Welcome to the Weekend Edition where I come to you from that frozen hell hole called New England… We have been experiencing ungodly cold, and record breaking snowfall, and I’m just about ready to throw in the towel… However, as I’m looking forward to the end of winter, it looks like the spring selling season will soon be upon us. Auctions America, which is owned by RM Auctions, is having an impressive auction of collector cars on March 27th through the 29th in sunny Ft. Lauderdale. And they have a few cars from a collection they call the Chrysler Shelby Collection. Most of these cars were never sold, and still have their interiors wrapped in plastic. So, are any of them even worth your time?


Lets start with this 1987 Shelby CSX Hatchback (basically a Dodge Shadow with some performance enhancements…) According to the Auction Catalog:

The Shelby CSX was built from 1987 through 1989. It was based on the Dodge Shadow ES and modified by, and sold new, as Shelbys. The Shelby CSX (Carroll Shelby experimental) was the fourth model in the Shelby/Dodge series of limited production high performance vehicles by Shelby Automobiles Inc.

The interior was similar to the Shadow and each 1987 Shelby CSX was identically equipped. There were no available options. However, it had a generous list of standard equipment that included air conditioning, a four-speaker AM/FM/cassette radio, special floor mats, rear defroster, and 60/40 split folding rear seat. It had full sport instrumentation, model-specific Shelby turbo boost gauge and digital clock. Shelby additions were a four-spoke sport steering wheel with his signature and Shelby Logo horn button and a numbered dash plaque. (This is CSX Number 6)

There is only 49 miles on the odometer of this car. The Auction Company estimates that this will bring between $20,000 and $30,000. I don’t see it bringing in that kind of money, but it will be sold as it is being offered at no reserve. See the Auction Listing here, and tell me what you think it will bring.

This is a 1987 Shelby Lancer 5-door Hatchback, one of the more unusual Shelby Models ever conceived. According to the Auction Catalog:

The Shelby Lancer was the third model produced at Shelby Automobiles, after the GLHS Omni in ’86 and the ’87 GLHS Charger and was meaningfully different than its forerunners. Instead of being a no-frills street racer, the Shelby Lancer was aimed squarely at the American market of the BMW 535i and the Mercedes-Benz 2.3 16V. Since it was conceived as a world-class luxury /performance sedan, the Shelby Lancer is somewhat heavier and far more comprehensively equipped than the previous Omni-based models.

This particular car is reported as being “new – in the wrapper.” It is finished in the standard issue (for this car) Graphic Red paint and has gray interior. With that, it has been driven little-to-none since new and is one of the models which received the desirable manual transmission. Sport seats are an interior feature, as are the center console, fold-down rear seat, leather-wrapped steering wheel, air conditioning, two-piece alloy wheels; power windows, door locks and seats. A little larger than the familiar Omni-based Shelby models, but arguably the most elegant and luxurious of all the vehicles produced by the celebrated Shelby-Dodge partnership, the Shelby Lancer is highly desired by collectors today.

There is only 22 miles on the odometer of this car. The Auction Company estimates that this will bring between $20,000 and $30,000. I’m not sure if it will reach the low end, but it has a better chance than the previous Shadow based Shelby. It will be sold as it is being offered at no reserve. See the Auction Listing here, and tell me what you think this car is really worth.

This is a 1989 Shelby CSX equipped with the famous Composite (“Fiberide”) Wheels finished in Gold. According to the Auction Catalog:

When introduced, the Shelby CSX was touted as having a near-perfect blend of raw power and road performance. The 1989 Shelby CSX provided the evidence that the Shelby performance ideal was still quite alive and kicking. This model would represent the final type of Dodge Shelby produced. Production was limited to 500 vehicles (including two prototypes) and with the completion of these cars; Carroll Shelby’s direct involvement with Dodge was complete, although he continued to work on projects with Chrysler. This was often in the form of taking advisory roles, which included the development of the Dodge Viper and Viper GTS.

This red example has a gray interior that features bucket seats and a center console. Factory aerodynamic elements are seen with front and rear spoilers, plus aero-inspired skirts between the front and rear wheels. The CSX is said to be like-new and still has the plastic covering on the seats and steering wheel. The stickers have never been removed, including the window sticker. This era of Shelby involvement reflected his thrill and desire to see the driving of a high performance vehicle become an affordable experience.

There is only 26 miles on the odometer of this car. The Auction Company estimates that this will bring between $20,000 and $30,000. As with the other Chrysler Shelby’s, I think that reaching the auction estimates are slim to none, and it will be sold as it is being offered at no reserve. See the Auction Listing here, and tell me what you really think about this particular Shelby.

Now is your chance to acquire an example of a Hooniverse Obscure Muscle Car in the form of this 1989 Shelby Dakota Pickup Truck. According to the Auction Catalog:

The 1989 Shelby Dakota marked the first time in 20 years that Carroll Shelby worked his “magic” on a rear-wheel drive vehicle with V-8 power under the hood. Every enthusiast of the Shelby brand and beyond that believed that there is no practical substitute for cubic inches had a fresh reason to celebrate.

This vehicle is barely used and “like new”, having less than 24 miles shown on the odometer, plus the Dakota has its window sticker, many plastic wrappings, original battery, plastic cover over the cardboard floor mats and the chalk marks are still on the windows. This provides an excellent opportunity to acquire an uncommon Shelby Dakota pickup that looks like it stepped out of the past with scarcely a touch.

Just like most of the other vehicles outlined, the Auction Estimates for this Obscure Muscle Car (Truck) is between $20,000 and $30,000. This particular vehicle has a chance of cracking the low end because it is equipped with an honest to god V-8, but is that good enough for you? Take a look at the Auction Listing Here, and tell me if you would like to own an actual Hooniverse Obscure Muscle Vehicle…

The oldest car offered from this collection is this 1983 Shelby Charger Hatchback, and it has the honor of having the least HP of all the vehicles offered. According to the Auction Catalog:

Given the Charger’s modest starting point, Shelby was hedging his bets by expecting just adequate performance from the front-wheel drive coupe. Starting with the Charger’s 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine, the Chrysler Shelby California Development Center in Santa Fe Springs, California, increased compression up to 9.6:1; changed camshaft; opened up the exhaust and retarded cam timing to help top-end performance. The net result was an increase in output to 107 horsepower and with the aid of a close-ratio five-speed manual transmission, the Dodge Shelby Charger could run from 0- to 60-mph in 9.0 seconds on the way to a top speed of 117-mph.

The Shelby Charger by Dodge hit the streets in mid-1983, and first-year production totaled 8,251 units. Despite the car’s higher sticker price ($8,567 for the Shelby, versus $6,513 for the base Charger), the higher performance Charger found immediate acceptance with buyers looking for something with a bit more show and go than Dodge had offered in recent years.

This car shows only 1,920 miles on the odometer, and is actually quite attractive in its own way. The Auction Estimates peg the value between $12,000 and $16,000, which I would deem as wildly optimistic. This car is offered at no reserve, so it will be sold to the highest bidder. I don’t see it breaking five figures, but I could be wrong. See the Auction Listing, and tell me what you think this Charger will bring.

Last one, and it is another 1989 Shelby CSX with those weird “Fiberide” composite wheels. This one has a few more miles under those wheels, and according to the Auction Listing:

When the design of the CSX became a reality as a true road machine; the main component to realize the dream was based upon the engine, just as with so many of its predecessors and vehicles that have followed. Lying in wait beneath the hood is an intercooled 2.2-liter four-cylinder powerplant that features an advanced and new (in period) Garrett variable nozzle turbocharger that was recognized by the VNT moniker. The Garrett VNT was stated in period to provide response found in a V-8 engine, virtually eliminating the age-old problem of turbo lag. When this unit was linked to a five-speed Gertag gearbox, it allowed the CSX to “leap off of the line like a rocket.”

Production was limited to 500 vehicles (including two prototypes) and with the completion of these cars; Carroll Shelby’s direct involvement with Dodge was complete. Shelby-specific elements are found on both the exterior and in the interior. Among these are non-Recaro seats with the “Shelby” name found extensively on the seat inserts, Shelby steering wheel, front and rear spoilers, Shelby-inspired aero elements on the lower body sides and Shelby manufacturing tags to confirm the origin of this special auto. The car is reported as being sparingly used, and its condition seems to confirm the attention paid to this Shelby for the past quarter-century.

Just like its stablemate, the Auction Company has an initial estimate as to its value, and it is between $15,000 and $20,000. This one might be close, but more on the low side because this car has 8,400 miles on the odometer, and it comes with a replacement Turbocharger. Take a look at the Auction Listing here, and tell me what you think this car will bring at the Auction.