The late Steven Juliano was as authentic and respected as his collection of cars and Road Art, and when talking about a selection as remarkable as his, that’s not a claim to be taken lightly. As such, despite his best efforts to remain “under the radar” and avoid attention, the stories from the few that were ever allowed to witness the very private Juliano collection or any of his singular cars slowly elevated the assemblage to an almost mythical status among those “in the know.” And with good cause.
Not one to ever settle for second best or “almost,” Juliano put together a collection that simply stuns with its curation and quality. Featuring four of the rarest and most correct Shelby Cobras in existence, three of the storied original Plymouth Rapid Transit System factory show cars, an original Cheetah race car and thousands of pieces of the rarest original muscle-car-era Road Art in existence, Juliano’s collection truly stands out as an unbelievable anomaly in the collector-car world. It is the result of one man’s quest for perfection on every level combined with the time and the means to make it happen.
Mecum Auctions is offering Juliano’s four prized Cobras at their Indianapolis 2019 auction as the main attraction. Alongside these four rare automotive gems, Mecum is also auctioning off automobilia from Juliano’s collection through their new timed online auction platform, Mecum On Time.
The four cars below will be at the Mecum Indy 2019 auction, which runs from May 14-19 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
1964 Shelby 289 Cobra Roadster
This one-of-one 1964 factory Stage III Shelby 289 Street Cobra Roadster from the Steven Juliano Estate Collection is also one of the most extensively factory-optioned Cobras ever built. Billed to Shelby American on April 27, 1964, and shipped to Los Angeles on May 6 aboard the SS Dintledyk, Serial No. CSX2416 was ordered by Frye’s Ford of Belleville, Kansas, and was specified with a sufficient number of options to attract the attention of the Shelby American accounting department, which listed every item adding up to its staggering $8,684.05 original MSRP in the company ledger.
1967 Shelby 427 S/C Cobra Roadster
This 1967 Shelby 427 Cobra, CSX3042, is one of just 29 original factory-produced S/C (Semi-Competition) examples. Ordered new by John Grappone of Grappone Ford at the New England Ford Dealers 1967 new car introduction in Boston, Massachusetts, in October 1966, it is in superb concours-quality condition and shows just 10,760 original miles. Its five-owner history, thoroughly documented and chronicled in the Shelby Registry, begins with Grappone, who purchased the car for $7,395 and took delivery of this Sapphire Blue factory S/C at his Concord, New Hampshire, dealership on October 28, 1966.
1965 Shelby Factory Stage III 289 Cobra Dragonsnake
One of just five original factory Dragonsnake Cobras ever built by Shelby American, CSX2427 is literally one of just a handful of these much-storied factory Competition Cobras. CSX2427 is also the only factory Stage III, quadruple Weber-carbureted Dragonsnake Cobra produced. CSX2427 was ordered new by Don Reimer of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, who with his younger brother Mike took delivery of the car from Adams County Motors Corp. Invoiced to that Gettysburg Ford dealer on August 3, 1964, at $8,695 plus a $305 freight charge for a total of $9,000, the car arrived wearing special-order yellow paint to match the color of the Reimer brothers’ Thunderbird tow vehicle.
1966 Shelby 427 Cobra Roadster
This 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra, CSX3173, much like the other Cobras from the Juliano Collection, is regarded as simply the best of its breed. Shelby American records show that it was billed to the company on September 2, 1965, shipped to Los Angeles, and Work Order No. 18065, “Build 427 Street Cobra CSX3173,” opened on December 8 and closed on January 6, 1966. On invoice A 1715 dated January 7, 1966, Shelby billed Archway Motors, Inc., of Baltimore, Maryland, a total of $6,398, including a truck freight charge of $310. CSX3173 arrived at Archway as ordered, painted in Silver Mink metallic with a black interior and packing a genuine dual-quad FE side-oiler 427 CI V-8 with cross-bolted mains.
Photos by David Newhardt, courtesy of Mecum Auctions.
Presented by Mecum Auction
Mecum Auctions is now headquartered in Walworth, Wisconsin, and since 2011 has been ranked No. 1 in the world with number of collector cars offered at auction, No. 1 in the world with number of collector cars sold at auction, No. 1 in the U.S. with number of auction venues, No. 1 in the U.S. in total dollar volume of sales, and is host to the world’s largest collector car auction held annually in Kissimmee, Florida.
Mecum.com