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We often hear of movie starts today buying super cars or ultra-luxury rides, there’s even a few who occasionally step into a hybrid car for a red carpet appearance as their way of feeling better about riding around in gas guzzling limos and private jets and showing how much they “care” about the latest environmental cause.
Back in the 1960’s though movie tough guys often drove cars that had a bit more character than the latest high winding supertoy from Italy. For movie and TV tough guy Lee Marvin that ride was a 1968 Shelby GT500 KR convertible. Marvin was a big guy, with a gravely voice, prematurely gray-haired, he could play a variety of roles from scowling tough guy, to dramatic lead, his range as a performer was excellent. Most notably was his role in the war classic The Dirty Dozen, as well as westerns like The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and Monte Walsh. Just a year before he passed away Marvin even played Colonel Nick Alexander alongside super action hero Chuck Norris in The Delta Force.
This particular GT500 KR was ordered by Marvin with every option box checked. That meant the car came with the 428 police interceptor engine, which was rated at 335 hp, although most experts agree Shelby American probably reported the power numbers at a lower RPM for insurance purposes as the cars likely made around 400 hp. The car also had a C6 automatic transmission, air conditioning, woodgrain console, power brakes, power steering, tilt steering column, and Shelby 10-spoke alloy wheels.
The KR served as Marvin’s daily driver from his Hollywood home to the studios he worked in for four years. He then passed the car on to his gardener, but that was right at the start of the 70’s oil crisis and gas crunch. The gardener parked the car and it sat for years until found by a Shelby expert who realized this was one of just 251 KR’s built with an automatic transmission.
The car was restored nearly thirty years ago with NOS and original parts. It remains in excellent condition today and will cross the block at the Russo and Steele auction in Scotsdale, Arizona in January. The auction house estimates a hammer price of $160,000-$210,000.
