1966 SHELBY GT350H FASTBACK

1966 SHELBY GT350H FASTBACK
Chassis no. SFM6S707
289ci OHV V8 Engine
Single Four-Barrel Holley Carburetor
306bhp at 6,000rpm
Automatic Transmission
Front Independent Suspension - Live Rear Axle
Front Disc - Rear Drum Brakes

*Carroll Shelby's personal GT350H
*On display at Shelby Automobiles since 2008
*Desirable Hertz "Rent-a-Racer" Shelby
*Iconic Wimbledon White with factory painted LeMans stripes
*The ultimate in provenance and ownership history

THE SHELBY GT350

Ford created a new class of car almost overnight with the introduction of the Mustang Sports Coupe partway through the 1964 season, catching the rest of the US auto industry off-guard. The brainchild of Lee Iacocca, subsequent savior of the Chrysler Corporation, the Mustang is one of the most remarkable automotive success stories of modern times and arguably the pinnacle of Iacocca's long career with Ford. Legendary Texan racing driver Carroll Shelby's team had been campaigning Ford's Mustang 'pony car' with considerable success in North America, winning the SCCA's B-Production title three years running in the mid-1960s. Capitalizing on his success, Shelby began manufacturing a Shelby GT based on the Mustang, which were officially sanctioned and sold through selected Ford dealerships. The first Shelby Mustang – the GT350 – arrived in 1965 powered by a modified version of Ford's 289ci high-performance small-block V8 producing 306bhp, with options of a 340-360bhp unit in competition trim or 400bhp supercharged. A 4-speed Borg-Warner manual gearbox was the stock transmission on early Shelby Mustangs, though a heavy-duty, 3-speed automatic soon became available as an option. The running gear was up-rated appropriately to cope with the GT350's increased performance, though outwardly there was little to distinguish Shelby's GT350 from the standard product apart from a pair of broad 'racing' stripes down the body centerline.

In 1966, Carroll Shelby, as shrewd a business man as he was a racer, struck a deal with Hertz to offer a high-performance rental car to the public for the first time. This made the legendary performance of the Shelby GT350 accessible to the public. Enthusiasts that might not have been able to afford such a car could now rent it on a Friday afternoon and drop it off at Hertz on Monday morning, after a weekend full of racing or high-speed cruising. The cost to rent all this performance was just $17 a day and 17 cents per mile. One thousand GT350s, with the majority finished in Hertz's colors of black and gold, were delivered to the company for use around the country in 1966.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

This iconic 1966 Shelby GT350 Hertz Rent-a-Racer left the factory in 1966 dressed in Wimbledon White with factory painted LeMans stripes in Guardsman Blue. Prior to delivery, the car was sent to Hi-Performance Motors of Segundo, California, where a radio was installed. The Shelby was then shipped to City Motors of National City, California on January 19th, 1966 for final dealer prep before being delivered to Hertz of San Diego, California. The car was optioned with chrome Magnum wheels ($104.56), the radio ($45.45), and a brake booster ($39.58). With the options, the pre-delivery fee, and the freight charge, the totals invoice came to $3,865. On September 7th, 1967, the Hertz was purchased by its first pedestrian owner, Fred Johnson. It was the cars second owner however, Mike Shoen of Vancouver, Washington, who would bring the GT350 to the next level by outfitting the car with a 65' GT350 pod with tach and oil pressure gauge, R-Model apron, valve covers, radiator, roll bar, R-Model wheels, and a Berry Plastiglas rear spoiler.

Carroll Shelby must have been very impressed with the car as he would go on to purchase it from Mr. Shoen - the car has remained in the Shelby collection ever since. While under Carroll's ownership, the car was featured in Petersen's Complete Ford Book and was displayed at the Imperial Palace Automobile Collection in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2008, the car was noted as no longer wearing the rear spoiler, and was put on display at Shelby Automobiles in Las Vegas, Nevada, where it has lived until being brought to Bonhams for the sale. Shelby has primarily returned the car to its original specification, with the exception of the wheels.

Today, Shelby GT350H models are highly sought after collectibles. Although these coveted models come up from time to time, none of them possess the provenance of being owned by Mr. Carroll Shelby himself, such as this example. With its ownership history and desirable specification, this Shelby GT350H is the one to own.