Author Topic: What Is A 65 Shelby Motor and Transmission Worth  (Read 3548 times)

Fast Fords

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What Is A 65 Shelby Motor and Transmission Worth
« on: August 16, 2021, 07:32:45 PM »
I know a guy who has a complete 65 Shelby motor and the Borg Warner  transmission for sale. He got the motor/trans from his buddies totalled 65 Shelby way back in '73. He put them in a coupe and he said it is way to much motor for the car. I guess it took him this long to decide. I would think the motor and transmission will both need to be rebuilt as the pictures I have seen showed a really dirty motor. Anyone have an idea on value of the motor and transmission ?

trotrof1

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Re: What Is A 65 Shelby Motor and Transmission Worth
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2021, 08:07:42 PM »
 Will need more info like vin numbers,  date codes, pictures, otherwise the estimated value will be ballpark number. It could be worth a lot more to a owner who wants their original engine. Or if the internals of the engine and trans are bad the the price swings way low. In this case anyone interested will need something to base a real number on. A good clean up and some pics would be a good start.

GT350Lad

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Re: What Is A 65 Shelby Motor and Transmission Worth
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2021, 08:15:22 PM »
Agree some pics and more details would help guide price. If it a confirmed totally Shelby then it has no value to the original car. Still a great find. Tell us More

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Bob Gaines

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Re: What Is A 65 Shelby Motor and Transmission Worth
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2021, 08:49:27 PM »
I know a guy who has a complete 65 Shelby motor and the Borg Warner  transmission for sale. He got the motor/trans from his buddies totalled 65 Shelby way back in '73. He put them in a coupe and he said it is way to much motor for the car. I guess it took him this long to decide. I would think the motor and transmission will both need to be rebuilt as the pictures I have seen showed a really dirty motor. Anyone have an idea on value of the motor and transmission ?
I hope this isn't the case with your situation but I don't know how many times I have been told about parts that came off of a Shelby 65 or otherwise that turned out to be a fairy tale to add hype to the sales story. . The 65 Borg Warner transmission will be aluminum which should be easy to confirm with a magnet dirty or not. If the trans pass the test then the rest might be for real too.
Bob Gaines,Shelby Enthusiast, Shelby Collector , Shelby Concours judge SAAC,MCA,Mid America Shelby

98SVT - was 06GT

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Re: What Is A 65 Shelby Motor and Transmission Worth
« Reply #4 on: August 16, 2021, 08:51:53 PM »
Get the K VIN from the right front corner of the engine just above the oil pan. Call Howard and see if it is a Shelby Motor - He will not give you the Shelby number.
Previous owner 6S843 - GT350H & 68 GT500 Convert #135.
Mine: GT1 Mustang Track Toy, 1998 SVT Cobra, Wife's: 2004 Tbird
Member since 1975 - priceless

Fast Fords

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Re: What Is A 65 Shelby Motor and Transmission Worth
« Reply #5 on: August 16, 2021, 09:09:36 PM »
Sorry, I don't have any pictures. I have seen it in some pictures and it is very dirty. It was still in the coupe.

I believe the car that it came out of was destroyed as it was wrapped around a pole and this guy bought the motor and trans out of the car from the Shelby owner. I don't know what car it was or the VIN number on the block but everything did look Shelby to me from what I could see.

Bob Gaines

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Re: What Is A 65 Shelby Motor and Transmission Worth
« Reply #6 on: August 16, 2021, 10:16:03 PM »
Sorry, I don't have any pictures. I have seen it in some pictures and it is very dirty. It was still in the coupe.

I believe the car that it came out of was destroyed as it was wrapped around a pole and this guy bought the motor and trans out of the car from the Shelby owner. I don't know what car it was or the VIN number on the block but everything did look Shelby to me from what I could see.
A 65 GT350 rare small Cobra letter S1MS marked intake is hard to fake and would be easy to see under the hood. It is a lot different in appearance and details compared to the more common later larger letter Cobra letter S2MS marked intake .That would give a lot of credibility to the story if that was there .
Bob Gaines,Shelby Enthusiast, Shelby Collector , Shelby Concours judge SAAC,MCA,Mid America Shelby

427heaven

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Re: What Is A 65 Shelby Motor and Transmission Worth
« Reply #7 on: August 16, 2021, 11:03:37 PM »
A few years back I was involved in something similar but different. I was selling my Original 1966 GT 350 engine because I swapped in a BOSS 302, funny thing is I found out who owned my car and he had no interest in it. OK so now what, an original GT 350 engine with all the best parts and the original numbers? At the time some ignorant folks... Not the sharpest tools in the shed- would chime in and say OOOH Look, it has a Fram filter on it, and a Dual quad Cobra intake, and painted black... Really? I still cant believe how some people just dont get whats important in life, to a numbers  person it is very special. Mine was sold for another SHELBY needing a new heart transplant. Yours would probably be in the same situation. There are still a few cars out there needing that engine . Best of luck on the sale.

Bob Gaines

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Re: What Is A 65 Shelby Motor and Transmission Worth
« Reply #8 on: August 16, 2021, 11:14:40 PM »
A few years back I was involved in something similar but different. I was selling my Original 1966 GT 350 engine because I swapped in a BOSS 302, funny thing is I found out who owned my car and he had no interest in it. OK so now what, an original GT 350 engine with all the best parts and the original numbers? At the time some ignorant folks... Not the sharpest tools in the shed- would chime in and say OOOH Look, it has a Fram filter on it, and a Dual quad Cobra intake, and painted black... Really? I still cant believe how some people just dont get whats important in life, to a numbers  person it is very special. Mine was sold for another SHELBY needing a new heart transplant. Yours would probably be in the same situation. There are still a few cars out there needing that engine . Best of luck on the sale.
I know your GT350 story well from your past posts. Sorry that you had such a bad experience. Respectfully I think you may be misunderstanding the context of this thread. I believe Fast Fords is trying to purchase the drive train not sell. Fast Fords has asked for advice and is being given such so that he doesn't get taken advantage of. Fast Fords,best of luck on the purchase/brokering.
Bob Gaines,Shelby Enthusiast, Shelby Collector , Shelby Concours judge SAAC,MCA,Mid America Shelby

Greg

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Re: What Is A 65 Shelby Motor and Transmission Worth
« Reply #9 on: August 17, 2021, 08:07:05 AM »
I know a guy who has a complete 65 Shelby motor and the Borg Warner  transmission for sale. He got the motor/trans from his buddies totalled 65 Shelby way back in '73. He put them in a coupe and he said it is way to much motor for the car. I guess it took him this long to decide. I would think the motor and transmission will both need to be rebuilt as the pictures I have seen showed a really dirty motor. Anyone have an idea on value of the motor and transmission ?

From what I have seen, the trans is worth around $10-12K and the engine $8K without the rare intake, carb, fuel pump etc...  with the rare stuff $15K.    I hope this helps
Shelby's and Fords from Day 1

NC TRACKRAT

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Re: What Is A 65 Shelby Motor and Transmission Worth
« Reply #10 on: August 17, 2021, 09:23:06 AM »
Greg's estimate seems in the ballpark but, from Fast Fords description, everything's tired, dirty and due for a re-build.  Given that, I'd reduce by 20-25%.
5S071, 6S1467

shelbymann1970

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Re: What Is A 65 Shelby Motor and Transmission Worth
« Reply #11 on: August 17, 2021, 09:50:31 AM »
I was offered a REAL 65 engine and trans out of a 64 Malibu in 1978 for 500 bucks. It was put into a 64 Malibu 6 cyl car from a wrecked 65 Shelby. The car owner  was a friend of my next door neighbors and it was stored in his garage next to his 69 SS396 Camaro. Chevy guys. The guy bought the mint 289 Malibu in Florida for 800 bucks and brought it back and was putting a Chevy engine in it. I had a 302 3 speed in my 69 Mustang and DECLINED it. DUH! Yes, it was real. All the goodies on the engine. Could see the trans with the big hole cut into the floor for the shifter(never trimmed off). Car was fast.
« Last Edit: August 17, 2021, 09:52:35 AM by shelbymann1970 »
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427heaven

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Re: What Is A 65 Shelby Motor and Transmission Worth
« Reply #12 on: August 17, 2021, 10:21:31 AM »
If your buying or selling for/ from a friend the situation boils down to what you, or someone else is willing to pay for that item. They seem to present themselves every ten to fifteen years or so, you or others have to figure out where you fit in with this possible time frame! Then you will have to take into account that if YOU dont buy it, then friend of a friend will advertise it and someone else will buy it. Good Luck on what ever direction you take.

Re: What Is A 65 Shelby Motor and Transmission Worth
« Reply #13 on: August 17, 2021, 10:34:41 AM »
If your buying or selling for/ from a friend the situation boils down to what you, or someone else is willing to pay for that item. They seem to present themselves every ten to fifteen years or so, you or others have to figure out where you fit in with this possible time frame! Then you will have to take into account that if YOU dont buy it, then friend of a friend will advertise it and someone else will buy it. Good Luck on what ever direction you take.

I was going to say exactly that... "What someone else is willing to pay for it"...Which can be a ridiculous amount...  BUT... (HUGE BUT!)... to get max $$$, it will take some efforts.  Research, elbow grease, no emotional attachment, pictures, marketing, and host it somewhere that makes sense; e.g., BAT for example... (case in point here, a 11K+ 66 steel hood) if done well.  Good luck..  Motivating someone else can be difficult.  I have seen a lot of nice cars get worse over time because someone with a dream "that was gonna restore it one day later died".
Tom - DFW, Texas

Fast Fords

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Re: What Is A 65 Shelby Motor and Transmission Worth
« Reply #14 on: August 19, 2021, 09:26:25 PM »
Well, the owner of the 65 Shelby motor and transmission has decided to keep them for know. I guess I will have to wait him out. Thanks for everyone's help.