The 1989 Shelby Dakota marked the first time in 20 years that Carroll Shelby worked his “magic” on a rear-wheel drive vehicle with V-8 power under the hood. Every enthusiast of the Shelby brand and beyond that believed that there is no practical substitute for cubic inches had a fresh reason to celebrate.

On its technical specifications alone, the unique mid-sized Shelby Dakota was a machine to be reckoned with. The power is delivered by a blistering, fuel-injected 5.2-liter V-8 engine that is paired up with an advanced (for the period) four-speed automatic transmission. This combination has the power directed to the pavement via a limited slip differential. The suspension is calibrated to optimize the vehicle’s handling characteristics. They came from the factory with sophisticated gas-charged shock absorbers and Goodyear Eagle GT+4 tires. Equipment on this Exotic Red example includes a Shelby-specific interior, tachometer within the gauge cluster, air conditioning, AM/FM with cassette player, dual remote mirrors, wheel flares, back window with a sliding section, a bed that appears to be untouched, foglights, factory five-spoke alloy wheels; power rack-and-pinion steering and power brakes with front vented discs and rear drums with anti-lock. The light bar and associated fairings are included, but have not been installed.

The pickup had superb acceleration capabilities in period, designed to possibly embarrass many street cars of the era. By having the Shelby name on the truck, it is nearly guaranteed that the vehicle is going to have good styling and comforts to equal its performance. Every Dakota came with a standard range of interior amenities, as well as aggressively styled bodywork and model-specific badging and graphics. Among these features are a leather-wrapped steering wheel with a Shelby logo; a bench seat and door panels with unique Shelby charcoal fabric and a serial number plaque identifying the truck as one of just 1,500 built. Shelby American produced 860 red and 640 white Shelby Dakota pickups at its facility in Whittier, California.

This vehicle is barely used and “like new”, having less than 30 actual miles shown on the odometer, plus the Dakota has its window sticker, many plastic wrappings, original battery, plastic cover over the cardboard floor mats and the chalk marks are still on the windows. This provides an excellent opportunity to acquire an uncommon Shelby Dakota pickup that looks like it stepped out of the past with scarcely a touch.