Shelby Mustangs
The Shelby Mustang was a tuned sports car in the 1960s. It was part of the series of Ford Mustangs that were specially converted by Carroll Shelby's company in the style of the Shelby Cobra and sold as a series.
1965, the first Shelby
The first Shelby version of the Mustang appeared in 1965. All '65 Shelbys were painted white with (optional) parallel blue stripes from tip to tail. There were also door sill stripes with the GT350 lettering. The engine was a modified K-code 289HP Windsor V8 with special "Cobra" valve covers, tri-Y headers, a special intake manifold and Holley carburetors increased power from 271 to 306 horsepower.
1966, A Shelby for rent
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The 1966 model differed in body color (non-white versions were introduced) - there were blue, red, green and black. The original white was also retained) and trim. The “Le Mans stripes” were still available as an option as in 1965. It offered special rear windows, rear air scoops on each side and an automatic transmission. A folding rear seat was now also standard. While early 1965 cars had black engine blocks, the 1966 and later models had their engines painted blue.
Shelby made a deal withhertz Car rentalto produce a special series of GT350s for rental. The program started by Hertz was called “Rent-A-Racer.” These GT350Hs are very rare and highly sought after today. Shelby manufactured 936 of these cars; about 800 in black, and about 50 each in red, white, blue and green. The black cars all had gold stripes, while the colored cars only had Shelby stripes on the sides and not the LeMans stripes across the hood, roof and rear. Shelby repeated this decor in 1987 with theShelby CSX-T.
Hertz ended the experiment early because many “weekend racers” rented the cars and put them to the utmost use. As a result, the maintenance costs became so incredibly high that Hertz pulled out early and not all 1,000 vehicles ordered were actually delivered.
1967 Shelby
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The new 1967 Mustang was followed by a completely redesigned Shelby. The rear lights from the 1965 were installedFord Thunderbird, a flip-up spoiler and two air scoops for brake cooling on each side. This was also the first American car to feature a roll bar as standard equipment.
Since 1967, the GT500 has also been available alongside the GT350. He was taken by oneBig block V8 with 428cubic inches (7 l) displacement and an output of, according to the manufacturer, 246 kW/335 hp (but often 331-368 kW/450-500 hp in tests), which enabled acceleration from 0-100 km/h in 6.7 seconds, with the torque reaching 510 Nm.
The 1967 GT500 is often used in films and other media. Most famous in themanga andAnime “Gunsmith Catsand the film “Only 60 seconds“, in which a GT500 was converted into a GT500 using add-on parts and a body kitFord Mustang Fastback plays a role. This model is called "Eleanor".
1968 Shelby
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The 1968 Shelby Mustang featured a distinctive front end with dual headlights and an eye-catching, long hood design. It also offered powerful V8 engines, including the legendary 428 Cobra Jet, and achieved a special position among the muscle cars of this era thanks to its racing performance and exclusive features.
1969 Shelby
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Although Shelby versions of the Mustang were still available, they no longer came directly from Carroll Shelby himself, who died on May 10, 2012 at the age of 89 as a result of long-term heart disease. Despite his passing, Shelby versions of the Mustang are still offered today, continuing his legacy in the automotive world.