conceptcarz.com

1966 Shelby Mustang Hertz GT350

Carroll Shelby struck a deal with Hertz in 1966 to offer a high-performance rental car to the public for the first time. This offered the Shelby GT 350 to a very wide audience of the general public. Although it had been around for just a year, it had gained a reputation both on the street and on race tracks across the country.

1966 Shelby Mustang Hertz GT350 photo
Fastback
Chassis #: 6F07K319819
View info and history
Ford had only recently introduced the Mustang in April of 1964. It would quickly become a fixture in the Ford lineup and in many garages. The Shelby Mustang came about because Ford division boss Lee Iacocca wanted the Mustang to have more of a high-profile image through performance. At the time, the Carroll Shelby managed Ford-powered Cobra sports car team was earning victories on the international circuit, including capturing the International Sportscar Championship for GT Manufacturers in 1965. Naturally, Shelby was the individual who could boost the performance of the standard Mustang.

The street specification Mustang GT 350 was introduced for the 1965 model year. Sales were brisk for these thinly-disguised racecars, and the 1966 GT 350 introduced a host of mechanical revisions that tempered the edges and made the cars more amenable. Additional changes found on the 1966 models included the installation of Plexiglass quarter windows instead of the previous year's air vents, functional quarter-panel air-scoops that feed cool air to the rear brakes, an optional SelectShift three-speed automatic transmission, the exhaust was extended back further from the cockpit and the Cobra GT 350 logo was added to the gas cap. The interior gained a fold-down rear seat, deluxe woodgrain steering wheel and Cobra tachometer. All GT 350s featured competition seat belts. The GT Equipment Group included the high-performance V-8 engine, dual exhaust system, fog lamps, grille bar, special ornamentation, front disc brakes, special handling components package and GT striping.

Sales of the 1966 models reached 2,380, aided by the large order from the Hertz Rental Car Company. Shelby had tasked Peyton Cramer, the general manager and marketing manager, to attempt selling fleet sales. He was able to convince the Hertz Corporation for an order of 1,000 cars (999 units plus two prototypes). Hertz was the perfect customer, as they had previously created The Hertz Sports Car Club, whose purpose was to provide a limited number of high-performance rentals to customers over 25 and qualified to handle such vehicles.

1966 Shelby Mustang Hertz GT350 photo
Fastback
Chassis #: 6F07K319819
View info and history
The GT350 certainly set the Hertz Company apart from other rental car companies of the day. Individuals who were unable to afford the GT350 could enjoy it for a short period of time through the rental car program. Many of these cars were rented on Friday, raced on the weekend, and then returned back on Monday. The cost to rent all this performance was just 17 a day and 17 cents per mile or 70 per week.

Shelby American built these GT350 Hertz at the LAX facility for the Hertz Corporation, with the original invoice price to Hertz ranging from $3,750 to $3,850. Shelby American guaranteed an average value of $2,584 per car at the end of the program. After normal reconditioning by Shelby American, Ford agreed to assist in disposing of the cars which began in late September of 1966 as the cars came out of service.

The first 200 Shelbys delivered to Hertz were built as black fastbacks with gold rally stripes and gold rocker panel stripes. The remaining 800 units would be a mix of standard Shelby colors - white, red, blue, and green. However, Hertz reconsidered its choice of colors by January 26, 1966, in part due to production delays at Shelby American, and only a limited number of units were delivered that were not the standard black and gold livery. Only fifty Hertz examples were finished in Ivy Green with the requisite Gold Le Mans stripes.


by Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2019

Related Reading : Ford GT 350 Hertz History

The first year of sales for the GT350 models were good but they werent great. In an effort to stimulate even more sales for 1966, Carroll Shelby asked Peyton Cramer, his marketing man and general manager, to try some fleet sales. To everybodys amazement, the Hertz Rental Car Company purchased 1000 cars. The Hertz Company had founded The Hertz Sports Car Club which provided a limited number of....
Continue Reading >>

1966 Shelby Mustang Hertz GT350 Vehicle Profiles

Recent Vehicle Additions

Performance and Specification Comparison

Price Comparison

1966 Mustang Hertz GT350
$3,787-$31,400
1966 Shelby Mustang Hertz GT350 Base Price : $3,787

Compare: Lower | Higher | Similar

Other 1966 Ford Models
$2,238 - $3,066
$2,415 - $2,650
$2,660 - $3,845
$4,393 - $4,843

GT350 Hertz

Specification Comparison by Year

Year
Production
Wheelbase
Engine
Prices
108.00 in.
8 cyl., 289.00 CID., 306.00hp
$3,787 - $3,787

Related Automotive News

Barrett-Jackson to Offer a Spectacular Selection of Shelby Vehicles at the 2022 Scottsdale Auction, including a 1967 Shelby Cobra 427, the Lance Reventlow Cobra and a Premier Award-Winning 1965 GT350

Barrett-Jackson to Offer a Spectacular Selection of Shelby Vehicles at the 2022 Scottsdale Auction, including a 1967 Shelby Cobra 427, the Lance Reventlow Cobra and a Premier Award-Winning 1965 GT350

Barrett-Jackson will celebrate 50 years of The Worlds Greatest Collector Car Auctions at its 2022 Scottsdale Auction, January 22-30, at WestWorld of Scottsdale. One of the most spectacular No Reserve dockets ever amassed at Barrett-Jackson, including...
American classics take centre stage at the Race Retro Live Online Auction

American classics take centre stage at the Race Retro Live Online Auction

Desirable 1963 Chevrolet Corvette C2 Split-Window Superbly presented 1959 Studebaker Silver Hawk Racer Rare specification 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 FIA Ford Mustang 289 Sport Coupe (Notchback) Race Car The Race Retro Live Online Auction will...
RM Sotheby's Announces Diverse Final Entries Set For Online Only: Open Roads, North America

RM Sotheby's Announces Diverse Final Entries Set For Online Only: Open Roads, North America

ONLINE ONLY AUCTION TO FEATURE NEARLY 100 MOTOR CARS HEADLINED BY AS-NEW SHELBY 427 SC COBRA SANCTION II OPEN FOR BIDDING 23-30 JULY RM Sothebys announces latest entries for Online Only Open Roads, North America, led by 1965 Sh...
London Concours 2020 To Celebrate 'Lost Marques'

London Concours 2020 To Celebrate 'Lost Marques'

The London Concours has announced the Lost Marques display – an homage to those marques we have loved and lost Models from the likes of Facel Vega, Bizzarrini, Austin Healey, Alvis, Jensen and many more will grace the lawn as part of the display...
Extremely Original 'Holy Grail' 1970 Oldsmobile 442 W-30 Convertible at Russo and Steele's 2016 Arizona Auction Event

Extremely Original 'Holy Grail' 1970 Oldsmobile 442 W-30 Convertible at Russo and Steele's 2016 Arizona Auction Event

Scottsdale, Arizona (November 24, 2015) – While Oldsmobile is believed to have created the first true American muscle car with the release of its 303 V-8 Rocket 88 in 1949, it was not until 1964 that it returned to the concept with the 442 option,...