Images credit: Chris Woodyard/Drive On

As the concept of the “Rat Rod” style of automobiles continues to infiltrate the car hobbyist and car collector world, these cars that are – for lack of a better term – “in the buff” continue to not only become more accepted, but in many ways embraced by the purists among us a new genre and a form of rolling creativity and artwork. They do, however, have their own time and place, and this ugly duckling just may have found its way into the wrong pond.

The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, is one of the most exclusive and renowned car collector events in the world, held annually at the lavish Pebble Beach Golf Course and showcasing some of the finest luxury and vintage automobiles in existence. It costs upwards of $400 just to step in the gate and take a look around at this car show for the rich and famous. Frankly put, there’s no junk here.

USA Today this week reported on what is “the ugliest vehicle to ever grace The Quail” – a Shelby Mustang that is certainly a little worse for wear, to say the least. Nestled in amongst some of the finest restored classic Mustang’s in the world, this ride features a primer paint job, has had its interior ripped out including a hole where the transmission should be and a grille made from chicken wire. Rumor is that this is a old GT350 road race vehicle, though there wasn’t any confirmation on that.  Also, no word on how or why this car made its way onto the perfectly cut lawn at The Quail, nor what Carroll Shelby himself thought if what had become of his creation, but one thing is for sure – it got some looks.