1966 Ford Mustang

The 1966 Ford Mustang, the highlight of the first generation of this legendary pony car, impresses not only with its striking design, but also with the variety of powerful engines that were available under the hood.

1967 Shelby EXP500 "Little Red"

On August 18, 1966, the San Jose plant had just begun production of the '67 Mustang. The plant received a special order from Shelby American in Los Angeles for three Mustangs: a fastback, a coupe and a convertible, all to be painted Candyapple Red to serve as prototypes for the development of potential Shelby product lines.

The coupe received a specially ordered 428 Police Interceptor engine with a mid-size 2x4 intake. The build plan also included a deluxe black interior, air conditioning, tinted glass and remote mirrors. As an internal Shelby project, it was overseen by Shelby chief engineer Fred Goodell, and work began immediately on the powertrain, interior and exterior modifications. It quickly became Fred's favorite Shelby.

Little Red was to be a unique, experimental notchback designed in response to the question of whether Shelby should add a coupe to its lineup for 1967 and 1968.

On Friday, August 17, 2018, the world of Mustang and Shelby enthusiasts was shocked to learn that the long-lost 1967 Shelby experimental coupe named "Little Red" still exists! Craig Jackson of Barrett-Jackson announced the groundbreaking news during a special Team Shelby banquet at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn. The DNA of all modern Shelbys starts right here," Jackson said. "History has come alive again."

For more than 50 years, Little Red had been assumed to have been sent to the crusher by Ford managers because it was an experimental prototype on loan to Shelby American. But it was recently discovered in a field in Texas, where it had been parked for the past 20 years.

The sad irony of this once proud prototype is seeing the photo of Little Red as it lay in the Texas soil for 20 years. It's amazing how lucky they were to track this car down, and the fact that much of the car's structure is still intact after all these years out in the open is a testament to the durability of Ford products!

History of "Little Red"

Shelby liked to combine new technology with new styling ideas in one vehicle, and this is where California hot rodding and Ford engineering and production came together. Shelby was always keen to experiment and combine high performance with great, innovative style, and Little Red was no exception. Because of its metaphorical big-block heart and bright red color (presumably a nod to Ferrari), it was nicknamed Little Red.

This custom-built notchback was to become Fred Goodell's personal vehicle. On paper, it was listed as "GT-EXP" for "GT-Experimental". Little Red's official Shelby VIN was (67411H900131); the "H" in the code means "Hardtop".

The Little Red began its prototype career as a test bed for some "tire-shredding" Shelby technology. The 390 V-8 and C-6 automatic were immediately removed and replaced with a 427 FE big-block powerplant. The challenge was to combine high performance with the new 1968 emissions requirements for the "big" Ford sedans. A hand-molded prototype hood with a larger hood scoop and vents was also completed for the Little Red (which later went into production for the '67 Shelby).

After the fiberglass was installed, the factory Candyapple Red paint was supposed to have been covered by a Ferrari Red to allude to the rivalry with Ferrari. However, examination of the paint layers revealed that this was merely a rumor. This bright red was Little Red's most striking feature, along with the addition of a formal black vinyl top with GT-500 emblems and side panels. A complete '67 Shelby GT-500 suspension was installed, along with 15x7-inch Kelsey-Hayes Magstar wheels with Goodyear tires with white lettering. To handle the power generated by the prototype's big-blocks, a 9-inch third with 4:30 gearing was installed, backed up with Shelby GT-500 heavy-duty rear leaf springs.

The '67 Mustang's standard deluxe interior was customized with black Connolly leather seats and black sheepskin-based Mouton carpeting. Three-inch wide GT-350R lap belts were also used. A standard '67 Shelby steering wheel with three spokes and wood trim rounded out the interior.

On the road, Little Red proved the theory that "too much was just enough" by pulling smoothly from idle to the rev limit, chirping the tires at 80 mph and then accelerating hard from 100 mph! The best way to tell the story is how Fred Goodell was driving to work one morning in Little Red and encountered the fastest Firebird at a stoplight. Little Red and the Firebird took off at 20 mph, then suddenly the supercharger kicked in and Little Red took off, leaving him standing still. At the next stoplight, they raced again and the same thing happened. The Firebird driver followed Fred Coodell into the parking lot of Shelby American and was extremely upset. Goodell told him, "Just keep driving Firebirds ... Just no Shelbys."

Little Red appeared at the 1967 Los Angeles Auto Show, where the press and public could see for the first time what a Shelby coupe might look like. The response was great, and a photo of Little Red was published in the November 67 issue of Car and Drive, asking readers to contact Shelby if they liked it. By July 1967, the '68 Shelby designs had been finalized for production, so Little Red had to look like part of the new 1968 Shelby family for the Ford press event in Riverside in August 1967. So, Little Red was completely upgraded to look more like its all-new 1968 siblings.

According to Goodell, Little Red was believed to have been sent to the crusher after a stint with Kar Kraft in Brighton, Michigan, sometime in late 1970. But recent events have apparently proven otherwise, and many Shelby fans are relieved to know that he did indeed escape the crusher.

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