High-priced Horsepower

PAUL POST , The Saratogian
SARATOGA SPRINGS -- One of the most expensive cars in America, a 1964 Cobra Daytona Coupe valued at more than $4 million, highlights a new Carroll Shelby exhibit at the Saratoga Automobile Museum.

Shelby, now 81, gained fame racing sports cars in the 1950s. He developed the Cobra and later the Shelby Mustang for Ford Motor Co.

The Daytona Coupe won the prestigious 12-hour Sebring in 1965. The entire nine-car collection is worth more than $6 million and includes a white 1968 Shelby Mustang on loan from Clifton Park's Tom Wilary.

'The interest in Shelby cars seems to be skyrocketing,' museum Director Frank Shelby said. 'As the baby boomers get older, these are the cars that are really sparking their interest. They're wonderful iconic cars.'

Wilary's vehicle, for example, would have sold for about $50,000 two years ago, but could now fetch an estimated $120,000. They were dubbed 'King of the Road' during their heyday, and Wilary's model has a 428 cubic inch Cobra jet engine.

The exhibit also features numerous Shelby mementoes on loan from Ballston Spa's John Barnes, an avid Shelby fan. Included are autographed race car helmets, a signed personal check and Shelby merchandise, such as an original brown bag of Carroll Shelby's chili, Cobra Corn and Pit Stop Deodorant.

Cars recently rolled into the museum and will be on display through March 20. Their owners come from throughout the Northeast, and each vehicle has a fascinating story all its own.

Shelbys are quite rare and extremely hard to find. Wilary got his under unusual circumstances.

'It came from Pennsylvania -- it was a stolen car,' he said. 'It was put up for bid. The original owner had lost it around 1970, and they never got the car back until 15 or 20 years after that.

'Some guy had it for a while. He was going through a check point and the cop was interested in Shelbys and he ran that, and it was a stolen car. The guy lived only 25 miles from the guy he stole it from, but he painted it black. The original color was white.

'It went back to the insurance company and it went up for bid,' Wilary said. 'That's the story behind it.'

The car has since been returned to its original color.

The Daytona Coupe set several land speed records at Utah's famed Bonneville salt flats, topping out at nearly 300 miles per hour. It was later owned by record producer Phil Spector, who was recently indicted for murder.

'He got so many traffic tickets with it that he gave the car to his body guard,' Gardner said. 'Then he gave it to his daughter, who committed suicide. Then there was a big legal battle about who actually owned it.'

The next highest-priced car is a bright yellow Ford GT40 worth $885,000. It has an English-style body with a Ford engine. This type of car won at LeMans in 1965 and '66, while Shelby was working for Ford.

Previously, Ford had never been able to win at LeMans, but that all changed as soon as Shelby got involved. He was at Ford from 1962 to 1969.

This particular vehicle is one of six street models still in existence. It has been driven by the likes of Dan Gurney, a racing superstar.

'It's built so low to the ground that it takes about five minutes just to get in and out of the car,' Gardner said. 'You don't know where to put your legs.'

Tonight Show host Jay Leno owns a car just like it.

The exhibit has considerable variety, such as a bright red 1965 Sunbeam Tiger, made by the British company Rootes, with a V-8, 260 cubic inch Cobra engine. Eventually, Chrysler bought out Rootes and the car was discontinued because its engine was manufactured by Ford.

A 1967 Trans-Am Mustang, raced by Jerry Titus, has a 302 cubic inch engine.

One of the most impressive cars is a 1966 Navy blue 427 Shelby Cobra Roadster with white racing stripes down the hood, and large white side exhaust pipes. There's also a GT-350R, one of only 37 ever made.

A burnt-red GT-350H Mustang with gold stripes is one of 1,000 such vehicles that Hertz used for rental cars in the mid-1960s.

'You could drive it for $17 a day and 17 cents per mile,' Gardner said.

A 289 Cobra roadster (1963) is also on exhibit. Shelby won 50 of 148 races driving cars such as Allards, Ferraris and Maseratis.

'He had a dream one night and he came up with the name Cobra out of that dream,' Gardner said.

The exhibit is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with the exception of Mondays from November to April. Call 587-1935.

The Saratogian