Shelby GT350R

[Phildaupho]

Great photos of GT350R prototype which is going to be auction Saturday January 15 1965 Shelby GT350R Prototype | S160 | Kissimmee 2022 (mecum.com)

[Mike 1017]

As car guys we really need thank the people who had foresight to keep such cars. 

Mike

[afx]

Thanks for sharing this.

[Zippi]

Nice looking.  My wife wants a 65/66 Mustang when she retires this year but that's going to be a little above her pay grade.  

[Venom]

Great reference!!

[Phildaupho]

The sale price with buyers commission $4,070,000 !!

Edited January 15, 2022 by Phildaupho

[deuces wild]

If only I had the roughage....($$$$$)....?? I  do have a couple of the Monogram 1/24 scale GT-350R kits though... Those should be fun to build.....?

 

Edited January 16, 2022 by deuces wild

[Painted Black]

If I had that much money, I would build something I could drive!!!

[Misha]

On 1/8/2022 at 1:11 PM, Phildaupho said:

Great photos of GT350R prototype which is going to be auction Saturday January 15 1965 Shelby GT350R Prototype | S160 | Kissimmee 2022 (mecum.com)

Thanks Phil for the great link to all the photos! Especially useful are the interior shots. Great resource for us that can’t  afford the real one yet are able to build a scaled down version. Plus it doesn’t take up as much space ?

Cheers Misha

[deuces wild]

How about a fake '65 Shelby Mustang GT-350R???? From what I read, the owner dumped some serious $$$ into this one with all nos Shelby parts... 

I think I  can gather up all the parts from my Monogram kits to build a model replica of this one...

 

Except for the wheels....?

Edited January 26, 2022 by deuces wild

[vamach1]

On 1/26/2022 at 6:18 PM, deuces wild said:

How about a fake '65 Shelby Mustang GT-350R???? From what I read, the owner dumped some serious $$$ into this one with all nos Shelby parts... 

I think I  can gather up all the parts from my Monogram kits to build a model replica of this one...

 

Except for the wheels....?

The steering wheel isn’t stock.  The front valence is wrong.  Shelby made four 66 convertibles and later Beverly Hills Mustang that made twelve more in the 1980s with Shelbys approval.  Basically anyone can take a 65/66 convertible and add Shelby parts but if it does not have an original HIPO engine it’s just a car modified to suit the owners taste.  it would probably for for $50K at an auction if it’s well done.

Edited January 28, 2022 by vamach1

[deuces wild]

Yeah, I did try to fit the front valence to the convertible body and I'm having issues with it.... Looks like I need to section it a bit and glue it back together.... It's probably the same with the fastback body....???

[afx]

Shelby's personal car.

 

[afx]

Most sources say (4) '66 GT350 convertibles built, I have a book that claims (6) were built including (2) in Wimbledon White.  Not sure which is correct. 

I'll try and find the book with the reference to (6) cars being built and post it later.

Edited January 27, 2022 by afx

[vamach1]

11 hours ago, afx said:

Most sources say (4) '66 GT350 convertibles built, I have a book that claims (6) were built including (2) in Wimbledon White.  Not sure which is correct. 

I'll try and find the book with the reference to (6) cars being built and post it later.

SAAC and Shelby confirmed there were only four.  Six was the rumored number for decades until all four cars were found and verified.

Edited January 27, 2022 by vamach1

[deuces wild]

Yeah, for years I thought there were 6 also.... May as well build the model.... I can't understand why Monogram never released a '66 GT-350 droptop even though they have the molds to do so...??

Edited January 27, 2022 by deuces wild

[afx]

I believe (4) is correct but here is the book reference I mentioned earlier, published in 1992:

Edited January 28, 2022 by afx

[vamach1]

48 minutes ago, afx said:

I believe (4) is correct but here is the book reference I mentioned earlier, published in 1992:

Be interesting to see the SAAC registry and what it lists.  I have that book also in storage.

[DustyMojave]

The GT350R in this topic is a car I Tech Inspected a few times when it was raced in SCCA events in SoCal. Yes. I was a kid. But I worked Tech with my folks. I grew up involved with SCCA racing.  I see a few details on this car as presented, that are not correct. Like the door windows on aluminum rails. Rules then required at least one window open. Also removal of the wind wings was not allowed. But the spare tire...I never saw a GT350 raced with one. MAYBE in FIA sanctioned endurance races like Sebring. But in SCCA B/Production...Nah. In 1965, SCCA Production class rules required the stock right front seat, although the driver's seat could be replaced for driver comfort. Door interior panels were supposed to be full stock. The roll bar should have a diagonal brace and the rear braces should go to the rear fender wells. Not to the trunk.

Oh...And for a car selling for $4million dollars, they COULD have spent $30 for a fire extinguisher that's not depleted.

I see inaccuracies in the paint as well. Like the front valance stripes should end at the side of the lower radiator inlet. Not extend up the sides.

I made a living for many years building race cars and restoring old race cars. I'm retired from that. I've seen LOTS of restorations to how the current owners think it should be, not how it was done originally. And when you're dealing with a car worth from a few hundred thousand to several million bucks, I have always felt that such details matter. I could tell you about the Shelby 67 Mustang Trans Am and when the owner talked to other "Vintage Racers" who were racing later era Trans AM cars and they talked him into putting on wider wheels and tires and flaring the fenders and replacing the front a-arms with tubular arms and coilovers. I walked in the shop one morning to find a stack of tubular arms, wider wheels and tires, new fender panels with really pretty flares (not allowed in 1967 Trans Am rules) welded and bolted on. I told the owner and the other fab guy abut a 1968 Mustang with no history, but built really nicely with all of those modifications that had been lollygagging on the internet for over a year with an asking price of $30K. The owner of the '67 I was working on was looking for a sale value of around $400K as his car had history. So I told them I could do such modifications. But I wouldn't like it. I went to the office and pulled that other Mustang on the computer for them to see. They were both pretty mad at me. Correct that...REALLY MAD! But the next Monday, the flared rear fenders were cut off, the flared front fenders were piled in the corner with the tubular arms, Wilwood 6-puck brakes, fabricated spindles and coilovers. I was told to start putting the stock suspension parts back on it and when the new fenders arrived to put them on the car. No other discussion about it. But many times there's nobody around that was there when the car was originally being raced who cares about how it's "restored".

As for the wheels on that GT350 wannabe convertible, they are Cragar GT wheels. 1-piece cast aluminum, NOT cast aluminum centers welded to steel rims and then chrome plated like Cragar SS. I have an MPC 69 Coronet Super Bee with them on it. It's as I built it in '69. They may have come in that kit.

[afx]

Referring to my book post above - imagine a pink GT350 convertible!  A wolf in sheep's clothing to be sure.

Edited January 28, 2022 by afx

[afx]

9 hours ago, vamach1 said:

Be interesting to see the SAAC registry and what it lists.  I have that book also in storage.

I have the '97 edition, I'll check it when I have a chance.

Edited January 28, 2022 by afx

[Phildaupho]

10 hours ago, DustyMojave said:

 

Thanks Richard - I always enjoy your insightful and educational posts.

[Phildaupho]

6 hours ago, afx said:

I have the '97 edition, I'll check it when I have a chance.

16 hours ago, afx said:

 

 

 

16 hours ago, vamach1 said:

 

 

18 hours ago, deuces wild said:

 

 

 

16 hours ago, vamach1 said:

 

 

On 1/27/2022 at 7:28 AM, vamach1 said:

 

SAAC and Shelby confirmed there were only four.  Six was the rumored number for decades until all four cars were found and verified.

 

I just checked my 1997 registry and have attached the information on the convertible below. I was at the 1990 Palm Springs Historics at which Shelby were  the featured cars. There was a red convertible on display and they were giving out information sheets. I got one which I saved but currently cannot locate. I am pretty sure they wanted to build another series of continuation convertible. The car on display had a very simple roll bar. For years I have had a '64 1/2 convertible kit set aside with all the GT350 parts and a very nice set of GMP ten spoke wheels with Goodyear lettered tires.

Randy Leffingwell said in his book that the car Carroll drove was Candy Apple Red which would make a great looking model.

[Phildaupho]

1966 GT350 Shelby-Zagato - On the page opposite the information regarding the convertible is this interesting car which would make a great model car subject

[vamach1]

So four convertibles it is.  Easy to make a model with the Revell/Monogram convertible with parts from a GT350 kit.

Edited January 28, 2022 by vamach1