1966 Shelby GT350, raced by Sir Stirling Moss, is auction-bound … again

The list of race cars driven by Sir Stirling Moss features some of Europe’s finest and fastest automobiles, like Jaguar, Lotus, Aston Martin, Ferrari, and the famous Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR in which Moss drove to a record-setting victory in the 1955 Mille Miglia.

Believe it or not, the brilliant Brit also raced a 1966 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350. Not in period, mind you, but in vintage races from 1992–99.

“The Moss Car,” as fellow icon Carroll Shelby labeled it, is about to cross the auction block for the fourth time since 2007. The GT350, one of the star cars at Barrett-Jackson’s inaugural Houston sale (September 16–18 at the NRG Center), sold for $561K at the Worldwide auction Houston in ’07 and was a no-sale at both Auburn in 2012 ($340K) and Mecum Houston in 2017 ($255K). Those downward-trending numbers could bounce back this time around, considering the money being spent on American muscle cars and at auctions in general these days. (Exhibit A: Monterey Car Week.)

SFM 6S089 started its life as one of the 252 early 1966 GT350 “carryover” street cars, which are now quite coveted by collectors. After spending its early years in San Antonio, the GT350 was later owned by Steve Barnes of Boston and subsequently by Greek shipping tycoon Peter Livanos, who was a majority shareholder of Aston Martin at the time. In the early 1990s, Livanos had the car fully restored and converted to competition “R” specs for vintage racing. Shortly thereafter, Moss drove a GT350 at the Monterey Historics, and he so enjoyed the experience that he set out to get one for himself—this one, as it turns out, in 1992.

Moss raced the GT350 at nine different venues in Europe (FIA) and Targa Tasmania (winner), including races at Silverstone in 1995 and ’96.

“While most people think of Shelby Mustangs as something only us Yanks desire, Sir Stirling showed that he too appreciated a thunderous slipping-and-sliding approach to vintage racing,” says author, Shelby expert, and Hagerty marketplace editor Colin Comer. “After he raced the car in numerous European events, it landed with another enthusiast in Switzerland, who continued to race it extensively in Europe. It returned to the U.S. in 2004 and remains—because of its history and past ownership by Moss—a very unique and certainly well-travelled 1966 GT350.”

Powered by a 4.6-liter V-8 engine mated to a four-speed manual transmission, the race-ready GT350 is listed in the Shelby Registry and comes with substantial documentation, including many photos from Moss’ extensive personal files, as well as a film in which Moss and his wife Suzie discuss the car’s history. A letter from Shelby engineer Phil Remington confirms the car’s R-code details. Moss, who died in April 2020 at the age of 90, signed his name inside the trunk.

“Moss had only high praise for his Shelby GT350,” says Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. “He’s on record stating it was his favorite for historic racing, and there is no doubt Moss’ Shelby GT350 was in many incredible vintage races, piloted by one of the greatest racers of all time.”

There could be no better endorsement of a race car than to be personally chosen by Sir Stirling Moss. Think you have what it takes to follow in his famous footsteps?