Written by independent automotive journalist Steve Statham

This 2012 Ford Shelby GT500 Super Snake (Lot #1052) is a one-of-a-kind vehicle with just 1,250 actual miles.

The amazing thing about the current muscle car era is that determined owners can elevate their cars to levels undreamed of back when the first muscle cars emerged in the 1960s.

Back then, a high-rise intake manifold topped by a pair of Holleys, a high-lift camshaft, a set of headers, and bolt-on traction bars could make your V8 muscle car king of the boulevard.
We’ve come a long way.

Today, the top tier more likely resembles the 2012 Shelby GT500 Super Snake (Lot #1052) shown here, which will be offered with No Reserve at Barrett-Jackson’s 2020 Scottsdale Auction. It is a showcase of what is possible when an owner with vision and resources sets a custom car project in motion. A one-of-one custom, it delivers 1000-plus horsepower in a streetable package along with custom widebody enhancements.

“I’m the original owner; I spec’ed it, I ordered it,” the consignor said. His plan involved sending his GT500 to Shelby American headquarters in Las Vegas, where it received the Super Snake package. This included a supercharger that pumped output to 800 horsepower, along with suspension, brake and styling upgrades – notably the special Super Snake hood.

On the option list was a 1000-horsepower upgrade that the consignor selected ‒ and that number was actually a bit on the conservative side. The 1000-horsepower option was a serious upgrade, incorporating a speed shop’s worth of heavy-duty parts.

The trick with that much horsepower, of course, is getting it to the ground rather than watching it all go up in tire smoke. With that in mind, the Shelby was sent to Galpin Auto Sports (GAS) for a custom widebody enhancement. GAS is a well-known builder of customs, concept cars, and TV and movie vehicles, with their handiwork featured at several high-profile venues.

GAS custom-fabricated the metal wide body, which included new quarter-panels, front fenders, door extensions, rocker panels, and front and rear bumper extensions. The end result stretched the car’s width by 9 inches. The widebody installation was not simply for looks ‒ it helped enclose the custom Forgiato GTR 20-inch, three-piece wheels and Pirelli P Zero tires, plus rear-end enhancements and chassis bracing that allow the car to hook up under hard acceleration.

In addition, GAS filled in the rear quarter-windows and painted the car a custom black mix with Tungsten Grey racing stripes. In total, more than $190,000 was spent to transform this car into the ultimate muscle car. There’s one other number of significance: 1,250 actual miles on the odometer. This one-of-a-kind Shelby has a lot of open-road adventures still ahead of it.

For up-to-date information on this vehicle, click HERE. For a look at all the vehicles headed to the 2020 Scottsdale Auction, click HERE.