One to Buy: early 'First 100' 1965 Shelby GT350
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In addition to the legendary GT40, Ford’s Total Performance programme of the 1960s spawned the most iconic Muscle Car of all time: the first generation Ford Mustang.
Myriad different iterations of the series one Mustang were produced between 1964 and 1966, however, the ace in the pack (and arguably the most desirable Mustang ever built) was the Shelby GT350.
Conceived to homologate an array of hot parts so that a racing version would stand the best chance of success in the SCCA’s high profile B-Production championship, the Shelby GT350 was significantly enhanced in practically every department.
The suspension, brakes, wheels and tyres were uprated along with the cooling system. Weight distribution was optimised and the engine was tuned to produce 13% more power. The gearbox came in a special lightweight casing and a limited-slip differential was installed. The body was given a fibreglass hood complete with air scoop. Inside there were new gauges, a new steering wheel and the rear seats were junked to save weight.
Although only 100 examples had to be built, Ford and Shelby produced the GT350 for both the 1965 and ‘66 model years. However, as time went by, many of the features that made the early cars so special were dropped in favour of a more commercial specification that offered broader market appeal.
As a consequence, it is the very early variants that are the most sought after and one such example is currently on offer with Fantasy Junction in Emeryville, California.
Chassis SFM5S090 is one of those first 100 cars built to secure B-Production homologation. Significantly, this batch of vehicles were manufactured at Shelby’s factory in Venice, California, after which production moved to a new facility at the Los Angeles International Airport.
