Al Puhalla had just bought a 1968 Shelby GT500 and mentioned it to his banker.
“Did you buy the one in Lewiston?” the banker asked.
The banker had just returned from a function and heard of a guy who had died. His sister was selling the estate, and part of that estate included a 1967 GT350 that had been on blocks, partly disassembled in the basement since 1985.
She wouldn’t take less than $80,000.
“This guy started to buy parts to restore the car in 1986,” says Puhalla, 59, from Clarence, Pennsylvania. “There were loads of NOS parts in an upstairs bedroom, including decals, trim, rubber, taillights, bumpers, and various hardware.”
Puhalla concluded that the Shelby was an LA Airport car, which means it was built at Shelby’s facility near LAX. It was originally Nightmist Blue metallic with white stripes. The 94,000-mile, “close-headlight” car came from the factory with a four-speed gearbox, AM radio, and power steering.
He made an offer of $80,000, and by the following Wednesday, the car was his.
When Puhalla went over to pick up the car, the sister had a few surprises for him, including the original bill of sale, bank book, and a Shelby jacket her brother had purchased decades earlier.
This 1967 Shelby GT350 is known as an LA Airport car—one built at Shelby’s facility near LAX airport.
The car had some rust, but no cancer. Nevertheless, he sandblasted the car for a full restoration.
“I’ve got the car and parts spread across about 2,000 square feet in my building,” he says.