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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.

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.

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 Dan Vaughan

Fastback
Chassis number: 8T02J155403-01224

The national car rental company, Hertz, once manufactured its own cars and painted them in their corporate colors - black with gold trim. Shelby American executive Peyton Cramer remembered this and in 1966 suggested to Hertz management that they offer a Shelby as a sports car rental.

Hertz agreed and an order was placed for 1,000 cars; 999 were actually produced. The car was designated as the Shelby GT350H (for Hertz) and was advertised as 'Rent a Racer.' Most featured gold LeMans stripes and rocker panel stripe; a few were delivered with blue and white stripes. It was rumored that some were returned to Hertz with evidence that roll bars had been welded in.

Once Hertz was finished with these high-performance cars they were returned to the Ford factory, refurbished and sold to the public as GT350H models.

Fastback

In 1966 Shelby American produced 2,378 GT 350s. Of those, 100 were made exclusively for Hertz Rent-A-Car and Lemans stripes. The only difference between the rental cars and production cars was the beefed-up three-speed transmissions in the former.

The cars were shipped to major cities and rented. There were many stories - some true - that these cars were rented for the weekend, raced on the track and returned on Monday morning - they were known as 'Rent-a-Racers.'

Among the special features built into the cars were high rise intake manifold, headers, functioning cooling ducts, solid high lifter revving engine, finned aluminum oil pan, oversize rear brakes, shocks and sway bars.

Fastback
Chassis number: SFM6S1571

This 1966 Shelby Mustang GT350-H Fastback has chassis number SFM6S1571. It is fitted with a four-speed manual transmission but left the factory with an automatic, as was the case with most of these Hertz cars. Factory options include the 'Hertz special wheels' and an optional radio which brought the total to $3,792.25. It has been treated to a restoration since new.

This car left Shelby's factory on April 17th of 1966 and sent to Dallas, Texas where it was sold new by Norm Williams Ford to Hertz. It passed through a few owners since that time, landing in its current ownership where it has been stored and well cared for since its arrival. The restoration included a complete engine rebuilt, with transmission and suspension also receiving attention. Since that time it has traveled a mere 1,500 miles.

This vehicle was brought to the 2007 Monterey Sports & Classic Car Auction presented by RM Auctions, where it was estimated to sell for $150,000 - $175,000. It was offered without reserve with the winning bid reaching $137,000 including buyer's premium. The lot was sold.

by Dan Vaughan

Fastback
Chassis number: SFM 6S 673

The examples shown here is equipped with the manual gearbox and over-rider rear traction bar. It was sold to the Hertz Car Company on March 7th, 1966 for a price of $3,786.76. It carries chassis number SFM 6S 673.

by Dan Vaughan

Fastback

This GT350H is one of 47 models built in this color combination, of which there are only 17 left according to the SAAC registry. It is featured in Colin Comer's new book Shelby and has also appeared in various magazines and calendars. It was given a complete restoration in the late 2000s.

Fastback
Chassis number: SFM6S717

Shelby GT350 production for 1965 amounted to 512 cars. The following year, they built 2,369 examples. This increase in production was in large part due to a contract with Hertz, who ordered 1,001 GT350 models that were to be badged GT350H. These cars could be rented for $17 a day and 17 cents a mile. Just 85 of these examples were given a four speed transmission, and the majority were painted Raven Black, shades of Candy Apple Red, Ivy Green, Sapphire Blue, and Wimbledon White.

This particular example is one of only 50 cars originally finished in Wimbledon White. It was converted to a four-speed manual gearbox early in its life and was given a comprehensive restoration in the early 2010s.

This is one of approximately 100 GT350H examples fitted with a steel hood and riding on correct Hertz logo wheels with Goodyear Blue Streak tires. The engine is a 289 cubic-inch overhead valve V8 engine fitted with a 4-barrel Holley carburetor. There are disc brakes in the front and hydraulic drums in the rear.

by Dan Vaughan

Fastback
Chassis number: 6S 698

Forty years ago, Carroll Shelby and The Hertz Corporation built these high-performance, special-edition Shelby Mustangs especially for Hertz rental customers who also happened to be car enthusiasts. Ford supplied the new cars and Shelby added extra performance and style, giving the public access to the kind of driving experience normally found only on a racetrack all for $17 a day. Mechanically, the GT350H is identical to any other GT350 but with Hertz's gold and black colors in place of Shelby American's white with blue stripes. Hertz ordered 85 'Rent-a-Racer' cars with 4-speed manual transmissions and 800 models with automatic transmissions and some even had superchargers as in this example. This car was restored several years ago by Lord Anthony Bamford in the UK and was bought by its current owner in 2008.

Fastback
Chassis number: SFM6S828

The Mustang rented by the Hertz Company in 1966 (a one year program) was not simply a dress-up package, but an actual Shelby American constructed fastback ponycar powered by a Shelby-tuned 289 CID V8 engine.

This example, chassis SFM6S828, was invoiced to the Hertz Corporation in February of 1966. It was refreshed in 1990 and is set-up as an authentic racecar. The body welds were reinforced during this reconstruction, and a full roll cage was added. Instrumentation, racing seats with full harnesses, fuel cell, LeMans endurance lights, and fire extinguishing system were also added at that time. It rides on 15x7 inch American Racing wheels. It has Kelsey-Hayes front disc brakes, special rear drum linings and drums, dual brake boosters with proportioning valve, recirculating brake fluid system, and race-type brake fluid. It has Adjustable Koni shocks, 3.89:1 Detroit locker differential with forged half-shafts, watts bar link rear suspension, and competition front suspension with lowered A-arms and quick-ratio steering. It has a fiberglass hood, lightweight doors and windows, front apron, and R-model rear window and fender treatments.

The 289 CID V8 produces 415 horsepower, and has a steel crank, Crower rods, forged pistons, 750 CFM Holley, and Aviat oil pump. The engine is mated to a T10 close-ratio 4-speed gearbox.

by Dan Vaughan

Fastback
Chassis number: SFM6S1032

Peyton Cramer, Shelby American's General Manager, approached the Hertz Corporation with his concept for a specialty model of the upcoming GT350 to be produced by Shelby American for rental use. What followed was the 'Hertz Sports Car Club' which began in 1958; its purpose was to provide a limited number of high performance vehicles for rent to qualified and preapproved customers. In the early 1960s, Hertz switched from Chevrolet to Ford supplied cars, and the Shelby-Hertz 'Rent-A-Racer' was born.

Shelby American received an initial order for 200 Hertz GT350s on November 23, 1965. Hertz requested that the cars have chrome Magnum 500 wheels, radios, rear seats, and the iconic Hertz livery of Raven Black with gold rally and rocker panel stripes.

Ford proposed a joint advertising program between Shelby American and Hertz which would later include airport displays, cameo appearances in both movies and television, and full-color magazine ads.

The Shelby GT350H was available for rent to members of the Hertz Sports Car Club at the price of $17 per day and 17 cents per mile. The cars were restricted to drivers over 25 years of age and required a signed agreement warning that the cars were only to be driven by the renter.

Shelby American at the LAX facility built a total of 999 units plus two prototypes for the Hertz Corporation, nearly doubling Shelby American's production from the previous year. The original invoice price to Hertz ranged from $3,750 to $3,850, but Shelby American guaranteed an average value of $2,584 per car at the end of the program. Shelby American would then perform normal reconditioning and Ford assisted 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, including white, blue, red, 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.

This particular Shelby is one of just 50 Hertz cars finished in Ivy Green with the Gold Le Mans stripes. It is one of 15 units shipped to J.D. Ball Ford in Miami, Florida for dealer preparation and inspection prior to delivery to Hertz for use at the Miami International Airport. After being released from service by Hertz, the Shelby passed through a few owners in Florida before making its way to a collection in Ohio. The current owner acquired the Shelby after 27 years of single ownership.

This Shelby is in original and excellent condition. It retains its correct, numbers-matching HiPo 289 V8. Only 85 Hertz cars were equipped with a four-speed manual from the factory before Hertz abruptly requested that the remaining cars, this example being one of them, be equipped with the C4 automatic transmission due to concerns about repair expenses.

This Shelby has been given one professional repaint several years ago. It has received cosmetic reconditioning and detailing over the years as needed preserving much of its originality and patina. The interior is largely original and remains in excellent condition. Currently, it has just over 80,000 miles showing on the odometer.

by Dan Vaughan

Fastback
Chassis number: SFM6S1183

The cost to rent the Shelby GT350 from Hertz was just $17 a day and 17 cents per mile. One thousand GT350s, with the majority finished in Hertz's colors of black and gold, were delivered to the company for use around the country in 1966.

This particular example was shipped from Carrol Shelby's headquarters in Los Angeles, California on February 28th of 1966, destined for Schwister Ford of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It left finished in Sapphire Blue and Hertz trim, with a radio, chrome Magnum wheels and brake boosters equipped as accessories. Schwister Ford performed the dealer preparations on the GT350, and then delivered it to the local Minneapolis Hertz agency.

This car wears the rarest of the four colors offered; Sapphire Blue GT350 Hertz cars accounted for 57 cars of the production.

By 1967, the car was acquired by the Tomlinson Motor Company, who in turn sold the car to a Mr. Roger Underwood of Peoria, Illinois. The car was later purchased by a Mr. Tim Nolan of Bradford, Illinois, before relocating to Texas where a Mr. Jerry Howard owned the GT350 H. By the early 1970s, a 4-speed manual transmission was installed in 6S1183, but the original automatic transmission remains with the car until this day. By the early 2000s, the Shelby was in Modesto, California.

For the past decade, the GT 350 H has remained with a Bay Area and Phoenix-based collector. Since then, it has been fitted with period-correct power steering. It also has under-the-dash air-conditioning as optioned in the period, and a dash mounted tachometer.

by Dan Vaughan

Fastback
Chassis number: 6S1995

The Ford Mustang Sports Coupe was introduced partway through the 1964 season and was the brainchild of Lee Iacocca. Texan racing driver Carroll Shelby's team had been campaigning Ford's with considerable success in North America, winning the SCCA's B-Production title three years running in the mid-1960s. Shelby later began manufacturing a Shelby GT based on the Mustang, which were officially sanctioned and sold through selected Ford dealerships. The first Shelby Mustang was the GT350 which arrived in 1965 and came powered by a modified version of Ford's 289 cubic-inch high-performance small-block V8 offering 306 horsepower. Buyers could select options that brought the horsepower to 340-360 bhp in competition trim or 400 bhp supercharged. A 4-speed Borg-Warner manual gearbox was standard on the early Shelby Mustangs, though a heavy-duty, 3-speed automatic soon became available as an option.

In 1966, Carroll Shelby entered a deal with Hertz to offer a high-performance rental car to the public for the first time. The cost to rent the Hertz Mustang was just $17 a day and 17 cents per mile. One thousand GT350s, with the majority finished in Hertz's colors of black and gold, were delivered to the company for use around the country in 1966.

This particular example was shipped to Milo Brook Inc. in May of 1966 or preparation prior to its delivery to Hertz in Chicago. It was painted black with gold stripes and given an automatic transmission. The car remained in the rental fleet until September of 1967. The car was then shipped to Courtesy Motors, Inc. in Littleton, Co.

John Beddone Sr., of Phoenix Az. was the next recorded owner. It was later owned by Philip Brown, of Portland, OR., who had the car restored and painted it in red with gold stripes. It was given a Gurney/Eagle 302 with a top loader 4 speed. The car then passed through a few others before being purchased by Rick Warnick, of Brooks OR. Mr. Warnick installed a correct date-coded 289 Hi-Po engine, with 4 speed top loader transmission.

The car passed through other owners before being purchased by the current caretaker in 2007. The new owner brought the car back to its original color scheme of black with gold striping. A five-speed transmission was also fitted, along with a higher speed rear end.

by Dan Vaughan

Fastback

The Hertz line of 'Rent a Racers' were available at your favorite airport destinations. A one-year option, and only the first 85 came with a stick shift, with a reported 1,000 units sent to the rental car company. Hertz sent them back to Ford dealers after the promotion was over, and the dealers sold them off their lots after a clean-up. Sometimes, reportedly, they had to tear out a roll bar and additional performance parts before sale.

Fastback

This particular Shelby GT 350H is one of maybe 50 (plus or minus) Sapphire Blue cars built by the factory. It was shipped to Schwister Ford in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and was prepped for delivery to Hertz in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The current owner is the documented sixth, and the car is being fully restored with its original engine and running gear.

Fastback
Chassis number: SFM 6S977

The Hertz Car Rental Company ordered 1,000 Shelby GT350s from Shelby American on December 21st of 1965. An H was added to the GT350 to designate these as Hertz cars. Initially, all 1,000 examples were to be painted black with gold stripes. By the time production came to a close, 61 red, 50 blue, 50 green, and 50 white cars were delivered to the Hertz Company. These Hertz 'rent-a-racers' were often seen at local race tracks, with several being rented long enough to swap out the desirable Shelby engine and replace it with their Mustang engine before returning the rental car to Hertz. As a result, many of these cars no longer have their original blocks.

This particular example is a red Shelby Hertz car with its original engine block. It was originally supplied to Trudell Ford in Warren, Michigan, in March 1966 for delivery to the Hertz Corporation. The GT350 H spent most of its years residing with owners in California and Texas. It retains original Hertz magnum wheels, Cobra tachometer, competition seat belts, and more. It is also equipped with power steering and brakes.

This GT350H has received a comprehensive restoration performed by Tony Conover.

by Dan Vaughan

Fastback
Chassis number: SFM6S1882

This 1966 Shelby GT350 with number 6S1882 was shipped to Lars Ford, Inc of White Plains, New York on 6/10/66 for dealer preparation prior to being delivered to Hertz in New York. After it arrived at the Ford Motor Company terminal in Mahwah, NJ on 5/23/66, it had a broken windshield which was later replaced by Mahwah FOrd of New Jersey. On 10/17/66, after Hertz refused delivery of the car, a credit memo was issued to them.

Larsen Ford of White Plains, NY purchased the car on 9/29/66 and was invoiced $3,547 plus $119.40 for chrome Magnum wheels, $45.45 for the radio, $50 for the Le Mans stripes, $40 for rear seats, and $102.75 for freight. The total price was $3,905.60. Larsen installed a radio prior to retail sale.

On January 24th, 1967, the car's rear springs were repaired to eliminate a rattle with 0 miles. The original owner, a Mr. R. Bartener of Bartner (Bronx, NY), acquired the vehicle on 1/13/1967. A few months later, on 4/10/67, a seat belt was replaced with 1,432 miles, brake pads and linings were replaced on 4/10/67 with 1,432 miles, the left shock was replaced on 4/17/67 with 2,855 miles. The left door trim was replaced on 4/28/67 with 3,223 miles.

Pat Hoxie of Daytona Beach, Fl. acquired the car in 1976 from Eckhouse Motors of Arlington, VA. Russell Nelson of Salem, VA became its next owner on 4/1/1986, followed by Edward A. Andersen of Barboursville, VA on 11/20/88 in restored condition. James and Nacy Williams of Brookneal, VA became the car's next owner.

It was featured in Mustang Monthly and later listed for sale on eBay with a closing date of 10/11/00 where the auction results are not known. James T. Elsmore of Reno, NV acquired it at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Los Angeles, CA (6/15 to 16/2001) for $45,500.

It was later listed for sale on eBay where it had a starting bid of $174,000. It was later offered for sale at the Russo and Steel auction in Scottsdale, Az.

by Dan Vaughan

Fastback
Chassis number: SFM 6S568

Shelby struck a deal with the Hertz rental car company to offer his performance-enhanced Mustang as part of the Hertz's new Sports Car Club. A total of 1,000 of the GT 350 H models were supplied to Hertz in 1966 and most were finished in black with distinctive gold Le Mans stripes. 85 examples of the GT350 H models were originally delivered with a four-speed manual transmission. With clutches needing to be replaced at an alarming rate, and many of the Hertz being returned after a weekend rental with signs of racing numbers still on the doors, Hertz made the decision to equip the remaining cars with automatic transmissions.

This particular example is equipped with a four-speed transmission and finished in black. It was ordered by Hertz on November 15th of 1965 and shipped to Riesmeyer Motor Co. in Crestwood, Missouri, on December 28th, 1965 for dealer prep, then delivered to Hertz in St. Louis, Missouri. Hertz was invoiced $3,547, plus additional cost for chrome Magnum 500 wheels, brake booster, and a radio, for a total of $3,767.40.

Upon arrival on January 7th, 1966 the antenna required replacing as it had bent in shipping. On January 13th, 1966, issues with the hood required it to be refinished.

After its use as a hertz rental car came to an end, the car was sold to the general public. It is believed that this car remained in Missouri until approximately 2006 under various owners. The car was eventually sold to Florida before being purchased by the current owner from Southern California in early 2014.

The car was given a show-quality restoration overseen by Steve Beck of Checkpoint Automotive and completed in October 2020.

It is believed that this car is powered by its original powerplant with proper stamping, backed by a correct-type aluminum T-10 transmission, and the rear axle is the correct nine-inch unit. Inside, there are three-inch lap belts, Ford push-button radio, a dash-mounted Cobra tachometer, and a wood-rimmed steering wheel.

by Dan Vaughan

Fastback

This 1966 Shelby GT350H has been owned by its current caretaker since December of 1971, who purchased it for $1,000. It has been a daily driver for the past two decades. It was given a restoration by its owner, has been in 38 states, and was driven to Bonneville.

by Dan Vaughan

The first year of sales for the GT350 models were good but they weren't 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 everybody's 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 high-performance rental cars to customers. The cars could be rented by virtually anyone, as long as they were over the age of 25 and were capable of operating and controlling these machines. Most of the cars were adorned in black paint with gold stripes. The first batch of cars were equipped with manual transmission but the company quickly changed that policy to automatics after many cars were returned in less-than-perfect condition. It was not uncommon to see these cars raced on the tracks during the weekend and returned a few days latter with a little less rubber on the tires and the owners grinning from cheek-to-cheek.

For 1969 the Mustang was given a makeover. The hood was constructed of fiberglass and was fitted with five NACA-style hood scoops and locking hood pins. Under the hood was a Cleveland 351 cubic-inch V8 that was rated at 300 horsepower. In the front was a black recessed grille with two fitted headlights. The wheels were five-spoke aluminum and fitted to Goodyear Polyglas GT radial tires.

In 1969 for only $12 a day, an individual could rent one of these cars from the Hertz rental store as part of their 'Rent-A-Racer' program. Or they could get the car for $60 a week plus 11 cents a mile.

In 1969 a total of 150 examples were produced.

by Dan Vaughan