Hi-Tech Automotive builds Cobras, GT40s and Daytona Coupés for Shelby’s Heritage Collection

Established back in the mid-1980s and founded by motorsport legend, Jimmy Price, the Gqeberha-based Hi-Tech Automotive has been specializing in the construction and customization of Shelby’s iconic vehicles. ‍

Hi-Tech Automotive’s main focus is on cars that have had a great share in the motorsport scenery such as the Ford GT40 in its first and second generations, Shelby Cobra and Daytona Coupé. 

The car builder and design house has so far built around 6,000 cars with some of them exported to the US and UK to meet their happy owners. The firm has close to 300 employees who assist in keeping Shelby’s Heritage Collection alive and well.

Both motorsport legends, Jimmy Price and Peter Lindenberg’s friendship ventured into motor racing where the latter won two SA National Oval Championships plus two SASCAR Championships at the helm of cars built by Hi-Tech. 

Lindenberg has been diversely collecting Nobles and GT40s built by the aforementioned car builder. They both operate a Shelby Mod Shop in the Western Cape and another Shelby showroom in Johannesburg.

According to Hi-Tech Automotive, it takes up to 2,000 hours to hand-build each special Shelby Heritage car. Patrons also have the freedom to customise their vehicles as per their own personal preferences. 

Besides being registered on the Shelby registry to meet Shelby’s global approvals, the Shelby approved Cobra and Daytona Coupé models are supplied with official Shelby chassis plates. 

After building the cars, they leave the factory as a rolling chassis with no engine or transmission and Hi-Tech’s retail partners at Shelby SA or Superperformance in the US provide and install both aspects as required by the new owner. 

“Being able to carry on the Shelby legacy through these Heritage Cars is a fantastic achievement and pays tribute to Ford’s passion and success in motorsport,” says Doreen Mashinini, General Manager for Marketing at Ford South Africa.

More information on these legendary vehicles can be found on the Superformance website, or the Shelby South Africa's website.