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Mysterious 1967 Shelby Mustang GT350 Surfaces in Chicago, It's Been Sitting for 53 Years

Shelbys built in the 1960s are among the rarest first-generation Ford Mustangs. Records show that Carroll's shop put together almost 14,000 cars from 1965 to 1970, including GT350s and GT500s in various configurations.
1967 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350 drag car 8 photos
Photo: Dennis Collins/YouTube
1967 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350 drag car1967 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350 drag car1967 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350 drag car1967 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350 drag car1967 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350 drag car1967 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350 drag car1967 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350 drag car
Which Shelby is the rarest of them all? Well, if we ignore specific model years, the GT500KR stands out with fewer than 1,300 units put together in 1968, but there are a couple of GT350s that are really scarce, hard to find, and expensive.

The 1966 Shelby GT350 Convertible is one of them. Only six of them were built that year, but the drop-top configuration returned in 1968 and 1969. In all, Shelby made 604 of them. Then there's the 1965 race-spec GT350R, of which only 37 were made.

But this GT350 that was recently uncovered in Chicago might just be the rarest of them all. Simply because it is unique. This Shelby has been sitting in storage since 1969 and, because it doesn't have a VIN, no one has been able to identify it so far.

The info that's been uncovered so far suggests that this modified muscle car is a 1967 Shelby GT350. There's no VIN to confirm it, but the big amount of original parts that are still on the car hint that it was built by Shelby in 1967.

But here's the interesting bit. This GT350 was converted into a drag racer. And not just any run-of-the-mill, late 1960s dragster, but some sort of experimental vehicle with the engine pushed farther back than usual. Farther than the regulations allowed at the time, which might explain why it was retired into storage in 1969.

Yup. this car was never completely finished and never raced. But it was close to hitting the quarter-mile with loads of high-end racing parts and an authentic Shelby roll bar. Was it an experimental drag car put together by Carroll himself?

Not very likely, but that's something Dennis Collins, who recently purchased the GT350, is looking to find out. But the guys who sold it to him suspect that this Shelby might be the GT350 no. 1444, a car that's been missing since 1967, shortly after it was produced.

This car definitely provides more questions than answers, but it's a cool find. And even if it proves to not be an authentic Shelby, it's still a unique Mustang with an interesting drag racing layout that needs to be revived and taken to the drag strip.

Until we find out more about it, check out the lengthy video below. It includes a comprehensive tour of the car, a ton of Shelby history, and an interesting talk on what this GT350 might be about.

What do you think? Is this an authentic Shelby that's been missing for decades or is it just a regular Mustang converted into a dragster that never got to race?

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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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