The Shelby Mustang Frequently Asked Questions

Most resently updated at:
Please send your comments, questions and additions to eskoufos@yahoo.com Some of the questions and answers come from the Shelby Mustang Mailing List

When was the Shelby Mustangs Produced?

The Shelby Mustang was produced for 1965 to 1970 model years. The first GT 350's were manufactured on Sptember1964 and the last Shelby Mustang was manufactured on September 1969. A 1970 model Shelby was not planned and was the result of having left-over 1969 cars. By then most of the performance features that were offerred exclusively on the earlier Shelby's were included in the Ford-controlled Mach 1's and Bosses, which resulted in the demise of the Shelby Mustang.

What Body Styles of Shelby Mustangs Were Manufactured?

The basic body stylo of the Shelby Mustang was the fastback (known as sportroof for 1969 and 1970). Fewer convertables were made at the 68, 69 and 70 models. Twenty six trans-am GT 350 coupe models were made in 1967 and Seven GT 350 coupe models were made in 1968.

Which Models Were Produced and What Do the Leters and The Numbers Mean?

There were two basic models and their variations, the GT 350 and the GT 500. The first Shelby Mustangs were the GT 350 models. The GT designates that the car is based on the Mustang GT (Grand Tourism). There are anecdotes regarding the exact nature of the 350 designation, but it seems that the number was chosen because it was larger than any other number that was on a car badge and because it was a fairly rounded number. The "R" on the GT 350R models stands for "racing", since the purpose of these cars was actual competition. The "H" on the GT 350H models stand for "Hertz" and these cars were manufactured specifically for the car rental company. The 500 was used on the GT500 was to signify that the particular model had the big block V8, in contrast to its smaller sibling. The KR designation in the 1968 GT 500KR, stands for "King of the Road".

How Many Shelby Mustangs Were Made?

The following numbers of Shelby Mustangs have been reported (Updated to the current edition numbers, thanks to Steve) In other words, the highest production Shelby Mustang was the 1967 GT 500 that was feature in the "Gone in 60 seconds" movies.

What are the engine and performance specifications of the Shelby Mustangs?

Here is a table that contains some of this information. I would appreciate your help in filling in the blanks:

Car 1965 GT350 Fastback 1965 GT350R Fastback 1966 GT350 Fastback 1966 GT350H Fastback 1967 GT350 Fastback 1967 GT350 Trans Am Coupe 1967 GT500 Fastback 1968 GT350 Fastback 1968 GT350 Convertible 1968 GT350 Trans Am Coupe 1968 GT500 Fastback 1968 GT500 Convertible 1968 GT500KR Fastback 1968 GT500KR Convertible 1969 and 1970 GT350 Sportroof 1969 GT350H Sportroof 1969 and 1970 GT350 Convertible 1969 and 1970 GT500 Sportroof 1969 and 1970 GT500 Convertible
Engine 289 4V 289 4V 289 4V 289 4V 289 4V ? 428 302 302 ? 428/427 428 428 CJ 428 CJ 351 W 351 W 351 W 428 428
Base HP 306 @ 6000 350 @ 5400 306 @ 6000 306 @ 6000 306 @ 6000 ? 355 @ 5400 250 @ 6000 250 @ 6000 ? 355 @ 5400/390 @ 5600 355 @ 5400 400+ @ 5600 400+ @ 5600 290 @ 4800 290 @ 4800 290 @ 4800 355 @ 5400 355 @ 5400
Base Torque 329 @ 4200 350 @ 3200 329 @ 4200 329 @ 4200 329 @ 4200 ? 420 @ 3200 318 @ 3200 318 @ 3200 ? 420 @ 3200/460 @ 3200 420 @ 3200 440 @ 3400 440 @ 3400 385 @ 3200 385 @ 3200 385 @ 3200 440 @ 3400 440 @ 3400
Weight 2800 2723 2800 2800 2723 ? 3286 2980 ? ? 3286/? ? 3286 ? 2723 ? ? 4230 ?
0-60 mph 6.5 sec (1) 5.2 sec 6.2 sec (2) 6.6 sec 7.1 ? 6.7/6.5/6.2 ? ? ? 6.9 ? 6.5 (3) ? 8.0 (4) ? ? 5.5 (5) ?
1/4 mile 14.9 @ 95 mph (1) 12.9 @ 110 mph 14 @ 92 mph (2) 15.2 @ 93 mph 15.3 @ 91 mph ? 14.3 @ 92 mph/14.59 @ 101 mph/14.60 @ 99 mph ? ? ? 13.16 @ 108.1 mph ? 14.57 @ 99.55mph (3) ? 15.59 @ 89.09 (4) ? ? 13.9 @ 103.32 mph (5) ?
top speed 135 mph ? ? 117 mph 119 mph ? 132 mph ? ? ? 115 mph ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
(1) Car and Driver 5/65; (2) Car Life 7/66; (3) Car Life 10/68; (4) Car Life 2/69; (5)Car Life 3/69

Is There a Correct Name for the Shelby Mustangs; Are They Cobras?

In order to answer this questions I have done some research in the sales and marketing literature for the Shelby Mustangs. The cars are almost always refered to as "Shelby GT350/500". The name "Mustang" does not appear. Early 1965 ads refer to the GT350 as "Shelby G.T.350" (note the periods). The original marketing purpose was to give the impression that this is a race car sold to the public. The name "Cobra" did not appear, probably because it may be thought to cause confusion with the Shelby Cobra roadsters. The marketing line was that the cars were a mixture of a Mustang and Cobra, but neither of the word appear on the name, but both Cobra and Mustang insignia are on the cars. The Ford name and insignia are absent. From 67 on, the cars lose the Mustang badge on the grill (replaced by a Cobra badge) and "Cobra" is added to their name. In addition "SHELBY" appears on the front of the hood. The cars are refered in the literature as the "Shelby Cobra GT's". I prefer to refer to them as "Shelby Mustangs" because they are Mustangs modified and tuned by Shelby. Names are different in context (in the 60s) and now. Everyone that looked at a Shelby Mustang then new it was a Mustang, because it looked like a Mustang and Mustangs were aplenty. Now fastback Mustangs from the 60s are a rare sight and difficult to identify for the casual observer, so the name "Mustang" help this purpose. The "Shelby Cobra GT" is confusing because it looks a lot like "Shelby Cobra 427" and "Shelby GT40", which refer to cars that share only common engines with the Mustang. Nevertheless, what one calls this great cars is a matter of personal preference.

Were There Any Cars Made Using the 427 Engine?

The 427 "side-oiler" engine with 425bhp @6000rpm and 476@3400 torque was in Mustangs in 1968. The side oiler was an older Ford engine developed for NASCAR racing, and was used in Fords from 1962 to 1968. In 1968 the 427 engine was an option in Mustang GTs (Not Shelby's). In 1968 GT500's had the 428 ram air engine that was rated conservatively 335@5600 hp and 445@3400 torque. In 1967 three GT500 cars left the factory with the 427 engine. The rest had the 390 engine rated at 320@4800 bhp and 427@3200 torque. No dealer-modified 427 engines were installed. Some GT500's have been modified by their owners with the 427 engine that was fitted in the Mustang. An excellent example of such a car can be seen here. The 427 engine was used in the Cobra roadsters and the GT40 and was considered much "racier" than the 428CJ and it's cost was (and is) much higher. This modifications was fairly common for the 427 to be listed among the Shelby Mustang Engines.

What is the best way to acquire a Shelby Mustang?

There is really not a "best" way. There are several ways:
You can look on auction sites, such as eBay ; or you can cross-search multiple auction sites via the go.com service. There seem to be several listings of Shelby Mustangs. However, I would really suggest a soul searching before getting a Shelby Mustang. It is a very large investment for a car that is not a daily driver but a collector's items. If you decide that you want to be a collector, it is an excellent car to own. If you want a "fun" car to race and to cruise, there might be better/cheaper/faster choices.
The second way to look is through reputable classic car dealers. A third through adverticements in Mustang or other club publications or in the trade press. Before you buy, you need to make sure that you are getting a real Shelby Mustang and not a clone (a clone - a car that was born a production Mustang and was altered to look like a Shelby with various degrees of success- can be acceptable for someone that wants a head turner "fun" car, but not for a collector). The Shelby Registry Publication contains all the serial numbers of the Shelby Mustangs. Make sure that yours is included before you buy.

What are the Shelby stipe specifications?

In order to correctly restore a Shelby Mustang the correct specifications should be followed. There are two kinds of stripes, the side stripes with the car model and the top stripes. Only the 1965's had factory top stripes that were dealer added options in the other models. You can find detailed description of the top stipes and the side stipes in these links. The exact dimensions for the 1965 top (or LeMans) stripes are: There are several places to buy the side stripes. One of them is:stripesanddecals.com which is lisenced by Shelby. In 1965 the original side stripes were painted, not glued, so to restore to original one should order the paint stencil kit.

Did all or any of the 67GT500 have the transverse muffler?

Walt Boeninger via the Shelby Mustang list:
I believe they all had transverse mufflers. And I am sure they all should have the GT valence, with the early cars, at least up to #538, having chrome trim around the cutout. Without the cutout, the factory tips would have to be aimed down to clear the valence
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