Equipment
331-cid Cadillac, 4-speed, painted wire wheels, Dunlop Racing tires, dual spares, side exhaust, engine-turned dash, aero screens.
Condition
#3 Good
Runs and drives well. Flaws not noticeable to passersby. Most common condition.
Bought new with a 331 Cadillac by Roy Cherryhomes, who approached a young Carroll Shelby to drive it for him in regional SCCA events. Shelby won four out of five SCCA races entered, and finished 10th in it at a race in Buenos Aires. Unclear history after that, but restored in the 1970s with a Chrysler engine and restored again during the 2010s with another Cadillac unit. Signed by Shelby in the tail, and by Bob Bondurant under the hood. In race car condition with cracks, chips, dings and dirt. There’s a sizable dent on he right rear fender. The mechanicals, though, are freshly and expensively restored, so this is a usable, thrilling vintage racer that is eligible for all sorts of events and has history with the man that went on to bigger and better things with V8-powered British roadsters.
Market commentary
An Allard J2 or J2X (better weight distribution, more legroom) was one of the quickest cars you could take to the race track in the early 1950s, but they're all engine and reportedly take real cajones to drive quickly. It has racing history driven by Carroll Shelby when new and a good restoration wearing its age and historic racing history lightly. The value in this transaction, however, is heavily influenced by the Carroll Shelby legend and not indicative of lesser-driven J2Xs.