American Icons Will Demand Top Dollar At Las Vegas Auction

Renowned auction house Barrett-Jackson will descend upon Sin City in the coming weeks, with a flotilla of collectible Shelby and Ford vehicles. Set to take place in the coming weeks, the Las Vegas event will attract scores of monied collectors and muscle car fans, with some truly special variations of the Ford Mustang hitting the auction block.

The star of the show has to be the 1969 Boss 429. This desirable classic is finished in a gorgeous Royal Maroon and looks as if it just left the production line. That's because this legend has recently returned from Oklahoma-based Muscle Car Restoration, where experts lovingly refurbished the American icon.

The 429 moniker hints at what's under the hood. The 429 ci (7.0-liter) V8 sends 375 horsepower to the rear wheels via the factory-correct RUGAE2 four-speed manual transmission. The Boss will be sold with no reserve.

Perhaps even more beguiling to look at is the 1968 Shelby GT500 KR (King of the Road) Fastback. As far as collectible cars go, this brute is hard to beat. The Acapulco Blue paintwork is radiant, thanks to a rotisserie restoration that returned this rarity to its original condition. Detail-oriented collectors will adore this KR Fastback; it is still in possession of its original dash VIN, door data, and Shelby tags.

The original Omaha-based owner specified this example with power steering and brakes. Motivation is derived from the 335-horsepower, 428ci Cobra Jet engine mated to a Toploader four-speed manual gearbox. If this Shelby doesn't do it for you, the '67 GT500 just might. Wearing a distinctive shade of green, it's certainly an eye-catcher.

Amazingly, this pristine example hasn't been restored and, as such, the interior retains the original wood-trimmed tiller, speedometer, and auxiliary gauges. Like its sibling, the entirely original GT500 will sell with no reserve. The KR package recently made a return in 2021.

He may have loved a Mustang, but that didn't stop Carroll Shelby from designing his very own car in the '90s. The Series 1 is exceptionally rare, with just 249 examples ever produced. Two are being offered by Barrett Jackson, with the pair sporting the same Centennial Silver finish with maroon stripes.

Lot 721 is one of the first 10 examples to leave the production line and later returned to Shelby for more power. The addition of a $22,000 supercharger upgrade saw power boosted to 500 hp - far more than the stock 320 hp afforded by the 4.0-liter V8. Couple that with its lightweight body, and you're looking at 60 mph in a claimed three seconds.

The other example, Lot 699, is also supercharged - but has the honor of being one of 30 examples to receive the treatment from the factory. Again, these ultra-rare Series 1 roadsters will be sold at no reserve - we expect all to attract big bucks.