1969 Shelby Mustang GT 350 Coupe

The 1969 Shelby Mustang GT350 and GT500 received extensive exterior modifications for 1969 including an increase in length by four inches. Carroll Shelby would terminate his agreement with Ford in the summer of 1969 resulting in no production of Shelby Mustangs in 1970, however partially constructed 1969 cars were completed from stock parts and given 1970 serial numbers. The 1970 versions were mechanically identical to the previous model and a total of 789 examples were built.

The 1969 Shelby Mustang GT500 was equipped with a 428 cubic-inch V8 that was available in Mustangs, with the Shelby versions producing at least 65 more horsepower. With a steep $5,027 price tag, only 335 ragtop 500s were sold for 1969, plus a small amount of re-serialized '1970' models. Even fewer GT-350 models were built, reach just 194 units, plus the carry-over models. A small number of 1971 and 1972 models were built at the request of Belgian Shelby dealer Claude Dubois.

This particular Shelby Mustang began life as a GT500 finished in Silver Jade and equipped with a C-6 automatic transmission. It was delivered to Hayward Ford on January 7, 1969, and sold on August 28, 1969. Later in life, the car was stolen, wrecked, and declared a total loss by the insurance company. The remains were acquired by ABC Auto Wreckers of San Leandro, California in 1971 and later re-built by Jerry Lecatse (the owner of ABC Auto Wreckers) into a race car using then-current General Competition Rules as a guide. It received a Boss 302 engine from another wrecked Mustang, a rollcage, safety equipment, fiberglass bodywork, and 15 x 8 wheels. It was painted Grabber Green and was raced by Jerry in Regional and National events from 1972 through 1975.

The Shelby has been restored and has been vintage raced in several West Coast events at Laguna Seca and Sears Point.

By Daniel Vaughan | May 2020