Owls Head, ME – You can be part of an historic event at the Owls Head Transportation Museum. This rare Shelby Group II Mustang, originally created for legendary Shelby American Driver Ken Miles, will be unveiled to the public for the first time and reunited with its championship driver, John McComb.
One of the rarest Shelby Mustangs ever built or raced in American automotive history will be offered for sale at the 2022 New England Auto Auction™. This multi-championship and race-winning vehicle competed in over 30 documented races with 22 Top-three finishes.
Don’t miss your opportunity to learn firsthand the provenance of this special vehicle as told by McComb, automotive historian Tom Cotter and New England Auto Auction™ Director, Toby Stinson.
Space is limited. Please RSVP before July 5 at https://owls-head-transportation-museum-100719.square.site/
One vehicle’s storied history
This iconic 1966 Shelby Group II Mustang is fully documented in the SAAC Shelby Registry which includes its historic SCCA and Trans-Am racing pedigree. It is one of only sixteen 1966 Shelby Group II Mustangs built to R-model specifications to compete in the SCCA and Trans-Am A/Sedan class; it is one of only seven that competed.
Owls Head Transportation Museum
As documented, the car was originally built for the famous Shelby American driver Ken Miles. It was then offered to John McComb by automotive design engineer Chuck Cantwell of Carroll Shelby’s legendary racing shop.
McComb and this Shelby Mustang helped Ford claim The Trans-American Sedan Championship for 1966. Other notable races in 1966 included 1st Place at Pan-American Trans-Am in Green Valley, TX and 1st Place at Continental Divide SCCA National.
The car Finished 1st in SCCA Midwest Division in 1966 and 1967, 2nd in the 1967 SCCA A/Sedan Midwest and raced at the 1967 Daytona 300 Trans-Am and 24-Hours of Daytona.
Owls Head Transportation Museum
With its iconic white and blue exterior, this car would be featured on the covers of Sports Car Graphic in 1966 and 1967, as well as the 1967 Motor Trend World Automotive Yearbook.
The car won 1st Place at SCCA National in Wichita, KS in 1968, where it set an A/Sedan lap record and tied A/Production Corvette of Don Yenko for the second-fastest lap ever run at Lake Afton. It was raced consistently in 1969 but had a limited race schedule between 1971 and 1973.
After changes in ownership, the car was purchased in 1986 by Gary Spraggins. During Spraggins’ 26 years of ownership, the vehicle underwent restoration work and was signed by Carroll Shelby, McComb, Chuck Cantwell and Terry Doty.
Owls Head Transportation Museum
The legacy continues
In 2015 Shelby experts at Legendary Motorcar completed a show quality concours restoration to Shelby-correct specifications. Since completion it’s been handled with white gloves and stored in a climate-controlled facility. Current owner and consignor Marc Schiliro of MS CLASSIC CARS purchased the car in 2022.
The car is powered by an era-correct Shelby American racing 289 Hi-Po V8 engine with estimated 350-400HP. This engine was completely rebuilt and runs excellently. The engine casting date is #C5AE-6015-E with a build date of October 14th, 1964.
The engine is coupled with an era-correct Borg Warner T-10 close ratio 4-speed manual transmission. The transmission was completely rebuilt and has a build date of July 27th, 1965. The power is transferred to the Ford 9” Detroit Locker rear end with 3.89 gears.
The undercarriage is also highly detailed with many correct parts throughout. This undercarriage should be displayed with mirrors at car shows, as the floors were painted in the correct red oxide primer and then over sprayed with white like they were on the factory assembly line.
John McComb and his wife, Vici, were reunited with the car earlier this year, and the sale of the vehicle includes items including restoration photos and a fourth edition SAAC Shelby 1965-1966-1967 book signed by McComb. This Shelby Mustang was verified by 1965-1966 Shelby Registrar Howard Pardee and Shelby Trans Am Registrar Gary Underwood.
Meet the speakers
Tom Cotter is the host of the Youtube video series, Barn Find Hunter, sponsored by Hagerty Insurance and Shell. He has written 16 automotive books. Cotter was founder of an automotive and motorsport PR and marketing agency called Cotter Group. The agency managed many of the largest sponsors in all forms of racing including NASCAR, IndyCar/CART, SCCA, NHRA and vintage racing.
John McComb is an internationally recognized sports car driver in the SCCA and IMSA. During his three-decade career, McComb drove for six factories and numerous private owners. John was instrumental in securing the 1966 SCCA Trans-Am Manufacturers Championship for Ford/Shelby and was the 1967 SCCA Trans-Am National Champion and holds numerous SCCA divisional titles. John drove for Brock Racing, Group 44 and was a Skip Barber Racing school instructor.
Toby Stinson is the Director of the New England Auto Auction ™ and serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Automobile Museums.
Event information
- Thursday, July 7
- 5:30 – 8:00 P.M.
The Owls Head Transportation Museum
117 Museum St. Owls Head, ME 04854
Register Online https://owlshead.org/
Space is limited. Please RSVP to secure your place.
Information on the auction that will feature this Mustang
44th Annual New England Auto Auction™ August 26-27
The auction is the museum’s biggest fundraiser
Summer on the coastal Maine means one thing: it’s auction time! This year will mark the 44th Annual New England Auto Auction™ and we are ready. Our team works year-round to bring you an unforgettable auction experience. At NEAA™ that experience isn’t built on distracting hype or flashy gimmicks—it’s built with a great lineup of sought-after cars and collectables in a relaxed, comfortable setting.Our goal is to present qualified buyers with an exciting inventory of quality selections. It’s what brings most of our consignors and bidders back year after year, drawn by the camaraderie and craftsmanship that defines the classic car community. So, whether you are ready to consign or find something “new,” the NEAA™ team is ready to give you an unforgettable experience from start to finish.
Owls Head Transportation Museum – For more than 45 years, the Owls Head Transportation Museum has been a premier vintage automotive and aviation destination, offering experiences that ignite America’s passion for the science of transportation. As the museum’s largest annual fundraiser, the New England Auto Auction™ operates solely to advance that mission and provide essential funding for our year-round operations. Since 1977, we have worked for people who love cars. While there are countless collector car auctions, the New England Auto Auction™ is driven by a mission to preserve and promote the history of transportation. For decades, our highly-qualified team has specialized in connecting motivated buyers from across the country with singular and sought-after consignments. https://owlshead.org/
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