1965 Shelby G.T. 350. Photos courtesy Mecum Auctions.
To make the Mustang appealing to a broader range of buyers, and to fit its “Total Performance” image, Ford knew it needed a version that could be raced on Sunday, then driven to work on Monday. Enlisting the help of Carroll Shelby and his team, the result was the G.T. 350, a car that would soon become a performance legend. First-year G.T. 350s are among the most desirable, and in proof of this point, an early-build 1965 Shelby G.T. 350, assembled before Shelby left its Venice, California, headquarters, sold for $410,000 at Mecum’s recent Dallas auction.
Completed by Shelby American on February 5, 1965, SFM5018 (translated as Shelby Ford Mustang, 1965, serial number 018) was said to be among the first 31 examples assembled and one of the 100 onsite for the initial SCCA homologation insepction. As part of its transformation from Mustang to Shelby, the car lost its back seat (to meet SCCA B-Production regulations), received a heavily revised front suspension (with relocated upper control arm mounting points), picked up stiffer springs and Koni shocks, added a thicker front anti-roll bar, gained traction bars and picked up a Detroit Locker rear differential, available with 3.70, 3.89, 4.10 or 4.33 gear ratios. Brakes were enhanced to reduce fade, and Goodyear Blue-Dot high-performance tires were standard issue.
Under-hood, Ford’s 289 V-8 was enhanced with a high-rise intake manifold, cast from aluminum to save weight; a Holley four-barrel carburetor delivering fuel at 715 CFM; “Tri-Y” exhaust headers with low restriction side pipes; and a larger radiator to improve cooling under track conditions. Valve covers were finned aluminum, as was the new 6.5-quart oil pan, which featured internal baffles to prevent oil starvation during high-speed cornering.
Inside, an instrument pod designed by Peter Brock sat front and center on the dashboard, leaving the tachometer and oil pressure gauge in the driver’s line of sight. Such a revision from Ford would have taken months to execute, but thanks to the talent of Shelby’s in-house team (and the availability of suitable instruments from the aftermarket) the changes didn’t set the project back. Instead of a plastic-rimmed steering wheel, the driver gripped one made of aluminum and wood, and competition-spec lap belts ensured that the G.T. 350 could serve its race-on-Sunday-commute-on-Monday mission.
On the racetrack, the Shelby G.T. 350R models did exceptionally well, immediately proving successful in the SCCA’s B-Production class and delivering championships in 1965, 1966, and 1967. On the street, however, buyers were less than enamored with the original G.T. 350’s harsh ride and noisy Detroit Locker differential, prompting changes for 1966 production. Others complained that, as good as the G.T. 350 may have been, it still looked too much like the Mustang one could buy at the local Ford dealer. Ultimately, this prompted styling changes from Shelby that seemed to grow more audacious with each passing year.
Sold new to Paul J. Miller of Arcadia, California in February of 1965, SFM5018 reportedly spent the first four decades of its life in Southern California, once gracing the collection of baseball great and muscle car aficionado Reggie Jackson. Restored circa 1995, the Shelby had been part of a private collection for the past 11 years.
1969 Dodge Daytona.
Other lots in the Dallas top-10 included a 1968 Chevrolet Yenko Camaro RS/SS, which sold for $335,000; an unrestored 1970 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda, showing a claimed 36,000 miles, which sold for $260,000; a 1969 Dodge Daytona, which sold for $242,500; a 1984 Lamborghini Countach 5000S, which sold for $210,000; a 2002 BMW Z8 Roadster, which sold for $180,000; a 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 fastback, which sold for $180,000; a 1970 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda, which sold for $112,500; a 1967 Shelby G.T. 350 fastback, which sold for $107,000; and a 1960 Mercedes-Benz 220SE cabriolet, which sold for $102,500.
1964 Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe.
More affordable lots of interest included a 1967 Dodge Charger, which sold for $9,500; a 1964 Ford Galaxie 500XL, which sold for $9,500; a 1959 Chevrolet Biscayne two-door sedan, which sold for $9,500; a 1947 Dodge club coupe fire chief’s car, which sold for $8,500; a 1964 Chevrolet Impala sport coupe, which sold for $8,500; a 1927 Chevrolet sedan, which sold for $7,500; a 1965 Chevrolet Chevy II, which sold for $7,000; a 1968 Chevrolet Suburban, which sold for $6,500; a 1951 Buick Super 8, which sold for $5,000; and a 1981 Chrysler Imperial, which sold for $4,500.
For complete results from the Dallas sale, visit Mecum.com.
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