Top Dropped: Rare Shelby Convertible for Auction in Sweden

It’s an open secret that the Swedes love American cars, possibly as much as their native automobile manufacturers. It’s been suggested that thousands are imported into the country every year, even nourishing their unique Raggare car culture. But this Shelby GT350 convertible from 1969 is certainly one of the more outstanding examples of imported American iron, having spent most of its life in Sweden. But that might change, as this rarity is up for sale on the Swedish Bilweb auction site.

Shelby expert Colin Comer notes that 194 examples of the GT350 convertible were made in 1969 and 1970, so while it’s noteworthy because it’s not the GT350 enthusiasts typically conjure in their minds, this isn’t the rarest of the roofless Shelby Mustangs. (That designation might belong to the 1 of 4 Shelby GT350s from 1966 that we profiled back in 2020.)

Bilweb notes that only 22 Shelby GT350 convertibles were sold in Ford’s famous Grabber Blue color. This example has been single-family owned, and was lightly restored after traveling a little under 65,000 miles.

As with many an American icon imported to another continent, it took a lot of work and a long time to get it road-legal in Sweden. The seller states that Carroll Shelby had to write four letters to the Swedish Transport Agency to certify that this GT350’s axle and wheel offset were performed at his facility. While it arrived in 1973 as a used car with 29,350 miles under its belt, this Shelby had to cool its heels for a year before it could hit the road in Sweden.

Documentation, including Carroll Shelby’s letters to Swedish authorities, is included in the sale. Other photos suggest this GT350 is solidly in driver condition. There’s wear on the seat backs and smaller plastic interior trim, and an aftermarket wrap covers the rim-blow steering wheel. Minor exterior imperfections are listed, and the underside appears to be solid, but not rotisserie restored. These are signs of a Shelby that has had a life well lived on Nordic roads.

As of this writing, the auction for this 1969 GT350 convertible is currently at 775,000 Swedish Kronas, or a little over $71,000. According to the Hagerty Price Guide, that is well below its value in number 3 condition ($132,000), so it’s a safe bet there’s still a lot of headroom left until the auction ends this Thursday.

Provenance and the fact that this rare Shelby convertible is already in the Europe could suggest a last-minute bidding frenzy from fans of American muscle cars across the continent. And for that reason alone, it will be interesting to see the final price of a Shelby convertible with such a unique tale to tell.