The 1967 Shelby GT500, tested as supercar near San Angelo, will be auctioned in Florida

KISSIMMEE, Florida — Interesting news for car lovers. The 1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake — tested in San Angelo as a supercar in the 1960s — will be auctioned in Kissimmee, Florida in January, according to fordauthority.com.

This unique auto is expected to sell for at least $1 million due to its near-mint condition status. In fact, the vehicle hardly has any deterioration, and only 26,000 miles.

This particular model has quite the story.

Ford redesigned the vehicle and modeled it after the 1967 Ford Mustang. Carroll Shelby, who was the West Coast distributor for Goodyear at the time, built the GT500 with a Police Interceptor 428 cubic-inch engine with 355 horsepower. 

At Goodyear's request, the car was tested as a supercar at its high-speed facility near San Angelo with a 427 racing engine. This engine, which could sustain 6,000 RPM, was specially equipped with aluminum heads, an aluminum water pump, a forged crank and Le Mans rods. Also added were Goodyear's 7.75X15-inch Thunderbolt whitewall tires.

These modifications, and other additions, helped the car average 142 mph for 500 miles. After the test, Carroll took the tires off the vehicle. Until now, that was the only time the vehicle sported those tires.

By a stroke of luck, current owner Richard Ellis found these tires, which hadn't been produced in 35 years, in Akron, Ohio. 

The GT500 will be shown with these rare tires at the upcoming auction.