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This 1965 Shelby Mustang 350R Fastback with chassis number SFM5R102 was one of the first group of 15 R-models produced by Shelby. It was completed in May of 1965 and consigned to Bob Johnson of Columbus Ohio. It is important to note that this vehicle was not sold, but 'consigned' meaning 'to entrust' or 'to give over to the care of another'. Sponsorship was provided by Ricart Ford with backed with factory support from Shelby America. Johnson was chosen because of his reputation and his racing accomplishments. He had been racing Corvettes in the B/Production where he captured the championship in 1960. He acquired a 1963 Shelby Cobra and raced it in the SCCA A/Production, which he won the Championship two years in a row, beginning in 1963.
It is believed that the GR350R given to Johnson on May 11th, 1965, was one of only four factory team cars which joined the ranks of 001, 002, and 096. 001 and 002 were prototypes raced by Jerry Titus and Chuck Cantwell. Four days after received the car, Johnson entered into SCCA races at Cumberland, Maryland. He qualified fourth but his position was protested by Don Yenko who had entered a Corvette. As a result, Johnson found himself at the back of the pack. When the checkered flag fell, Johnson had maneuvered his machine to a second overall finish and first in B/Production.
The GT350R's were a special breed of racing cars. They were equipped with dual S-W electric fuel pumps, baffled steel high capacity oil pans built by Avaid, modified steel valve covers were breathers, and competition bucket seats.
At Meadowdale, Johnson finished first in class and second overall. At Mid-Ohio on June 13th, he finished first in class and overall, his best finish to that point in a GT350R. On July 5th, he finished first and class and fourth overall. Six days later he was back at Mid-Ohio where he scored a second in class. The following month he was at Lynndale Farms where he finished second overall and in class. He had accumulated a total of 51 point in the division which was enough to earn him an SCCA B/Production National Champion. This amazing accomplishment was achieved even with a late start to the season. To add to this, the GT350R's swept the SCCA B/Production Championship, taking five of the six divisions.
On November 28 at the American Road Race of Champions in Daytona, there were seven GT350R's all racing for top honors in the B/Production field. A heated and competitive battle, including the beefed up Shelby Mustangs, Cobras, and Jaguar XKE's had their drivers struggling for position. Johnson finished second in class behind Titus.
At the conclusion of the race, Johnson returned 5R102 to Shelby American where it was rebuilt and sold to Ron Dykes. Dykes raced it on November of 1966 at the second ARRC in Daytona but failed to finish. Barrey Robles, the next owner, was invited to the 1967 ARRC in Daytona race but he failed to find sponsorship. In 1969 it was raced to a Cal Club SCCA Regional Championship in B/Production. It was retired from active racing 1971.
It has undergone a restoration and is currently in its 1965 SCCA National Championship configuration, including Shelby team Wimbledon white with blue stripes.
It is believed that the GR350R given to Johnson on May 11th, 1965, was one of only four factory team cars which joined the ranks of 001, 002, and 096. 001 and 002 were prototypes raced by Jerry Titus and Chuck Cantwell. Four days after received the car, Johnson entered into SCCA races at Cumberland, Maryland. He qualified fourth but his position was protested by Don Yenko who had entered a Corvette. As a result, Johnson found himself at the back of the pack. When the checkered flag fell, Johnson had maneuvered his machine to a second overall finish and first in B/Production.
The GT350R's were a special breed of racing cars. They were equipped with dual S-W electric fuel pumps, baffled steel high capacity oil pans built by Avaid, modified steel valve covers were breathers, and competition bucket seats.
At Meadowdale, Johnson finished first in class and second overall. At Mid-Ohio on June 13th, he finished first in class and overall, his best finish to that point in a GT350R. On July 5th, he finished first and class and fourth overall. Six days later he was back at Mid-Ohio where he scored a second in class. The following month he was at Lynndale Farms where he finished second overall and in class. He had accumulated a total of 51 point in the division which was enough to earn him an SCCA B/Production National Champion. This amazing accomplishment was achieved even with a late start to the season. To add to this, the GT350R's swept the SCCA B/Production Championship, taking five of the six divisions.
On November 28 at the American Road Race of Champions in Daytona, there were seven GT350R's all racing for top honors in the B/Production field. A heated and competitive battle, including the beefed up Shelby Mustangs, Cobras, and Jaguar XKE's had their drivers struggling for position. Johnson finished second in class behind Titus.
At the conclusion of the race, Johnson returned 5R102 to Shelby American where it was rebuilt and sold to Ron Dykes. Dykes raced it on November of 1966 at the second ARRC in Daytona but failed to finish. Barrey Robles, the next owner, was invited to the 1967 ARRC in Daytona race but he failed to find sponsorship. In 1969 it was raced to a Cal Club SCCA Regional Championship in B/Production. It was retired from active racing 1971.
It has undergone a restoration and is currently in its 1965 SCCA National Championship configuration, including Shelby team Wimbledon white with blue stripes.
The Ford Mustang first appeared in 1964 and was immediately popular for its style and its capabilities. The largest engine offering of the time was the 289 V-8 K-code small block engine which was sufficient but enthusiasts wanted and demanded more power. The base engine was a six-cylinder power plant. The body style configurations included coupe, convertible and fastback. In its first year of production over 500,000 examples were produced.
Ford turned to SCCA racing to stir even more popularity for the car and to prove its true potential. Unfortunately, SCCA rules for sports cars required two seats which the Mustang failed to qualify for since it had seating for four. The Mustang was a new breed with plenty of room to grow and improve. Ford turned to the legendary Carroll Shelby who had aided them in securing a LeMans victory with their GT 40s. He was also well known for his Ford powered Shelby Cobras which had dominated the SCCA circuit for many years.
In order to qualify for homologation requirements, 100 examples needed to be produced by January 1st, 1965. Amazingly, the cars were ready to go by the due date, all painted in Wimbledon White livery with Guardsman Blue stripes. Well, they weren't entirely ready but they did pass the inspection.
Under the fiberglass hood was a K-code engine that had been modified with 715cfm 4-barrel carburetors on high-rise intake manifolds, aluminum oil pans and fabricated tube headers feeding dual exhausts with glass pack mufflers. The engine was concealed with a fiberglass hood. An aluminum case Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed manual gearbox was matted to this potent engines and set power to the rear wheels. Since the Mustang was now packing extra power, the rest of the components were modified to respond appropriately. The suspension was reinforced with front A-arms, rear axle trailing arms, and Koni shocks. The brakes were enlarged and quick steering adapters were installed. Compling with the two seater requirement was easy; the back seat was removed and replaced with a fiberglass package shelf.
In 1965 there were 562 Shelby GT 350 models created with 36 being designated for racing and given the code 'R'. 252 of the 1966 350 GT's were created at the end of 1965 and brought up to 1966 specifications.
There was little changed to the GT350 during the 1966 year. Peter Brock, Shelby's designer, came up with some simple modifications that slightly changed the aesthetics of the car but improved its capabilities. Air-intake scoops were added to force air to the rear brake pads which aided in keeping them cool. The C-pillar sail panel was removed and replaced with triangular windows. Four colors options were added to give the Mustangs a little extra flavor. The rear seats could now be installed as optional equipment and were given the functionality and flexibility of folding down. This allowed them to continue to qualify for sports car racing in SCCA while providing versatility while not at the track. An automatic was also optional though it slightly took away from the appeal of the sports car.
These new options aided the Ford/Shelby duo in selling 2378 examples in 1966.
In 1967 the Mustang body style was altered which meant there was more room in the engine bay. This was also the first year for the GT500 which boasted a 428 cubic-inch engine in true Shelby fashion producing more than 350 horsepower. The GT500 was given a unique front end with hood scoops and center mounted lights. The back of the car borrowed many components from the Thunderbird including the rear quarter scoops, sequential turn signals and the rear spoiler.
Shelby lost the lease for their factory at Los Angeles International Airport near the close of 1967 so operations were moved the Ionia, Michigan under the control of the Ford Motor Company.
In 1968, a convertible option was added to the Shelby line-up, available with either a 302- or 428-cubic-inch eight-cylinder engine. The High Performance 289 cubic-inch V8 was no longer offered on the Ford or Shelby versions of the Mustang. The 302 was standard on the GT350, equipped with an aluminum intake manifold and Holley 600 CFM carburetor capable of producing 250 horsepower. 1968 also marked the year that Ford took over production of the Shelby vehicles with operations moving to Livonia, Michigan.
The styling modifications for 1968 were minor. The front of the vehicle was restyled resulting in an aggressive appearance. The headlights switched back to the single seven-inch unit configuration with Lucas fog lamps positioned inside the grill. The hood was once again a fiberglass unit with repositioned scoops and air-extraction louvers.
The 428 engine increased in horsepower by 5 over the prior year. This was the result of a single four-barrel aluminum intake manifold in place of the prior dual-carburetor setup. To honor this achievement, the GT500 equipped with the 428Cj now became known as the GT500, or King of the Road. The documentation stated the engine produced 335 horsepower when actually it was over 400 with 440 foot-pounds of torque. These were the fastest Shelby production vehicles to date and offered superb handling, braking and most of all, acceleration. Due to the extra power, the brakes were enlarged and new components such as under-hood suspension bracing and staggered rear shocks prevented wheel hop and axle wind-up.
During 1968, 4451 examples were produced. 1253 fastbacks and 404 convertibles made up the GT350 model line. The GT500 was available as a fastback or convertible. There were 1140 GT500 fastbacks and 402 GT500 convertibles produced in 1968. 1968 also saw the production of 933 GT500KR fastbacks and 318 GT500KR convertibles. Only one GT500 Notchback Prototype was produced.
In 1969 Ford ended his agreement with the Ford Motor Company. The GT350 and GT500 continued to be sold into 1970 though little was changed. The 1970 models were actually left-overs from the prior year.
In 2005 at the New York International Auto Show, Ford and Shelby announced their plans for the production of a Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 with sales beginning in 2007. The car will be equipped with a 5.4 liter supercharged eight-cylinder engine with horsepower in the neighborhood of 475. In 2006 the rights to own the first modern Shelby Mustang produced sold at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction for 648,000 with the proceeds benefiting the Carroll Shelby Children's Foundation.
Ford turned to SCCA racing to stir even more popularity for the car and to prove its true potential. Unfortunately, SCCA rules for sports cars required two seats which the Mustang failed to qualify for since it had seating for four. The Mustang was a new breed with plenty of room to grow and improve. Ford turned to the legendary Carroll Shelby who had aided them in securing a LeMans victory with their GT 40s. He was also well known for his Ford powered Shelby Cobras which had dominated the SCCA circuit for many years.
In order to qualify for homologation requirements, 100 examples needed to be produced by January 1st, 1965. Amazingly, the cars were ready to go by the due date, all painted in Wimbledon White livery with Guardsman Blue stripes. Well, they weren't entirely ready but they did pass the inspection.
Under the fiberglass hood was a K-code engine that had been modified with 715cfm 4-barrel carburetors on high-rise intake manifolds, aluminum oil pans and fabricated tube headers feeding dual exhausts with glass pack mufflers. The engine was concealed with a fiberglass hood. An aluminum case Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed manual gearbox was matted to this potent engines and set power to the rear wheels. Since the Mustang was now packing extra power, the rest of the components were modified to respond appropriately. The suspension was reinforced with front A-arms, rear axle trailing arms, and Koni shocks. The brakes were enlarged and quick steering adapters were installed. Compling with the two seater requirement was easy; the back seat was removed and replaced with a fiberglass package shelf.
In 1965 there were 562 Shelby GT 350 models created with 36 being designated for racing and given the code 'R'. 252 of the 1966 350 GT's were created at the end of 1965 and brought up to 1966 specifications.
There was little changed to the GT350 during the 1966 year. Peter Brock, Shelby's designer, came up with some simple modifications that slightly changed the aesthetics of the car but improved its capabilities. Air-intake scoops were added to force air to the rear brake pads which aided in keeping them cool. The C-pillar sail panel was removed and replaced with triangular windows. Four colors options were added to give the Mustangs a little extra flavor. The rear seats could now be installed as optional equipment and were given the functionality and flexibility of folding down. This allowed them to continue to qualify for sports car racing in SCCA while providing versatility while not at the track. An automatic was also optional though it slightly took away from the appeal of the sports car.
These new options aided the Ford/Shelby duo in selling 2378 examples in 1966.
In 1967 the Mustang body style was altered which meant there was more room in the engine bay. This was also the first year for the GT500 which boasted a 428 cubic-inch engine in true Shelby fashion producing more than 350 horsepower. The GT500 was given a unique front end with hood scoops and center mounted lights. The back of the car borrowed many components from the Thunderbird including the rear quarter scoops, sequential turn signals and the rear spoiler.
Shelby lost the lease for their factory at Los Angeles International Airport near the close of 1967 so operations were moved the Ionia, Michigan under the control of the Ford Motor Company.
In 1968, a convertible option was added to the Shelby line-up, available with either a 302- or 428-cubic-inch eight-cylinder engine. The High Performance 289 cubic-inch V8 was no longer offered on the Ford or Shelby versions of the Mustang. The 302 was standard on the GT350, equipped with an aluminum intake manifold and Holley 600 CFM carburetor capable of producing 250 horsepower. 1968 also marked the year that Ford took over production of the Shelby vehicles with operations moving to Livonia, Michigan.
The styling modifications for 1968 were minor. The front of the vehicle was restyled resulting in an aggressive appearance. The headlights switched back to the single seven-inch unit configuration with Lucas fog lamps positioned inside the grill. The hood was once again a fiberglass unit with repositioned scoops and air-extraction louvers.
The 428 engine increased in horsepower by 5 over the prior year. This was the result of a single four-barrel aluminum intake manifold in place of the prior dual-carburetor setup. To honor this achievement, the GT500 equipped with the 428Cj now became known as the GT500, or King of the Road. The documentation stated the engine produced 335 horsepower when actually it was over 400 with 440 foot-pounds of torque. These were the fastest Shelby production vehicles to date and offered superb handling, braking and most of all, acceleration. Due to the extra power, the brakes were enlarged and new components such as under-hood suspension bracing and staggered rear shocks prevented wheel hop and axle wind-up.
During 1968, 4451 examples were produced. 1253 fastbacks and 404 convertibles made up the GT350 model line. The GT500 was available as a fastback or convertible. There were 1140 GT500 fastbacks and 402 GT500 convertibles produced in 1968. 1968 also saw the production of 933 GT500KR fastbacks and 318 GT500KR convertibles. Only one GT500 Notchback Prototype was produced.
In 1969 Ford ended his agreement with the Ford Motor Company. The GT350 and GT500 continued to be sold into 1970 though little was changed. The 1970 models were actually left-overs from the prior year.
In 2005 at the New York International Auto Show, Ford and Shelby announced their plans for the production of a Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 with sales beginning in 2007. The car will be equipped with a 5.4 liter supercharged eight-cylinder engine with horsepower in the neighborhood of 475. In 2006 the rights to own the first modern Shelby Mustang produced sold at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction for 648,000 with the proceeds benefiting the Carroll Shelby Children's Foundation.
1965 Shelby GT350R |
|
| Year | 1965 |
| Make | Ford |
| Model | GT350R |
| Tuner | Shelby |
| Engine Location | Front |
| Drive Type | Rear Wheel |
| Production Years for Series | 1965 - 1968 |
| Weight | 2780 lbs | 1261 kg |
| Combined MPG | 0.00 |
| Engine | |
| Engine Configuration | V |
| Cylinders | 8 |
| Aspiration/Induction | Normal |
| Displacement | 4736.00 cc | 289 cu in. | 4.7 L. |
| Valves | 16 valves. 2 valves per cylinder. |
| Valvetrain | OHV |
| Horsepower | 350.00 BHP (257.6 KW) @ 7200.00 RPM |
| Torque | 325.00 Ft-Lbs (440.7 NM) @ 5000.00 RPM |
| HP to Weight Ratio | 7.9 LB / HP (Vehicles with similar ratio) |
| HP / Liter | 74.5 BHP / Liter |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline - Petrol |
| Vehicles with similar horsepower and weight | |
| Standard Transmission | |
| Gears | 4 |
| Transmission | Manual |
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