In the late 1960s, Chrysler began dominating the NASCAR circuit thanks to its aerodynamically-designed supercars, the Plymouth Superbird and Dodge Charger Daytona. The slippery front fascias allowed these cars to hit 200 MPH on the NASCAR circuit, leaving contenders from GM and Ford far behind. Not one to take motorsports losses lightly, Ford began developing a secret competitor to Chrysler’s aero cars, though the designs were ultimately scrapped as emissions and safety regulations began to be introduced.

Those cars were called the Ford Torino King Cobra, and just three prototypes were ever built, with two of them ending up in the possession of the famous Bud Moore. One of those Bud Moore-owned Torino King Cobras is going to auction this weekend, and nobody has any idea of what it might fetch.

A product of Mustang designer Larry Shinoda and Ford President Bunkie Knudsen, the Torino King Cobra was the Blue Oval’s first shot at building a competitive car to challenge Chrysler’s Superbird/Daytona combo. Unfortunately, NASCAR homologation rules meant Ford would have had to sell 2,000 Torino King Cobras to compete, rather than just the 500 that had been required before. When both Shinoda and Knudsen left Ford in 1970, the project was swept under the rug and the prototypes put out to pasture.

Enter Bud Moore, whose Ford contact let him haul the unique Torinos away for $600 each, if only to get them off the lot. He sold the blue prototype, which was later restored by some other enthusiasts who found it in a junk yard, while hanging onto the yellow one you see here for a few decades. Packing a 370 horsepower C-code 429 Cobra Jet V8 backed by a C6 automatic, it remains in unrestored condition, having just 831 miles on the odometer. It’s a rare and unique piece to be sure, but it poses a problem for collectors as it’s difficult to set a fair price. The other, restored Bud More Torino King Cobra failed to sell at a $350,000 high bid, and currently has a $459,000 asking price.

Will this unrestored yellow model command a higher premium when it crosses the Mecum auction block in January, or will it, too, fall short of owner expectations?