Nov 14th, 2008 by RJ Menezes
You see the car above? It is one mean machine. This is one of Carrol Shelby’s personal rides, no special replica or remade tribute car, no this is the real deal. It’s called the Shelby EXP500 CSS, but it’s better known by its other name, the “Black Hornet.”
The reason this car was built was to give tribute to a legendary test mule from the late 1960s called the “Green Hornet.” It was a car that Shelby used to test all sorts of innovative technology, like fuel injection, four-wheel disc brakes, and even retractable radio antennas! The Green Hornet was always evolving and never really had a final spec. The original car is now owned by Craig Jackson and Steve Davis, top execs at the famous Barrett-Jackson Auto Auctions.
The “Black Hornet” can stand its ground though, with specs that would make any muscle car fan envious. Built by Legendary G.T. Continuation Cars and painted in Stetson black (an homage to Shelby’s familiar cowboy hat) the car’s power comes from a 428 Cobra Jet V8 churning out 335 hp the old-school way. It’s mated to a classic four-speed manual and gets the famous hood scoops and stripes that are a signature feature on Shelby’s cars.
The auction for the car will run December 2nd-12th on online auction site Ebay, and the bidding will start at $100,000. Three quarters of the profits will go to charity will the rest will be used to cover expenses associated with the auction. The car is estimated to be worth $175,000, but it could fetch a lot more if the right Shelby collector shows up.
-Source: Auto Week
-Photo: Shelby