1965 Shelby GT350 Fastback

The 1965 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 was offered in a single exterior paint option, Wimbledon White with optional Guardsman Blue LeMans stripes that ran down the center of the body, and with its functional scoop, the fiberglass hood made the car something of an icon on the road. In 1965, Ford had been spurned by the SCCA, the sanctioning body for amateur sports car racing in the United States. The severely independent SCCA seemingly did not appreciate being muscled by a large corporation, so Ford turned to Carroll Shelby. The SCCA said in order for Shelby’'s cars to be sanctioned, there needed to be 100 of them.

The brand-new 1965 GT350 was powered by a Ford 289 CI V-8, but with some Kobra Kustom accessories bolted on. Shelby started with the 271 HP High-Performance version of the 289 CI V-8 and added a high-riser intake manifold, welded-tube headers and cast-aluminum valve-rocker covers, which raised peak power to 306 HP. In addition, the pressed-steel stock oil sump was replaced with a large cast-aluminum sump, complete with cooling fins. The Shelby also featured a 4-speed manual transmission and side-exhaust pipes fitted with 2-inch Glasspak mufflers. A 9-inch differential fitted with 3.89 rear gears transferred the grunt of the 289 to the pavement. Most notably, the 1965 GT350 had no rear seat because SCCA B Production requirements only permitted two-seater cars; in its place was a fiberglass floor with a spare tire mounted beneath the rear glass.

According to the Shelby American factory records, this chassis was received at the Shelby American facility in Los Angeles, California, on May 12, 1965. Work started on the same day and it was finished on May 20. It was then shipped to Gene Hamon Ford in Texas City, Texas, and the dealership was invoiced $3,944.25. It was then used by the dealership as a factory demonstrator. One of only 562 Shelby GT350s built in 1965, this special Shelby was delivered new with the early fiberglass porthole hood, COBRA vented battery caps, the rare trunk-mounted battery, Cragar Shelby wheels and LeMans stripes. It is powered by the prerequisite HiPo 289/306 HP engine backed by the aluminum case T-10 4-speed transmission.

Countless hours were spent to complete the total, cost-is-no-object, concours, rotisserie restoration to SAAC/MCA concours specifications. The result is an award-winning restoration with achievements and accolades very few other cars have attained. Attention to detail and great lengths went into the paintwork to replicate a finish indicative of how it would have left the assembly line. The interior features the correct dash-mounted pod containing the 8,000 RPM tachometer and oil pressure gauges, the factory racing lap belts, the 15-inch wood rimmed steering wheel and a factory radio-delete plate.

The undercarriage has been finished to an outstanding quality, with the floors finished in the correct, factory-style red-oxide primer with body-color overspray and blacked-out pinch welds. The front and rear suspension has been painstakingly refinished as well, just as it would have left the factory with correct finishes including the paint daubs and chalk markings. The overall look and unmistakable sound of the car comes from the factory side-exiting exhaust just in front of the correct Blue Dot tires mounted on the optional Cragar wheels. Since completion of the restoration, the car has seen only test miles and has been stored in a climate-controlled environment.

A piece of American muscle car history, the 1965 Shelby GT350s were the first of their breed, purpose built, very rare and unique. This 1965 Shelby is well documented with copies of the dealer invoice, dealer order form, shipping documents and owner’s manual, and it’s also registered with the Shelby American Automobile Club. A result of this example's impressive restoration quality, it has won some of the most prestigious awards including its status as an SAAC-42 Gold Award winner and Amelia Island Concours Class winner, as well as receiving the Greenbrier Concours D'Elegance Spring House Award and MCA Concours Gold.