Keith’s Blog: A GT350H for the SCM 1000?

It’s never too early to think about buying another car.

Both of next summer’s SCM 1000 tours are filling up nicely. The SCM 1000 AMG Invitational (June 19-24, 2022) and the SCM 1000 Classic (July 17-22, 2022) are each limited to just 45 cars. High-performance Mercedes for the former, and 1974 and earlier sports cars for the latter. While Italian cars (and SCM Members) are given preference for the SCM 1000 Classic, all pre-1975 sports cars are welcome to apply.

If you have interest in joining a like-minded group of two-lane road fanatics who are also intellectually curious about the geography and the culture of the Columbia Gorge and the Oregon Coast, you might consider submitting your car for consideration.

Our Route Master, Bob Hui, reports he is finalizing the routes, rest and lunch stops, and scenic overlooks for both tours. He is also planning the cultural immersion opportunities with docents and negotiating with Rallista to have turn-by-turn, phone-based navigation available (in addition to traditional route books).

SCM 1000 Tours Executive Director Sue Counselman reports the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler has been reserved for the evening of Wednesday, July 20, during the SCM 1000 Classic. After a great day of Oregon back roads, participants will enjoy a memorable dinner cruise on the Columbia River going to Cascade Locks and the Bonneville Dam.

On the SCM 1000 Classic, Honorary Hagerty Grand Marshalls Bill and Jane Warner will be joining us each evening as a part of our “Conversations with Collectors.”

All of this means it is time to start thinking about 2023.

The new world of online auctions means there are fresh temptations put before you every day. Where we used to wait for the hefty, beautifully designed catalogs of Gooding & Co., RM Sotheby’s and Bonhams to arrive and immediately drop everything to pour over them, now we suffer through collector car euphoria each time a new listing pops up on our phones.

Recently this 1966 Shelby GT350H showed up on Bring a Trailer.

Built during my highly impressionable, Shelby-besotted teenage years, Shelbys have always had a near-mythical appeal to me. (Well, maybe not so much the Shelby Lancer or the Shelby Charger GLH-S.)

It’s an automatic, but otherwise, the BaT trolls seem to like it.

I texted my SCM go-to for Shelbys, Roger Williams, and he said that his “off-the-cuff” estimate was that it is a $150k-$250k car. Figure double or triple that and more for a 1965 4-speed.

I struggled for a moment with what was more important, funding Bradley’s college education or having a Shelby Mustang. Then I put in my first bid.

Which led to the question I now put before you: Should the 2023 SCM 1000 Classic feature American sports cars?

While SCM has always been Eurocentric, our tent is large and has space for collectors of all flavors. What do you think of turning a spotlight on American sports cars (with other marques welcome to apply, of course)?

Personally, I feel strongly about keeping the pre-1975 cutoff, as the cars produced after that were very different animals indeed. But I’d be glad to hear your opinions on this, as well. Should we advance the cutoff date?

And is this automatic 350H a car I should consider adding to the SCM fleet? Something else would have to go, but that’s a different question and a different blog post. What should my final bid be?

The auction ends on Wednesday, December 1 at 11:00 a.m. PST. I look forward to your thoughts and advice.