Auction: 6S2363 - Don Roberts old Race car

[silverton_ford]

Link: https://www.broadarrowauctions.com/vehicles/jc23_107/1966-shelby-gt350



Description:
Highlights
Piloted to seven SCCA B-Production victories by road racing legend Don Roberts in 1970 and 1971
1970 SCCA B-Production Southern Pacific Division Champion
Delivered new to Arizona, with known ownership documented by the SAAC Shelby Registry
Regular entrant in prominent vintage racing events from 1983-1990 and 2002-2023
Formerly owned and campaigned by Jim Click's vintage race team, led by Don Roberts
Description
Chassis No. SFM 6S2363

Ford swiftly revolutionized the automotive industry with the introduction of the Mustang at the 1964 World's Fair in New York, captivating a young generation of enthusiasts, and in so doing, achieving over a quarter-million sales by year's end. The Mustang's runaway success coincided with the dominance of the Ford-powered Cobra Daytona Coupe at the 1964 12 Hours of Sebring on a global tour in the FIA International Championship, soon on its way to Le Mans. Closer to home, Ford was eager to replicate this success in SCCA road racing. Ford homologated the Mustang for B-Production competition, taking the Corvettes head-on, along with Jaguar E-Types, Sunbeam Tigers, and various Ferraris. Naturally, Carroll Shelby was selected to turn the brand-new Mustang into an all-out sports car.

His creation, the Shelby GT350, dominated the competition, winning the 1965 B-Production Championship outright. Modifications included an additional 35 horsepower over the standard "K-Code" Hi-Po 289 V8, courtesy of a Holley carburetor, high-rise manifold, and Tri-Y headers. The suspension featured modifications as well with larger rear drum brakes, front Kelsey-Hayes discs, and more. A more extensive program was undertaken in 1966, expanding the GT350's color options to include Candyapple Red, Sapphire Blue, Dark Ivy Green Metallic, and Raven Black, all featuring white Le Mans and rocker panel stripes with GT350 logos. Steel hoods replaced the troublesome fiberglass ones, functional brake scoops were added, and a new GT350 gas cap was introduced.

The 1966 Shelby GT350 offered here, chassis number 6S2363, is a pedigreed, championship-winning sports car with period and vintage racing history. According to the SAAC Shelby Registry, 6S2363 was shipped to Paradise Ford Inc. in Scottsdale, Arizona, on 24 June 1966, who were invoiced a total of $3,945.75 for the Sapphire Blue Shelby featuring optional ten-spoke wheels and rear seats. Original owners Jerry and Kathi Stewart of Greer, Arizona road-raced and auto-crossed their new GT350 before selling it to Jim Emmert in 1969. Emmert had the car race prepared by SCCA legend Don Roberts, who campaigned the Shelby in the 1970 SCCA B-Production Southern Pacific Division Championship. That season, Roberts took five victories in the Shelby on his way to winning the divisional B-Production championship, and followed it up by finishing fourth in class at the 1970 American Road Race of Champions — an extraordinary achievement, to be sure! Don and his wife Sharon subsequently purchased 6S2363 to continue campaigning it in the 1971 season, winning a further two B-Production races and finishing third in the American Road Race of Champions at Road Atlanta.

Following a tremendous run of results in the B-Production class, the Shelby was purchased by John Goodson of Tallahassee, Florida in 1972 who prepared it for IMSA competition. The Shelby Registry records that the GT350 didn't change hands again until 1983 when Jere L. Clark of Phoenix, Arizona purchased the car and had it further prepared by Phil Roberts and Danny Ranshaw. Its vintage racing debut took place at the 1983 Monterey Historics. It continued to be a regular entrant in vintage racing events – including a first-place overall finish at the 1988 Monterey Historics – until 1990 when it was placed in storage. The Shelby reemerged in 1999 and was reunited with its championship-winning driver Don Roberts, who recommissioned and prepared it for vintage racing once again. After being purchased by Jim Click in 2002, the Shelby continued to take part in vintage racing events, with Roberts maintaining it, for over 13 years including a complete engine rebuild prior to the 2015 Monterey Historics.

Acquired by the consignor in 2016, this Shelby GT350 presents an unrivaled opportunity to own and experience a winning American racing legend on the track. Few race cars achieve the level of success enjoyed by chassis 6S2363 in-period, including numerous B-Production victories and the 1970 SCCA Southern Pacific Division Championship — a long and successful life of vintage racing with maintenance carried out by its championship-winning driver. Long-time owner Jim Click said of Roberts following his passing in 2019, "I never had to worry about a car. I never had to worry about it performing. I never had to worry about the handling. I never worried about the safety because of Don; I just had total trust in him." Exercised in multiple Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) and Corinthian Vintage Auto Racing (CVAR) events since the consignor's acquisition, chassis 6S2363 remains a highly usable and competitive sports car primed for further vintage racing.

[FL SAAC]

outstanding

[5s386]

  I've seen this Shelby race quite often, since the early 1980's, while I was in the SAAC-AZ. Region. Lots of good memories.

[98SVT - was 06GT]

It will be in one of the smaller auctions - but one known for deep pockets. It was run by one of the nicest guys in the sport.
https://journal.classiccars.com/2019/08/21/scca-racing-champion-don-roberts-dies/

[csxsfm]

Interesting treatment of the "adjustable" rear fenders.  Back in the day SCCA production car rules required tires to fit under stock width fenders.

[98SVT - was 06GT]

Interesting treatment of the "adjustable" rear fenders.  Back in the day SCCA production car rules required tires to fit under stock width fenders.

Sorta right. Take a look at the R Models. 002 had some that SCCA said were too big and the rest of the Rs got the smaller but bigger than stock ones.
Don's car ran after the 1973 rules and was updated. SCCA pretty much used the same rules for TA and the amatuer cars. The 66-72 was all steel. 73 they allowed fiberglass fenders. Even in the 80s when tube chassis was allowed they required steel roofs. 1989 saw the silhouette cars tube frame all glass bodies and 80" wide. Those rules ended up being so cars could run SCCA or IMSA. The cars have pretty much remained the same since 1989 and I'll argue that todays spec NASCAR is nothing more than a 35 year old TransAm car with IRS and skinnier tires. It even has less horsepower - so much for racing improving the breed.
I think Jim Click has had this in a couple auctions already where it didn't make his reserve.

[silverton_ford]

The car sold in 2016 for $220,000- https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/mo16/monterey/lots/r113-1966-shelby-gt350/238690

The current owner has raced it a various places since.  Here is a youtube video talking about the car in his collection, starts at 1:40 - https://youtu.be/pjGynuWFuR8