1986 Dodge GLHS

1986 Dodge Other Shelby GLHS Additional Info:

GLHS #240 of 500 produced Three owners and 22,160 miles since new 1987 Mopar Nationals first place in front wheel drive class Turbocharged 2.2L engine with 175 HP Air-to-Air intercooler The intercooler allows 3 more psi of boost than GLH 5-speed manual transmissio AM/FM radio Shelby Centurion wheels Professionally repaint and new stripes in 2005 One Tennessee owner until 2011 Part of the Joe McMurrey collection since 2011 As rare as any ’80s performance machine, this 1986 Dodge Omni Shelby GLHS is one of just 500 built. Collector Joe McMurrey added this car to his Shelby-themed stable when Carroll Shelby himself, during a visit with McMurrey, convinced him to purchase it on eBay. Introduced for the 1977 model year, the Omni was Dodge’s answer to the increasing demand in the ‘70s for fuel-efficient compacts, but even high gas prices and burdensome insurance rates could not completely stifle the demand for performance, and in the early ‘80s the Omni became the beneficiary of the second great collaboration between Carroll Shelby and Lee Iacocca, who had taken the helm at Chrysler in 1978. Shelby’s influence first showed in the Omni in the 1984 Omni GLH. First named “Coyote,” its eventual designation was chosen by Shelby, who picked the letters that stood for “Goes Like Hell.” Dodge’s 2.2L/110 HP inline-4 and fitted with Shelby-specified suspension, brakes, wheels and tires, the GLH was revised for 1985 with the turbocharged “T1” 2.2L engine rated at 146 HP and renamed GLHT. In 1986, Shelby purchased the last 500 GLHT versions, all painted Black, as raw material for his new Shelby GLHS (“Goes Like Hell – Some more”), improving these already potent cars at his Whittier, California, facility with a new intake manifold and throttle body arrangement, higher-flow Bosch injectors, an air-to-air intercooler for increased boost and reconfigured computer engine management, resulting in an increase to 175 HP. Other tweaks included adjustable Koni gas-pressurized front struts and rear shocks, unique Shelby Centurion 15x6-inch cast aluminum wheels and 205/VR50-15 Goodyear Eagle Gatorback rubber, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob and Shelby exterior graphics. The GLHS set a new standard for compacts with whippet-like acceleration and neutral high-speed handling that belied its front-wheel-drive configuration and rivaled even Porsche’s 944 and the Mazda RX-7. Number 240 of the 500 produced, this 1986 Dodge Omni Shelby GLHS was the pride of a single Tennessee owner until 2011, who took home First Place Front Wheel Drive honors from the 1987 Mopar Nationals. In 2005 it received a professional repaint and new stripes, and in 2011, Joe McMurrey added it to his collection at Shelby’s urging. Now showing a mere 22,160 original miles, the car represents a fascinating chapter in the Shelby-Iacocca partnership and stands as a worthy candidate for any Mopar or Shelby-themed collection.