A rare example of the Kelly Python, a little-known American sports car from the 1990s, is drawing renewed attention as one of the few surviving models from an extremely limited production run.
The Kelly Python was not a kit car but a low-volume production vehicle sold through official Ford dealerships in the United States. Built using Fox Body Mustang mechanical components, the car was designed to function as a turn-key roadster that dealers could service and warranty, an unusual achievement for a small independent manufacturer.
Its origins trace back to a cancelled Ford concept from the 1960s developed as a potential successor to the Shelby Cobra. The project, led by Ford design leadership including Eugene Bordinat and designer McKinley Thompson, explored new styling ideas and experimental materials before ultimately being abandoned. Decades later, Alvin Kelly revived the design with Bordinat’s approval and brought the concept to life in limited production form.
Approximately 12 Kelly Python cars were built, and only about seven are believed to survive. The car featured a fiberglass body mounted on a shortened Fox Body Mustang platform, which shifted weight distribution to roughly 55 percent front and 45 percent rear. Power came from a 5.0-liter Ford V8 producing 225 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque, paired with Mustang-sourced driveline components. The lighter construction allowed performance that exceeded the donor Mustang.
The Python’s styling reflected its concept roots, with minimalist lines, pop-up headlights, a folding soft top and an interior largely sourced from Ford parts. The project aimed to create a modern roadster while maintaining a visual connection to earlier Ford design studies.
Production eventually ended due to limited funding and low volume, a fate common among niche automotive ventures. Despite the car’s rarity and historical links to Ford’s design legacy, values have remained relatively modest, typically in the low five-figure range when examples surface for sale.
One surviving car, a 1991 model identified as chassis number nine, shows just over 41,000 miles and was built by Kelly Motors in Colorado. The vehicle is equipped with a 5.0-liter V8 and automatic transmission, along with air conditioning, headers and a dual exhaust system. It is finished in white with a black soft top and is currently offered for sale in Hopedale, Massachusetts with a listed price of $22,000.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/116983203960
