| Carroll Shelby was a racing legend even before his | | | | subsequently sold to the public after their rental-car |
| entry into the history books as a Ford Mustang tuner. | | | | lives were finished. These GT350H cars are quite rare |
| His victory at Le Mans and fame behind the wheel of | | | | and sought-after today, with some examples selling for |
| Allards is what drove Ford to turn to him with the | | | | more than $420,000. Shelby produced 1,000 of these |
| effort of turning the sports coupe Mustang into a true | | | | cars: 800 in Raven Black, and 50 each in Candy Apple |
| racing vehicle. | | | | Red, Wimbledon White, Sapphire Blue and Ivy Green. |
| While the production numbers of Shelby Mustangs is | | | | All Hertz cars featured gold LeMans stripes and |
| low, the influence these cars had on the industry is | | | | rocker panel stripes. Early "Hertz" cars were available |
| impressive. They began a tradition of racing legends | | | | with 4 speed manual transmissions until so many cars |
| and auto manufacturers turning out special production | | | | were returned from rental with burned and broken |
| vehicles in low numbers but with great appeal. While | | | | clutch assemblies that all of the later cars shipped to |
| Shelby ended his relatonship in the early 70s with Ford, | | | | Hertz were equipped with an automatic transmission. |
| their paths would cross again when in 2005 Ford | | | | These cars tend to be abused in early life from hard |
| released the latest iteration of the Mustang legend. | | | | usage in the rental car fleet. Good restored examples |
| 1965 Early Mustang | | | | can be found. 1967 GT350s and GT500s |
| The first Shelby version of the Mustang appeared in | | | | The new 1967 Mustang was followed with a new |
| 1965. All 1965 Shelbys were painted Ford "Wimbledon | | | | Shelby. It featured a 1967 Mercury Cougar tail light |
| White" with optional Guardsman Blue stripes. Although | | | | panel minus the chrome trim, a flip-up spoiler, and two |
| most of the 1965 Shelbys you see on the road today | | | | sets of air scoops on each side. This was also the first |
| have Le Mans stripes, less than forty percent of the | | | | American car to feature a factory roll bar. Surfaces |
| 1965 GT 350s came factory equipped with them. All | | | | such as the hood and trunk lid were made of |
| GT 350s featured rocker panel stripes with the | | | | fiberglass instead of steel for light weight and ease of |
| GT350 name. The engine was a modified K-code 289 | | | | manufacturering. |
| cublic inch Windsor V8 with special "Cobra" valve | | | | This year also saw the introduction of the GT500 |
| covers, tri-Y headers, a special intake manifold and | | | | alongside the continued GT350. The new GT500 |
| Holley carburetor increased power from 271 to 306 hp. | | | | featured a 428 cubic-inch big-block V8. This is also one |
| Approximately the first 300 GT 350s produced were | | | | of the most famous Shelby Mustangs. |
| "rear battery" cars, meaning the car's batteries were | | | | A modified GT500 clone, known as "Eleanor", was |
| trunk-mounted. Customer complaints of acid-fumes led | | | | featured alongside Nicholas Cage in the 2000 remake |
| to the creation of the Cobra Battery Caps, which | | | | of Gone in 60 Seconds. This modified GT500 body |
| vented the acid fumes outside of the car by way of | | | | style is incredibly popular today, and is partially |
| hoses exiting through the trunk floor panels. An | | | | responsible for the resurgence of Shelby Mustang |
| estimated 50 1965 GT 350s (around serial number | | | | prices in recent years. |
| 200) came equipped with the very rare Cobra battery | | | | A convertible prototype of the GT500 was made in |
| caps. Vehicle production changed shortly thereafter, | | | | 1967, which was designated to be destroyed. Before |
| leaving the battery in the engine compartment. Today, | | | | Ford could destroy the prototype, it was stolen. The |
| the most desirable of the 1965 GT 350s are the units | | | | car was eventually recovered and sold as '68. 1968 |
| with factory installed rear batteries. | | | | GT350, GT500 and GT500-KR |
| | | | | The Shelby GT350 Mustangs were powered by a |
| | | | | 302 cubic-inch V8 while the GT500 came equipped |
| | | | | with the massive 428 cubic-inch Police Interceptor |
| 1966 Shelby Mustangs | | | | engine. In February of 1968, the GT500-KR became |
| The 1966 was different in body color (non-white | | | | available and was considered the ultimate Shelby. |
| versions were introduced - colors included blue, red, | | | | Under the hood was a 428 cubic-inch Cobra-Jet V8 |
| green and black, as well as the original white) and trim. | | | | which produced 360 horsepower. The name 'KR' |
| The "Le Mans" stripes were continued as an option, as | | | | meaning 'King of the Road' was a quick marketing |
| in 1965. It featured special quarter-panel windows and | | | | move by Carroll Shelby who had caught wind that |
| rear air scoops on each side and an optional automatic | | | | Chevrolet was about to unleash a marketing campaign |
| transmission. A fold-down rear seat was now | | | | that featured the 1968 Corvette as the 'King of the |
| standard as well. Where early 1965 cars had black | | | | Road.' After a quick copyright search, they found that |
| engine blocks, 1966 and later cars had the 289 engine | | | | the 'KR' and 'King of the Road' had not been |
| painted blue. | | | | copyrighted. Stickers, photos, and decals were quickly |
| The first 252 GT-350s for 1966 were "carry-over" | | | | made by Shelby and his crew and placed on the new |
| cars. They had the 1965 Ford Mustang Bodies and | | | | GT500. 1969 and 1970 GT350, GT500 |
| 1965 Ford Mustang serial numbers under their Shelby | | | | Carroll Shelby terminated his agreement with Ford in |
| serial numbers. They had mostly 1965 features | | | | the summer of 1969. The GT350 and GT500 for the |
| including standard Koni shock and Engines painted | | | | 1969–70 model years received extensive facelifts, |
| black. Blue engines did not occur in 1966 until after | | | | the body alone increasing in length by 4 inches. Ford |
| these 252 "carry-over" models were produced. 1966 | | | | was heavily involved with design and style decisions, |
| production was 1373 fastbacks including (2) prototypes | | | | with Shelby having very little input. Production of Shelby |
| and (4) drag cars and (252) "carry-over" models with | | | | Mustangs ceased with the 1970 model year. The 1970 |
| Ford Mustang 1965 bodies. 1001 Hertz fastbacks were | | | | models were in fact left over 1969 models. VIN tags |
| produced including (2) prototypes. 4 convertibles were | | | | from 1969 Shelby's were removed and replaced with |
| also produced for a total of 2378 units for 1966. | | | | 1970 Shelby VIN's with careful supervision from FBI |
| Shelby struck a deal with the Hertz Corporation to | | | | agents. |
| produce a special line of GT350s for rent which were | | | | |