Chassis Number: Plate under driver’s side windshield, badge on frame rail under the hood
Inarguably one of the best-known Shelby Series 1s, the example offered here continued a rich tradition in American publishing, that of awarding a new automobile to the winner of one of the men’s magazine world’s most prestigious annual competitions. It was delivered new to the famed swimsuit model Karen McDougal as part of her prize package for winning Playboy magazine’s Playmate of the Year for 1998. Playboy’s description of Ms. McDougal as a car enthusiast does not seem to have been mere hype. In 2003 she corresponded with Shelby American regarding the personalization of the car to her taste, including the installation of a polished supercharger, upgraded clutch, four-piston brakes, fresh-air brake-duct system, custom polished cat-back exhaust and HPC headers, bespoke leather interior with additional carbon-fiber trim, and “ghost”-painted Centennial Silver racing stripes. All told, the updates to the car totaled over $60,000, as documented by paperwork in the file, and make it one of the most unique Series 1s in existence. The car was acquired by the current owner, an avid Shelby enthusiast, in the spring of 2010 and has been well-preserved within his collection, with 5,670 miles recorded at the time of cataloging, and its finishes still in very good original condition throughout. A genuinely unique Series 1 with fascinating provenance, it has a wonderful story to tell, and remains a beautiful machine centerfold, one might say.
