Shelby Turbine

The Shelby Turbine was released in 1969 along with the three other open wheel Indy cars.
It is one of the most common red lines. Even today, A Shelby Turbine in the original blisterpack and can be had for under $75.
The Shelby Turbine came in a wide range of spectraflame colors and with three different colored interiors: Black, Champagne and White.
All production pieces have blue tinted windshields. Shelby Turbines are found with both bearing and capped wheels,
and even sometimes even with a mixture of both.



A Rainbow of Shelby Turbines


Black is by far the most common for all colors.
Champagne is much less common and some collectors will pay a premium for it.
White interior versions are quite rare and only found in red.




Shelby Turbines with alternate interiors


Fuel tanks were developed for all four of the open wheel cars in an attempt to adapt the cars for use with
the "superchargers" however, they were never released to the public. Reproductions abound but authentic
original Shelby tanks are very rare but are the most common of the four.



Shelby Turbine with authentic tanks


In 1969, Mattel hosted a banquet at the 1969 NY Toy Fair. Each place setting had a chromed car with the silverware.
Five chromed cars are known to have survived, and this is the one of two Shelby Turbines.




1969 NY Toy Fair Banquet piece


A few prototypes are known, the most common by far, the blue spectraflame version. Others include one in purple and the pink one shown below. All Shelby Turbine prototype have clear windshields. Some have a base without the hole for the tank tab.



Three Shelby Turbine Prototypes