Last month, a few notably breathtaking classic cars sold through RM Sotheby’s auctions. These vehicles exemplify the craftsmanship of 20th-century American auto manufacturers and boast stunning designs from Chevrolet, Lincoln, Shelby, Ford, and DeSoto.
The vehicles that sold were a 1970 Ford Mustang 429, a 1940 Lincoln Cabriolet, a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette StingRay 427/435 Coupe, a 1957 DeSoto Adventurer Convertible, and a 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback Shelby GT500. Let’s take a brief tour of these unforgettable classic cars.
1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429
The iconic Ford Mustang Boss 429 served as a continuation of the Boss series that started with the Mustang Boss 302. Ford originally created this series of brag-worthy Mustangs to compete with the Z28 Camaro in the Sports Car Club of America’s Trans-Am series.
Ford introduced the Mustang Boss 429 to homologate its 429 cu in V8 for NASCAR and NHRA drag racing. Ford needed to produce at least 500 Mustang Boss 429 units that were available for purchase. The company eventually created a total of 1,358 total units, 499 of which they produced in 1970.
This stunning unit is one of only 52 1970 Mustang Boss 429s to come with an eye-catching Grabber Green exterior, and it was equipped with the Drag Pack and competition suspension options. This alone helped it bring in a whopping $280,000 at auction. Its 429 big-block engine was rated at 375 horsepower, but a more accurate estimation would be closer to 500. The car also boasts power front disc brakes and power steering.
The car’s green exterior looks especially pleasing over the car’s black knit vinyl interior, which also comes with a trip odometer, AM radio, console, and tachometer.
This unit is truly a Mustang enthusiast’s dream because it was expertly preserved in excellent condition and stored in a climate-controlled environment.
1940 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet
This iconic 1940 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet sports a legendary Lincoln V12 as well as an overdrive transmission, making it a great car for cruising and touring.
Although the Continental is now a staple for Lincoln, it began as a custom Lincoln-Zephyr that was commissioned by Edsel Ford back in the late 1930s. Ford designer Bob Gregorie styled this landmark vehicle from a V12 Zephyr chassis. The vehicle was released to the public in 1940 and became a hit amongst luxury motor enthusiasts, two of whom were Frank Lloyd Wright and Rita Hayworth.
The Lincoln Continental Cabriolet is now considered a full classic by the Classic Car Club of America (CCCA), and this unit was featured in CCCA’s CARavans.
The car once came in a Beetle Green color but now boasts an older restoration with an ivory finish, complementing its light-tan interior with leather upholstery. The car also comes with a two-speed rear axle, whitewall tires, an optional stone deflector, a radio, and a clock.
This vehicle is also incredibly rare, securing $42,560 at auction, as Lincoln only produced 350 convertibles and 54 coupes in its first model year. Lincoln then went on to produce ten generations of the remarkable car until they discontinued it in 2020.
1967 Chevrolet Corvette StingRay 427/435 Coupe
Chevrolet produced this stunning Corvette StingRay 427/435 coupe in the second-generation Corvette’s final year. This remarkable Corvette epitomizes second-generation beauty and performance with its L71 engine package. It boasts a matching-numbers 427 cu in Tri-Power V8 with 435 horsepower and 460 foot-pounds of torque. Its powertrain also comes with an M21 close-ratio four-speed manual transmission with a G81 Positraction 4.11 rear end.
In addition to power, the car features an impressive style with a Goodwood Green exterior and an A02 tinted windshield. The car also comes with a factory-original N11 off-road exhaust system, “starburst” bolt-on alloy wheels, accurate GM-embossed mufflers, K66 transistorized ignition, and U69 AM/FM radio. Plus, it features a gorgeous black interior that goes great with its green exterior.
This unforgettable beauty underwent a total restoration in 1990. That same year, it earned the Top Flight Award from the National Corvette Restorers Society and received an impressive score of 98.6.
Later in the 1990s, certain parts of the car underwent further restoration, including its brake calipers and master cylinder. Back in 2018, it underwent a full chassis service and carburetor restorations.
The car was recently sold for $168,000 with its Top Flight certificate, research, and judging documentation.
1957 DeSoto Adventurer Convertible
This unique convertible came from the handiwork of the now-defunct DeSoto marque, which was originally a Chrysler division. Although the public primarily remembers the manufacturer for their family-style cars, such as the DeSoto Powermaster and the DeSoto Suburban, they also produced impressive, high-performance cars. Some of the brand’s high-selling cars included the 1929 DeSoto Six, the 1952 DeSoto Firedome, and the 1957 DeSoto Firesweep. In the company’s final years, their hot selling item was the DeSoto Adventurer.
The 1957 DeSoto Adventurer Convertible features a 345 cu in Fireflite V8 with 355 horsepower, making it the first production car with a standard engine package to feature one horsepower per cubic inch. The car also comes with an automatic transmission.
This particular unit is especially impressive because it’s been driven less than 100 miles since undergoing a full restoration. Plus, it’s likely only one of 300 Adventurer Convertibles that DeSoto produced in 1957 which helped it deliver an impressive $128,000 at auction.
The car’s exterior is white and gold, and it boasts wide whitewall tires on gold wheels. Its champagne and white interior features power seats, power windows, an AM radio, and air conditioning. The interior also features two separate clocks: a distinct self-winding clock that’s mounted on its steering wheel and an electric clock on its dashboard.
1968 Shelby GT500 KR Fastback
The final car on our tour is a fully-restored 1968 Shelby GT500 KR Fastback, a vehicle primarily known for its powerhouse 428 cu in Cobra Jet V8 engine, which had a Holly 735-CFM carburetor, 390GT camshaft, high-flow exhaust manifolds, and 427 low-riser heads.
Although this engine was an absolute performance dream, Ford and Shelby were able to have it officially rated at 335 horsepower for insurance purposes. Some have reported that the car’s hp is closer to 435. The engine also boasted 440 foot-pounds of torque at 3,400 revolutions per minute.
With its remarkable performance, it’s no mystery why the Shelby GT500 quickly became known as the “King of the Road.” Plus, Carol Shelby copyrighted the nickname because General Motors planned to use it for one of their own high-performance cars.
In addition to the GT500’s incredible powertrain, Shelby American also equipped the car with an updated front hood, twin air-scoops, and louvers, which created a “ram air” intake system that had an enclosed chamber under its hood mounted to a steel air cleaner.
This car is one of only 356 GT500s that was finished in Highland Green along with dual white racing stripes and black knit vinyl luxury bucket seats and sold for $162,400 at the recent auction. It also sports factory shoulder harnesses, a tilt-away steering wheel, a sport deck rear seat, power steering, a 3.50:1 Traction-Lok rear axle, and power front disc brakes.
Get the Best Insurance For a 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429 or Another Classic Car
Whether you’re driving one of the cars on our tour or another classic beauty, you need top-of-the-line classic car insurance that will preserve your slice of automotive history for years to come.
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***Photos in this blog courtesy of Sotheby’s***
