Shelby Dodge Auction

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2015/02/12/florida-auction-offers-an-impressive-collection-of-low-mileage-shelby-badged-chryslers/?refer=news

http://www.auctionsamerica.com/events/all-lots.cfm?SaleCode=FL15&grouping=Chrysler Shelby Collection&category=

not for the cheap on this one, but clean

Oh my. That excites me like few things can.

Interesting!
Does make me wonder, can fwd Dodges become Classic Motorsports Magazine content?

On the other hand, perhaps this is the real GRM in that even though they will bring a high price, they will be a bargain compared to anything else you could buy so well preserved with the Shelby (or even Mopar) name on it.

No VNT models? Looks like the CSX have the Fiberride wheels which are tough to find.

In reply to pinchvalve:

The 89's are all VNT's, they just chose to not put the entire model name there.

I wonder what's the story behind that drag car - it appears to just have an NA 2.2L I can't imagine what "records" it would hold because I can't see how a car with one of those engines without a turbo, even with high compression pistons, a ported head, and big cam could run better than low 15's in the 1/4 mile, having to pull what looks like a basically stock Charger chassis.

Also, the intake manifold on that PPG Pace Car Daytona is total engine porn.

In reply to drdisque:

NHRA has several classes. A buddy of mine here in Oregon built a record setting Turbo Minivan with the stock 2.5L and tiny Mitsubishi turbo. He just beat the record for the class he was in, backed it up with another run within a certain period of time and had the record.

Much like racing on the Salt Flats, etc. There's a class for nearly anything, providing the opportunity to compete for a win and a record.

As for that intake, yeah that was awesome. One of the Chrysler engineers talked about that intake stating that it worked really well, but the early code they were using at the time prevented them from using it in production because there wasn't a way to program in a failsafe if the intake broke open and it also made maintenance much more difficult.

Once they improved the ECU's and code after the 84 model year, they were able to develop the longer runner intake which was introduced on the intercooled 86 GLH-S and the 87 Daytona Shelby, etc. (most of the numbered Shelby's were using pre-production parts that the Chryco engineers were developing in conjunction with Shelby's engineers). Eventually Shelby grew tired of being Chrysler's guinea pig and getting charged full price for each car he bought to convert in his factory and without the better parts that Chrysler used in their models the year after his which were similar with a better warranty and stronger parts (the VNTs, the Lancers, the Dakotas were all prime examples of this).

So Shelby stopped the partnership after 89, which sucked because the 90 CSX were to be some of the best ever. A lovely shade of blue, 89 bodywork, silver fiberides, 16-valve turbo motor, limited slip, driver adjustable dampers, etc. Instead Chrysler produced the Spirit R/T and IROC R/T starting in 91 with 90 being the VNT only being available.

Of course Chrysler had 3 different 16-valve heads developed for the little 2.2. Two of them were put into production. The R/T head was a Lotus developed head and it was prone to cracking in early models. The Maserati TC had a 16-valve option, which was produced by Cosworth, was much stronger and had more power potential, but was neutered. There was a head developed by Hans Hermann for Shelby that was spectacular, Shelby used it on his personal GLH-S and I believe it may have also been used on some of the PPG cars before they leveraged an early model of the Lotus head.

All of that head development data was used to produce the 2.0 used in the Neon and later the 2.4 used in the Cloud cars, etc. Which is how the Neon produced the same power as the early turbo motors without the need of a turbo and with less displacement. Plus they are so close together that the later 16-valve heads can be adapted to the earlier 2.2/2.5L blocks (though most just swap in a complete 2.4).