The Mystery of Jim Morrison's Lost Shelby GT500 

A Shelby Mustang owned by Jim Morrison, it doesn’t get much cooler than that! Awesome video!

Jim didn't drop out of FSU, he transferred to the film program at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and completed his undergraduate degree at UCLA's film school within the Theater Arts department of the College of Fine Arts in 1965.

I do believe that this car may very well still exist somewhere out there for the following reasons. 1. Its a '67 SHELBY Mustang, popular and coveted even when new by the people who were lucky enough to afford one. 2. It was owned by a popular rock star of the time, whose untimely death would have made anything he owned to be of great interest to a lot of people. 3. Just because it was involved in a wreck (multiple from what I have read), its still what it is and would be of interest to a lot of people. I remember that it was thought that the other Bullitt Mustang was crushed due to severe damage, but that apparently surfaced down in Mexico just prior to the other one surfacing in 2018 (Kevin Marti and his data base confirmed the VIN). If that car was found, this one can certainly still exist. To me, the "Blue Lady" would be just as easy, even more so than the Bullitt cars, to authenticate. Kevin Marti's data base can identify the VIN sent to SHELBY American, cross it with the number in the SAAC database. Those records would identify a 1967 FORD SHELBY Mustang GT500, 4 spd, dark blue with parchment interior, as well as the all important top white stripe delete. This VIN will match the remaining CA vehicle registration card bearing the name James Douglas Morrison in care of the Door's management company. But having the Marti and SAAC data can still identify the car without the CA registration card since it could trace the car from FORD, to SHELBY, to the selling dealer, to the Door's management company, to Jim. I have seen the other video of a really nicely restored '67 that was described by being Jim's old ride. The story being that there was bullet casings found in air vents, fine sand in the radio, apparent structure damage that has been repaired (repaired damage common in probably most Mustangs). All compelling points, but that VIN must match the VIN on that registration card, obviously, to be the right car. I love a good intrigue story, was fortunate to be at MECUM when the Bullitt was sold in 2020 (drove right by me on the way to the stage) and this one is right up there. Would be cool to actually find it one of these days.

classic rock and classic cars❤️ wish i could have lived in that era.

As a Doors fan and a Ford fan this car is the holy grail to me. I do believe this car could still exist, I will agree with many opinions that who ever owns/did own this car does not know it's origins first, there are reliable accounts the car was in multiple front end collisions, that leads me to believe the front apron with the Shleby VIN did not survive Jim's driving. second, the car ended up at Ray's Hi-Performance in Inglewood Ca 1970-71. It's here that the car may have took on a new identity. I believe the car could have been fitted with standard Mustang parts as a salvage car for resale and registered with the surviving Ford VIN. If it's out there the Ford VIN will more likely be the key. not the Shelby VIN. Oh by the way a fun Ford/Doors fact: one of the early recordings by the Doors was for a Ford training film called "Love Thy Customer" in 1966 it does not feature Morrison though. it's available here on RU-vid. check it out

Jim totaled a Shelby Mustang in a severe accident in Los Angeles in 1967 or 68. He went through a red light at an intersection, he was drunk at the time. I don't know if this is the one from his music video made back in the day. The one he completely wrecked was probably melted down many, many years ago. The accident was so bad, it was considered a miracle he got out with just scraped and bruises. RIP Jimbo.

This is a fascinating story...I always enjoy hearing it........

The Bullit car was in a barn back east and it's twin was found in a wrecking yard in Nogales.

Charles Crites of Crites restoration parts in Ashville Ohio has several GT500's in a big concrete floored barn behind his business, one of the 67's is blue. He is worth knowing because he has specialised in these cars a long time, he's like 92 now, and he also has hundreds of other cars and parts including Lightweight Galaxies Shelby's, and SOHC cammer motors galore. He has several guys in their 40's that work for him so if the any of his cars had history i'm sure someone would have researched them by now, but who knows..His number is online if you google his business, he's a tough egg though, good luck..lol

What we need to do is get a hold of Dennis Collins and get him on the case as well. His channel has a massive reach another great video Tony cheers bud.

Great video Tony, Cars like this with such a history that just disappear are fascinating. I've tried to watch An American Pastoral but its nearly impossible to sit threw. Not sure what he was thinking when he made it. The shots with the car though are interesting, he certainly drove the piss out of it. I never knew the connection between Morrison's Shelby and Jay Sebring. Thanks again for making the video.

Very Cool story and information 👍 If found it would make Huge Impact.

You are correct that it cudnt have been crushed in the 80s,There was a Hugh following by the 80s for Shelby mustangs,I remember looking at a nice 66 gt350 at a local use car lot that delt with old muscle cars.she was nice but in gray primer,23k was the asking price, but a senior in high school I didn't have that kind of money,make me sick to think about it.That was in 1989

If that Car ever resurfaces and sees the light of day, it would be like raising the Titanic, there’s also those that say Jim Morrison faked his death and is still alive, how about we pair the 2 together and he resurfaces with the car.. Lol.. that would truly be a magical day ! Anyway, nice subject , I enjoy your channel, keep it coming 👍

Just as a GT-500 aside, my Dad was an Engineer out at Cape Canaveral in the 50's - '76 and we had a '66 Mustang A code (289 4 bbl, dual exhaust, 4 speed). For the day it was a pretty fast car. All his car pool buddies loved it and then one of them bought a '67 or '68 GT-500. As I was old enough to drive and drove our Mustang, when his buddy brought it to the house for a backyard BBQ, he noticed me fawning over it and asked my Dad if it was okay if he let me take it for a spin. My dad said yeah he's probably a better driver than us so he threw me the keys...at that my Dad gave me the serious look to not be an idiot and off I went for probably a 15 minute drive around the rural roads of west Titusville in the late 60's. It certainly had some kick to it compared to the 225 HP 289 but it also really plowed through the corners with all that weight over the front end. When I finished i decided I liked how our '66 Mustang felt more than the GT-500.

I really hope it's still out there, but I'm pretty convinced it's gone. Collectors have searched for years with nothing solid to show for it. If found and properly authenticated, that car could easily be in the millions.

Every guys favorite muscle car.

I have a 1968 Camaro and a 1970.El Camino tucked away nicely in my garage. Cars are intestored and slumbering away. I've never checked the Vins so it likely that the Morroson car is out there somewhere. . Somewhere waiting to be uncovered. 🙏

There is one in a barn around double barrel, Texas. I know it's a big block car and has been in the same barn since the 80s

Keep a lookout in Europe! I live in the UK and i have seen a couple of GT500's here, at least one was brought over by a US Air Force serviceman based first in Germany! it might explain why it hasn't popped up in the USA!!!

1967 Mustang Shelby GT500 with CA VRD 389 license plate was reported to CA DMV by wrecking yard to have been brought in, condition totaled, parted out and crushed. No further records exist - it was never re-licensed or re-sold at least in the US.

Enjoyed the video and I never knew that he owned a Shelby mustang. If someone is lucky enough to find it there going to make a lot of money 💰

You've got the history of Jim's Shelby down pretty good. I guess we just wait and see.I had a 1968 Shelby GT 500 KR 4SP yellow convertible back in the early 1970"s, don't know where that is either.

I wouldn't be surprised if it went to a bone yard. I bought the instrument cluster with 140 mph speedo from a parted out 69 Shelby for $100 in 1981 to put in my 69 Mach 1. My car was factory tach and it bugged me how the tach had no redline but the speedo did and it only read to 120mph.

I would love that car to appear. But on the other hand, it's the mystery of stories like these that keep the industry just the more interesting.

I saw this car down in Tijuana, Mexico around 1990. The dude had it stashed at his Mom's house, and nobody had the slightest idea on who was the past owner.

As far as Jim's Shelby goes, it's resurrection is most likely in the works, and it will "re-appear" one day... complete with a full story, ready for auction.

They use Jim Morrison’s video with the LA woman song. I watched that many times over. such a great song one of my favorites from the album LA woman. The Doors music I always listen to.

I had this exact car as a GT350. I loved that car. I had the inside headlights as well.

The Bullitt Mustang was never 'lost'. The owner refused to sell, or let anyone know were it was, but the person who last purchased the Bullitt Mustang was known. Steven Mcqueen even sent the last owner a rudely worded letter in an attempt to buy the car. The Bullitt Mustang reappeared when the last owner died and his heirs wanted to cash out. That's completely different to what happened to Morrison's car. I believe what Morrison's bodyguard said about the car. Morrison was high and/or drunk, crashed the car and didn't want to be around when the cops showed up because he didn't want to be arrested for DUI. The car was likely stolen at that point and parted out. Consider this: Since Morrison never transferred the title of that GT500, the rightful owner of the car is Morrison's estate. If someone came forward with that car today, they would immediately be served with a court order to turn it over. Nope, that car is gone.

Great presentation! A very interesting story.

Awesome video! It really kept my interest! I hope the car shows up. New sub!

I think it was in Melbourne florida for awhile at brothers house… don’t know if it’s still there though…

I have been looking and researching this car for years! He wrecked it atleast twice! I will say I know the vin and have evidence that the shelby did survive his ownership

C’mon, one of the most important parts of this story got the wrong description. We have Jim Morrison. ☑️. We have a number one hit with the Doors, “Light My Fire”. ☑️. We have a wide open reward of anything a person might want, nevertheless it’s Jim Morrison. And what does he choose? Oh it doesn’t matter, is this story about something that gave him visceral levity as few other things could, or just a Mustang? This is about three things. A person at the top of the entertainment world who could pick anything and they picked this specifically, as in he sought it out because it had one special thing, but what do those details matter anyway? He was the king, he wanted to drive the king, and what made it king? A 420 cubic inch V8? Noooooo! Good god get it right! Why didn’t he call the song, “Light My Tire”?

I didn’t read all of the comments to see if someone else commented on this, but you mentioned that the car had a 420 in.³ engine. That would’ve been a 428.

Fascinating and Interesting INFORMATION...😎

Just came across and subscribed to your channel yesterday. Life long Ford fan and enthusiasts. Loved this story on The Blue Lady. Did you say it had a 420 in it?

Two questions, Tony: #1: I thought you said Holzman bumped the car he bought for Jim from a GT350 to a GT500? All the classifieds you showed were 350s. (?). And #2: Is there a reason you won't publish the VIN on Jim's car? Do you know what it is? In this day and age, unless it's been in that Iowa barn since before the web, I'd think putting a Google search on that VIN might prove helpful. Thanks for the cool piece. As a lifelong Jim fan, it always makes me smile that we keep coming up with new Jim Morrison myths and mysteries. :)

Steve, the 18 year old at the Tates guesthouse Wasnt killed is what I read & heard.

I saw it sitting in an old ladie's garage, when I fixed her roof. Jimmy gave it to her after a night of fun.

Riders into the Phone Pole, doesn’t have the magical title I guess!

I do like this video. Enlightenment. Now if somebody is enlightened by this video. Please bring this automobile back into the light.

Je smashed the car I read it in one of the books

Steve McQueens car was located in New Jersey. Restored to running condition by the owners son and sold at auciton.

Yeah, we drove the wheels off those old muscle cars, when they gave out, off to the salvage yard! There wasn't any market for them , but a cheap used up trade in! After the insurance companies refused to carry policies on them, you couldn't even drive them in most states. I had several very valuable ones ( in todays market) back then. But the wife made me get rid of them as she was scared of driving any of them. We all got older and so we upgraded to Mini Vans to haul the kids around! 🥵 Now days it's the pick up trucks!

The Bullitt Mustang ('68, not '67...) did not just re-appear. I read a magazine article many years ago with that story, and the approximate whereabouts of the car. The owner did not want to publicize details, and definitely didn't want to sell. Steve McQueen could have verified that.

A Gold mine Sleeping 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Lots of people claim to have either a mirror or tail light of the car. I believe he wrecked it and probably abandoned in an intoxicated stupor. It was probably taken to an impound lot and crushed after being left abandoned, and if so many claim to have a piece of it then why didn’t somebody stop it from being stripped and crushed all those years ago even if wrecked like James Deans wrecked Porsche which then became a sort of attraction after his death.

It's an early model with the in both of it's early Inboard driving lights and of and course it has five spokes...

Love the beer can on the dash 😎 (ALSO: he didn't drop out of FSU, he transferred to UCLA, all you had to do was Google it)

Most likely story is Jim plowed the car into a phone pole on the sunset strip while drunk. It was towed away and after it being declared abandoned, it got scrapped. It's rebar in the buildings of 1970s LA. At the time, Jim was just another musician and the GT500 was just another Ford.

Is there a VIN recorded for this car? Its a pretty small community.

The BEST looking Shelby in my opinion. However more then likely it became the victim of unibody construction….

Morrison had a Shelby Cobra I remember it's mentioned in Danny Sugerman's book "No One Here Gets Out Here Alive" and the crash, Could be wrong, read that book in college 1980.

Dennis Collins is looking for it now.

If this car were not a Shelby I wouldn't hold my breath. BUT.. it is and it's out there still. There's a greater chance of it surfacing than James Dean's Porsche (which might be in WA state)

The lizard king 😊 man what an epic poet

There's an older guy that claims his car that did come with the white interior is THE car... however the numbers don't match jim's yet there was damage to the car the did match up to jim's and he has a story about finding a necklace that's supposedly his.... i'm on the fence whether it could be the car or not. however, i'm of the belief that car is still in the los angeles area tucked away somewhere. i'm thinking the car never left L.A. I doubt the car was ever scrapped or parted out. It'll pop up eventually. afterall, Los Angeles is Huge. there's plenty of places this car could be hiding.

What's the VIN? It's probably in the same barn as the Then Came Bronson bike.

I always thought that Shelby was at the Peterson Auto Museum here in L.A.

So exactly what updates does this video give?

That car must have been crushed. Someone would have come forward by now. The guy knew he had McQueen's mustang.

I know of one similar been sitting for 30 plus in a garage in my local town a vin would be helpful

I know a guy that's studying his GT500 he restore it was wrapped around a telephone pole and he believe it was driven by Jim Morrison

Great video.

My guess is a tow truck driver came across the car before the cops did, hooked it up and hauled ass with it. Probably parted it out or changed the vin number, kept it or sold it.

If I were to find this Gem I would leave it alone. Dirt, cigarette butts and all. Everything in the trunk, backseat you name it.

An older gentleman I'm friends with has a old Shelby sitting in a old chicken house. I'll see what I can find out on it, been there a long time.

A collector of sorts in Houston had many rare parts and cars , I was repairing a 69 fastback at the time in 1997 and had visited most of the olde yards around town on chance of finding the long gone Mach 1 seats to finish the interior . I had found some Mach 1 seats at this place called hardy salvage . Once their I talked to the owner in his 80s , he gave me another lead and I was on my way . This lead brought me to a sizable lot In an older neighborhood with a long row of garages , in the main part of the air conditioned garage was heaps of parts and annupstairs , the phone range non stop while their and help was around but a small crew . I only got on the property after explaining some pieces I needed, motors , tranny’s , nos parts . To conclude the link of this story , on the wall was a picture of a 1967 blue 500 Shelby , I asked about it seeing that it was wrecked in the photo , the same way that is described , I asked about the car in the photo and it was oddly misdirected , if it was never brought again except for me seeing this video I would have never linked it up . I never forgot that car and that picture , because the way the question was answered like it was never to be talked about again , maybe the legend or another ghost chase , Ford Mans was the place , Houston Tx in 1997 -1999

I saw one blue rotting down beside a barn way up in a holler in WV it could be the one

3:16. It was 428 cubic inches, not 420. 6:29. The Bullitt car was a ‘68 GT, not a ‘67.

The car is in a barn in upstate NY.

Didn't he own a 68 Dodge Charger as well? I know there's some pics floating round of him sat in the drivers seat of one

Just had to hear commercials I don't understand

I believe that the car was scrapped. There is a good chance that the drivetrain was pulled and sold. Possibly pieced out. The 428 may have gone into someone's station wagon to replace a tired 352 or 390. There is a good chance that the 428 was saved after that car was scrapped..might be in someone's 34 ford today and the owner has no clue of it's history.

Well Jim's body guard said the car was totalled and crushed...

Dennis Collins probably has it but does not know it's history.

I,ve seen a video with the guy that has this car and it is all restored to orginal condition.They tell the story of the car's life and it was about a year ago.

It probably Right under there Noises!

It has the Ford 420 engine? That really is a rare mustang, one of one.

What ultimately happened to the car depends on how severely it was damaged. It was not uncommon to crush a car and sell it for scrap. It was probably severely damaged. Crushed.

I know where the car is. It’s in a barn. My father and I have tried purchasing for a 6 figure price. The owner is sitting on a gold mine and isn’t mentally all there. I have all information on this car, but saving it for when the sale is complete. Vehicle will be restored and sold on auction after. I last saw the car and confirmed VINs in 2021. If the sale ever goes through. You will be one of the first I notify. Great history. Your California wrecked story is the accurate one. If you follow the rabbit hole deep enough the answer of at least what state it’s in is there. Real cool video. 👍

'67 Stang_McQueen?

That car sold in LA in 1985 lien sale from a storeage place

Imagine what the price of that Mustang would be...

That car is not gone it's in Arizona. The blue lady is in the hands of a 85 year old woman I think she up there.

Denis Collins maybe could find it

I have it!!

Well the McQueen chase Mustang in Bullet was thrashed useless; the one sold was a glamour car that didn't do any of the chase scenes and was always on the radar at one point I think over the border in Mexico on a farm. Betting man? Says Jimbo's car met the crusher loooooong time ago. We drove these cars like we hated them - no intrinsic value except to be cool for a couple years before the next thing came out. It's really funny old guitars and old cars got assigned the stupid "value" some have today. 🎸

If I find it I'm going to send it to the so that it can remain a myth

Always interesting to see Rush Limbaugh and Gorge Bush back in the day when They went by Jim and Charles

Didn't someone find the car a couple of years ago. I think it's in Oklahoma now.

I say that car was chop up and ship out years ago. They been hunting for that car for years

Honestly, the GT500 isn't really an "upgrade" over the GT350 - certainly not if you enjoy enthusiastic driving in other than a straight line.

The vin should be traceable through the dept of motor vehicles ya?

Just like James Dean's Porsche Spyder lost and out there somewhere.

A 420 cu Engine?? 428 maybe or 390 but 420??

Owned only one car his whole life,,,,, Well if your gonna own one car, this would be the car to own,,,,, And if your going to give it an enigmatic name,,,, On 2nd thought,,,, thoughts,,,, Enigmatic, epiphanies of superstar, rockers and bands …..

Didnt some guy buy it,and restored it n found a bunch of old damage that matched jims crashes and get a letter in the mail with jims neckless that hung on the rearview mirror