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Modified 1965 Ford Mustang Is a Shelby GT350 Racer in Disguise, Needs a New Home

Introduced in 1965, the Shelby GT350 was the first track-prepped version of the Ford Mustang. It remained in production for just a couple of years, and Ford built almost 3,000 of them, including some 1,000 examples ordered by Hertz in 1966. But only a few of them were true factory race cars.
Modified 1965 Ford Mustang race car 14 photos
Photo: Bring a Trailer
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Ford rolled out only 572 GT350s in 1965, 514 of which were street production models. In addition to a couple of prototypes, Ford put together 34 race-spec cars, which went on to win several SCCA events. These competition-spec Shelbys are now extremely hard to find, and they usually cost millions of dollars.

Getting one for personal use is next to impossible if you don't have a really fat wallet, but that doesn't necessarily mean you can't race a first-gen Mustang at mind-boggling speeds. Someone built a GT350 replica out of a regular fastback, and it's up for grabs.

There isn't much info about the car's original specs, but we know that it was purchased by the seller in 2011 and sent to Maeco Motorsport for the makeover. The California-based shop dropped a Ford Racing, 4.9-liter V8, and a long list of race-ready components under the hood.

There's CP Carrillo connect rods, a Bryant Racing crankshaft, and Manley intake and exhaust valves. The V8 also packs a Holley 800-cfm carburetor, an Edelbrock dual-plane intake manifold, and an MSD ignition with a rev limiter set to 7,200 rpm.

Power travels to the rear wheels through a four-speed Toploader manual transmission and a nine-inch rear axle with a Detroit locker and a 3.70:1 final-drive ratio. No word on how much oomph hits the rear axle, but we're probably talking about more than 400 horsepower.

On the outside, this Mustang looks like a proper vintage GT350. The bumpers have been removed for that factory racer look, while the 15-inch American Racing wheels also look identical to the rollers that Ford used back in the day. It even features dual, over-the-top stripes and a few decals to complete a light livery. Sure, it's painted yellow, and it goes against the traditional white with blue stripes recipe, but it will stand out at any Shelby GT350 meeting.

Upgrades don't stop here, though. The Mustang is also fitted with a fiberglass hood, plexiglass windows, a vented rear window, bucket seats, a roll cage, and a fire-suppression system. It rides on a track-ready suspension and an enhanced braking system with discs at the front axle.

But the really cool thing about this Mustang is that it actually raced at the track. According to the sales ad, the seller has driven the car in 15 track days, and there's a two-minute video filmed at Laguna Seca to prove it.

If you're in the market for a full-fledged vintage racer, this fastback is auctioned off on Bring a Trailer. Bidding is at $25,000 with six days to go, and it will probably increase significantly toward the end. Service records show over $50,000 in work performed by Maeco Motorsport, so this is by no means a DIY garage project.

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About the author: Ciprian Florea
Ciprian Florea profile photo

Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer.
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