chamber. Obviously Carroll didn't enjoy driving it very much!
Oh, I don't know... I would be curious to know if his personal GLH-S has some "personal" performance mods over and above the ones sold at the Mopar dealers.
Agreed, anything over about $10k (maybe $15k on a good day) would only because it was Shelby's personal car. To some people, owning a famous person's personal car is important.
I think the kicker on this one NOT going for $40k or more is that it's not famous. Yeah, it was his personal car, but I don't recall him ever really promoting it. For example, Leno's Shogun has more prestige than a "typical" Shogun because he's featured it on his show and on his webisodes. Everyone knows how much he adores that car and have seen him driving it. That connection would drive up the value. There's nothing like that with this car.
-Rob
My guess.... $12,000.
David S. Wallens wrote: So you're saying that JG and I might get engaged in a bidding war?
If it was for $8-10k, it would be a 3 way bidding war. :-)
While on the subject, how much would you pay for Jon Voight's LeBaron convertible? 
My gut says $25k-$30k.
I wonder how much his other personal cars would go for if they were things like a VW Rabbit or Ford Pinto.
In reply to Keith Tanner:
Maybe this one will meet your approval. The very first Shelby Cobra! Crossing the auction block soon.
Is it weird that I would be more interested in checking out the GLHS than the Mercedes behind it?
I must be in the right place!
WildScotsRacing wrote:Keith Tanner wrote: It's worth about $8-10k without the history. With the history, it's worth...about $8-10k. But I'm sure some Shelby aficionado will pay through the nose and park it in a climate controlled chamber. Obviously Carroll didn't enjoy driving it very much!Oh, I don't know... I would be curious to know if his personal GLH-S has some "personal" performance mods over and above the ones sold at the Mopar dealers.
I bought #238 new in '86. It was a great deal of fun. I wish I had kept it. I recall reading in "Autoweek" that when Shelby sold a lot of his personal cars, this was one he kept and that it had "400 hp."
Ed Higginbotham wrote: In reply to Keith Tanner: Maybe this one will meet your approval. The very first Shelby Cobra! Crossing the auction block soon.
I've seen that car sitting in the Shelby American store in Vegas. Based on my experience with Shelby's 50th anniversary replica, it's not a great car. But this one DOES have real significance, and will rightly go for a planeload of cash.
I would maybe part with $8k tops for the GLH-S. I would not pay a cent extra for past ownership. I would like the low miles and good condition though. This is why I will not own this car. No idea what it will sell for. Depends if there are two guys who both want it badly.
The first cobra, I can't imagine how much it would go for nor would I even want it as anything other than an investment to flip. If I wanted to drive a Cobra I'd get a different one (or even more likely a modern kit car version of one.).
During our tour through Leno's garage, our guide said that one of Leno's Lambos used to be owned by Sinatra, which played no part in Leno's reason for acquiring it. He buys cars, not the aura of previous owners.
It's a nice example of a terrible car from the 80's and the world is full of idiots. Someone is going to pay $30k for that and squirrel it away somewhere instead of paying $5.5k and completely destroying it for ten minutes of glorious youtube fame as the non-existent deity of your choosing intended.
Of note, while this car was in his personal collection, the one he liked to drive was #001, which has the very rare 16V Hans Hermann head on it and supposedly capable of 350hp. THAT is the one that's worth a LOT of money. This one....eh...I'd think it might go for $7-12k, maybe hitting $15k. Unfortunately these cars, while they are gaining in notoriety and some are gaining value, simply aren't worth all that much.
I just saw one probably close to that clean at a cars and coffee, being Shelby's personal car, ~15k?
kb58 wrote: During our tour through Leno's garage, our guide said that one of Leno's Lambos used to be owned by Sinatra, which played no part in Leno's reason for acquiring it. He buys cars, not the aura of previous owners.
Over the years I've seen several of the rat pack's cars go to auction. I don't recall any of them bringing bigger money because of their ownership.
I wonder how much his other personal cars would go for if they were things like a VW Rabbit or Ford Pinto.
In many ways an Omni IS like a Rabbit or Pinto.
I'm very sure this car will top 15k. How much higher it will go, i dont know.
Keith Tanner wrote: It's worth about $8-10k without the history. With the history, it's worth...about $8-10k. But I'm sure some Shelby aficionado will pay through the nose and park it in a climate controlled chamber. Obviously Carroll didn't enjoy driving it very much!
this
If you want real celebrity provenance - they sold Merv Griffin's 1986 London Taxi FX4 Limousine
It sold for a whopping $12,500
Shelby's name won't mean much. They are simply not collectible to the high end guys. I could see an average guy going 15k to 20k....maybe...but in the end it is an Omni not a Cobra.
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