First Chevy Camaro, Shelby GT500 to be auctioned for charity

Want to buy the first retail versions of two future icons? Get ready to pony up--for charity.

General Motors is auctioning the rights to the first 2010 Chevy Camaro, and Ford is selling the rights to the first 2010 Shelby GT500 at the Barrett-Jackson auction Jan. 11-18 in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The Camaro and GT500 are part of a field of 14 cars to auctioned for charity at the event, the most ever in its history, organizers say.

The Camaro is truly the first, stamped with VIN 100001. The bidder can spec it out to taste, choosing from the V6 or V8 engine offerings, automatic or manual transmission options and even the color. Proceeds go to the American Heart Association.

The 540-hp Shelby GT500 is also set for sale at the auction, and proceeds will go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The first, desert-conquering F-150 Raptor from Ford's SVT group will also be sold at the event to support the foundation.

The top bidders win the rights to buy the cars when they roll off the assembly lines. Prototypes will be shown at the auction.

The three are the spotlight attractions but far from the only head-turners that will benefit charity at the Arizona event.

A one-off 1967 Plymouth Barracuda built by a West Coast Customs in honor of hot-rod legend Boyd Coddington will be sold to benefit the Experimental Aircraft Association's Young Eagles program.

This car looks ready to take flight on some kind of stealth mission. It's all black down to the grille and Asanti wheels (19-inchers front and 20 rear). The only thing that isn't dark and murky about this car is the engine--it's plain sinister: the SRT8 Hemi is rated at 500 hp.

Also on the block for charity is a 2007 Chevy Monte Carlo NASCAR stock car driven by Tony Stewart to three wins in the Sprint Cup Series (to benefit the Darrell Gwynn Foundation), and a 2006 Monte Carlo that Jeff Gordon used for two wins (Hendrick Marrow Program).

The rest of the charity auction lineup:

-- 1970 Plymouth Superbird custom/tribute car built in part by wrestler and car fan Bill Goldberg and Gillett Evernham Motorsports (Darrell Gwynn Foundation).

-- 2008 Ford Mustang GT Roush P-51A, which blends an aviation theme with 510 hp (Speedway Children's Charities).

-- 60th-anniversary NASCAR motorcycle (Victory Junction Gang).

-- 2008 Chevy Tahoe with a baseball-inspired interior and an extra hood with about 220 autographs of baseball players (MLB Charities).

-- 2008 Barrett-Jackson edition Ford Shelby GT (Carroll Shelby Children's Foundation).

-- 1957 Ford Thunderbird (McPherson College).

-- 2008 Ford Mustang GT (International Children's Heart Foundation).

-- 1961 GMC Carryall (Boy Scouts of America).

By Greg Migliore