The Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation will join forces with Restoration Hardware to auction the ‘68 Shelby EXP500 CSS from Mr. Shelby’s personal collection.
The sale will begin Dec. 2, 2008, on eBay. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation, which helps children worldwide battle life-threatening illnesses while promoting the importance of organ and tissue donation.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to own one of my personal performance cars," said Carroll Shelby, founder of the Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation. "It’s a stunning tribute to the legendary ‘Green Hornet,’ which I used to test some of the era’s most advanced technology back in the late 1960s. Along with our friends at Restoration Hardware, I’m challenging enthusiasts across America to take part in this charity auction on eBay for a chance to win the ultimate Christmas toy."
The ‘68 Shelby EXP500 CSS pays homage to the experimental "Green Hornet." As a rolling test mule, the original Green Hornet Shelby GT500 was one of the most important cars in automotive history. Over the course of a couple of years, the Shelby American crew used the Green Hornet to experiment with groundbreaking technologies such as an early electronic fuel injection system on the 428 engine, independent rear suspension, a power antenna, and four-wheel disc brakes.
To celebrate this groundbreaking Shelby, Barry Smith, owner of Legendary G.T., built a continuation Shelby EXP500 under license from Carroll Shelby Licensing using an original ‘68 Ford Mustang. Painted "Stetson Black" in honor of the hat worn by Shelby, it is identical to the Green Hornet prior to the Colonic EFI or independent rear suspension. Since 2003, EXP500 CSS has been part of Mr. Shelby’s personal collection.
For more information about the benefit auction, please go to www.restorationhardware.com/shelby.