The 1965 Ford Shelby GT350R is going back into production

[afx]

The Shelby gang's back together again. Calling themselves the Original Venice Crew, former Shelby American team members have joined forces to create an essentially new and moderately updated version of the Shelby GT350R.

This crew consists of Peter Brock, Jim Marietta, and Ted Sutton—and they're channeling Carroll Shelby's spirit.

Shelby hit upon some road-racing magic when he got his hands on the 1965 Ford Mustang, . He turned what he called a "secretary's car" into a real street-legal race car. It was dubbed the Shelby GT350R and it was fitted with a modified version of Ford's K-Code engine. They also had drum brakes, four-speed gearboxes, and live rear axles. If you want to own one today, you'd need to come up with a serious pile of cash and find someone willing to part with their car.

Or, you can buy a brand-new one from the team that helped bring the original to life.

Just 36 examples will be built and there's reportedly one heading up to Monterey for car week. These will be based on 1965 Ford Mustangs like the original, with bodies that have been rehabbed to make sure they're up to the task. Similar to the original K-Code cars, a 289 cubic-inch V-8 will sit under the hood, and it will be backed up by a Borg Warner four-speed manual gearbox.

Peter Brock has a few upgrades ready though, and these are items he wanted on the car back in the '60s. Now that he gets his chance to update things, he's doing so by adding plexiglas windows, a new front valence, and an independent rear suspension. That's right, Brock knew all those decades ago that the car needed help out back. Now he gets his chance to show the world how much better the car would've been with that rear suspension upgrade.

We have no word yet on how much these reborn GT350Rs will cost. They won't be cheap, but you'll never have another chance to own a brand-new officially licensed Shelby GT350R anytime soon.

[robhart]

Interesting. I'm sure they'll sell every one they build for top dollar, but personally I'd rather have a current generation GT350R.

[dustymojave]

Not that I don't respect these guys, especially Pete Brock, but I don't necessarily agree with Peter that independent rear suspension will help the car. GT350s ate up Corvette Stingrays of the time with a smaller engine in a bigger car and a solid rear axle on parallel leaf springs. Not even 4-links, no panhard rod. LEAF SPRINGS. GT350s often even beat 289 Cobras with the same engine and trans in a bigger car. Falcon Monte Carlos in '63 and '64 before the GT350s got plexi side and back windows with aluminum frames on the door windows and windwings. GT350Rs got plexi rear windows with the air siphon opening at the top. I'm not too keen on the front valance/bumper either. I would have hoped the stance would have been improved from stock Mustang. And MAYBE a little aero help with a spoiler at the rear. After all, Pete DID write an SAE paper about front and rear spoilers way back when. If you're gonna update things, those 2 factors would probably improve performance more than IRS.

[johnwebster]

Disc brakes with dual master cylinders and an adjustable balance bar would be nice.

[afx]

Would these cars be eligible for historic racing?

[mustangrex]

Aug 19, 2017 11:11:46 GMT -8 afx said:

Would these cars be eligible for historic racing?

I think is they use original chassis yes but the independent rear mod may preclude them from competitive events.  People run street Mustangs that were converted to look like a Boss 302 (as were the originals) at Monterrey.

[alterrenner]

I believe Brock wanted to put IRS on the Mustang back in the 60"s. Glad he's finally got the chance.
The Wife has other plans with any Lottery winnings, but it would still be a neat toy!
--Frank

[dustymojave]

Aside from the IRS, it appears that these GT350s would qualify for vintage events. Since Shelby sold all GT350 parts through Ford dealer parts departments, any 65 or 66 Mustang 2+2 could be raced as a GT350, and many cars that were raced as GT350s back then actually were not factory GT350s. 67s and 68s were the same, as were 69s and 70s. The Trans Am notchback Mustangs were the same too. Any body could build a race version from a regular street Mustang. By the same token, one could build a race Z28 out of any Camaro too, as Chevy sold the parts through dealers.

[afx]

I know the car didn't have to be born a race car to compete in T/A, SCCA etc. However I would think the new "upgrades", particularly a suspension that was never offer by the manufacturer on that model would disqualify them from competing in historic events.