Rare Ford Performance Collection to Be Auctioned at Monterey
Six classic Ford performance cars from the Jim Click Collection, including a GT40 and Shelby Cobras, will be offered by RM Sotheby’s at the Monterey sale in August 2016.
A group of six rare Ford performance cars from the Jim Click Collection will be auctioned by RM Sotheby’s at its annual Monterey sale in California this August. The collection features some of the most sought-after classic Fords, including a GT40 and several Shelby Cobras, with estimates suggesting the group could fetch as much as $11 million.
Jim Click, a long-time collector and vintage racer, assembled the collection over more than two decades. The group of cars now going under the hammer represents the highlights of his racing and collecting career. Each car has been maintained for both historic competition and preservation, with Click himself and close associates regularly driving them in vintage racing events.
What’s in the collection?
The line-up includes a 1966 Ford GT40 Mk I, a car with deep Le Mans pedigree and one of the most valuable Fords ever built. Alongside it are three Shelby Cobras: a 1964 289 Competition Cobra, a 1966 427 Cobra, and a 1964 289 Cobra, each with documented racing history. The group is rounded out by a 1965 Shelby Mustang GT350R, one of only 36 built, and a 1966 Shelby Mustang GT350, both highly regarded among American muscle and racing enthusiasts.
- 1966 Ford GT40 Mk I
- 1964 Shelby 289 Competition Cobra
- 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra
- 1964 Shelby 289 Cobra
- 1965 Shelby Mustang GT350R
- 1966 Shelby Mustang GT350
All six cars have been actively raced in vintage events, with Click’s team preparing them to high mechanical and safety standards. RM Sotheby’s expects considerable interest from collectors, not only for the rarity and provenance of the individual cars but also for the opportunity to acquire a set with such a cohesive history.
Auction expectations and wider context
The estimated $11 million total reflects both the individual value of the GT40 and the Cobras and the premium attached to cars with documented racing use and careful ownership. The Monterey auction regularly attracts international collectors seeking historically important American performance cars. For buyers, the sale is a rare chance to secure models that are seldom available together and are unlikely to appear as a set again.
For more on rare Ford performance cars heading to Monterey, seeRare Ford Performance Collection Heads to Monterey Auction.
