© Rod Hatfield
Lee Iacocca’s Vision, Carroll Shelby’s Execution
The Shelby G.T.350 hit the track in 1965, establishing the Ford Mustang as a race contender from the start. The brainchild of young Ford VP Lee Iacocca, a race-ready Mustang was not something that builder Carroll Shelby wanted to undertake, given his already considerable responsibilities delivering a race winner via the AC Cobra. Iacocca prevailed. The original Shelby Mustang G.T.350s were Wimbledon White with dual blue stripes up the hood and over the car. Ford wanted a car that could hold its own in fierce SCCA B-Production class competition with Chevrolet Corvettes and Jaguar XKEs, and Carroll Shelby delivered just what Iacocca ordered. Lighter with considerably more horsepower, the Shelby G.T.350 competition model (eventually dubbed the “R”) won a national championship in addition to five of six division championships in 1965. Here are some of the earliest Shelby G.T.350 competition models that were on display in the Ford Performance booth during the 2015 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, including glimpses of the new Ford Shelby GT350 and GT350R Mustangs.
© Rod Hatfield
Shelby G.T.350 SFM5R002
– Car on cover of May 1965 issue of Road & Track with Carroll Shelby.
– Factory “works car” raced by Jerry Titus, Ken Miles and Chuck Cantwell.
– First G.T.350 to win a race.
– Current owner: Atzbach Collection, Seattle, Washington.
© Rod Hatfield
Shelby G.T.350 SFM5S059
– SFM5S059 was received by Shelby American on Dec. 22, 1964 and finished on Feb. 2, 1965.
– Shipped to Larsen Ford of White Plains, New York.
– Cragar wheels ($320) and freight costs ($102.75) brought total cost to $3,968.75.
– Current owner: Jim Kastle, Carmel, California.
© Rod Hatfield
Shelby G.T.350 SFM5S492
– SFM5S492 is an original condition “barn find.”
– Ordered June 13, 1965, billed to Galpin Motors in San Fernando, California.
– Original owner Ken Coventry stored the car from 1974 to June of 2009.
– Current owner is Beau Boeckmann, owner of Galpin Motors.
Shelby G.T.350 SFM5S492
Shelby G.T.350 SFM5S492
Shelby G.T.350 SFM5S492
Shelby G.T.350 SFM5S492
© Rod Hatfield
Shelby G.T.350 SFM5R535
– SFM5R535 was ordered on March 18, 1965, to be built as a factory competition car.
– Ordered by Benito Lores of Lima Peru when he visited Shelby American shop.
– Car was shipped to Peru with factory-fitted Weber carburetors; total price was $6,545.
– Current owner: Larry Miller Collection at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah.
Shelby G.T.350 SFM5R535
Shelby G.T.350 SFM5R535
Shelby G.T.350 SFM5R535
© Rod Hatfield
Shelby G.T.350 SFM5S057
– 2,889 street G.T.350s were built from 1965 to 1966.
– This car was finished on March 17, 1965, shipped to Nagle Ford of Rochester, New York.
– The invoices charges were $3,646 for the car, $220 for the Cragars and $87.45 in freight.
– Current owner: Larry Miller Collection at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah.
© Rod Hatfield
1965 Shelby G.T.350 SFM5010
– One of only two G.T.350 Paxton Supercharged Prototypes.
– All original sheet metal, engine and transmission.
– 48,000 original miles.
– Current owner: Private Collection, Performance Motors of Hanover.
1965 Shelby G.T.350 SFM5010
1965 Shelby G.T.350 SFM5010
Glove box signature by the man himself.
The new Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang anchors the Ford Performance booth at the Historics.
Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang
Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang
Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang
Ford, Shelby and Mustang: All American
