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Shelby GT350 "Mustero" Is the 1966 Mustang Pickup that Ford Never Built

A Mustang-based pickup may seem like a wild idea, but there was a time when Ford offered a car-based utility vehicle. I'm talking about the Ranchero, which was introduced in 1957 and lasted in showrooms until 1979.
1966 Ford Mustang pickup conversion 11 photos
Photo: Ron Stroschein/Facebook Marketplace
1966 Ford Mustang utility pickup conversion1966 Ford Mustang utility pickup conversion1966 Ford Mustang utility pickup conversion1966 Ford Mustang utility pickup conversion1966 Ford Mustang utility pickup conversion1966 Ford Mustang utility pickup conversion1966 Ford Mustang utility pickup conversion1966 Ford Mustang utility pickup conversion1966 Ford Mustang utility pickup conversion1966 Ford Mustero
It shared underpinnings with the Falcon, Fairlane, Torino, and LTD and at some point it even spawned a muscle car version with a big 429 V8 under the hood.

Chevrolet answered with the El Camino in 1959, but abandoned the market one year later. The El Camino returned in 1964 and became an icon of American motoring. It soldiered on until 1987.

What you may not know is that the 1966 Mustang also spawned a pickup version. It was created by a Los Angeles area dealership with Ford's blessing and it was called the Mustero. Yup, the weird name came from combining the words Mustang and Ranchero.

Beverly Hills Ford intended to build 50 of them, but it never met that target. Precise output is unknown, but only four are known to exist, one of which was auctioned off back in January 2021.

The car you see here is also a Mustero, but it has nothing in common with the contraptions built in Los Angeles. This one seems to be based on a 1966 Shelby GT350. And I say "seems" because I'm pretty sure it's not an authentic GT350 with a bed, but a regular Mustang made to look like a Shelby.

Listed for sale via Facebook Marketplace, this GT350 with a bed is a mystery. And the seller doesn't have any info on it either. All he knows is that it has been "recently found at an estate, after 40 years of storage."

As far as I know, Shelby never built a pickup version of the GT350. And this one doesn't seem to be an original Mustero with Shelby stripes either. That's primarily because it features a much narrower B-pillar than the Mustero. Here's a photo of an original 1966 Mustero for a proper comparison.

1966 Ford Mustero
Photo: Mecum Auctions
But needless to say, whoever built this thing made sure that the Shelby badges and stripes are in the right place. It even features a lip spoiler, a hood scoop, and quick-release pins.

For a car that's been sitting in storage for four decades, this Mustero replica doesn't look bad. But the front end needs some work, while the bed is a bit rusty. On the other hand, there's no engine under the hood. The automatic gearbox is still in place, but this pickup will need a new mill to drive again.

The seller hasn't listed a price, but he's accepting offers and a possible trade. How much is thing worth? Well, it's difficult to tell without proper documentation, but since it's not an original Shelby or Mustero, it's probably worth well below a 1966 Mustang in a similar condition. Still a cool and unique build though.
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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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