1965 Shelby GT350 Fastback

289ci Hi-Po OHV V8 Engine
4-Barell Holley Carburetor
306bhp at 6,000rpm
4-Speed Manual Transmission
Front Independent Suspension – Live Rear Axle
Front Disc – Rear Drum Brakes

*Desirable 1965-model GT350, factory delivered with Cragar wheels and Shelby stripes
*Limited ownership and highly original condition throughout
*Long-time California car, delivered new to Santa Maria
*Eligible for a host of high-speed rallies, including the Tour Auto and Copperstate 1000

THE SHELBY GT350

The Ford-powered 1963-1964 Shelby Cobra was a rousing success on street and track. Even as it made Carroll Shelby a global celebrity, the Cobra was also, by association building Ford's credibility in the emerging market for high-performance cars. It was perhaps inevitable that Shelby and Ford Motor Company would become formal partners. All they needed was a mutually viable project. It was agreed that creating a Mustang capable of taking on the GM Corvette in sports car competition was a worthy goal...and very soon, development of just such a car was underway at Shelby's famed Los Angeles facility.

The production Shelby Mustang GT350, based on the production Mustang Fastback, was released in late January 1965. Just its appearance all but guaranteed it would be a sensation. But there was much more to the Shelby GT350 than looks. The suspension was heavily modified, with many all-out racing parts replacing factory units. Under the hood was a Ford 289 Hi-Performance V-8; rated at 271-hp from the factory, it had been modified by Shelby engineers to produce 306 hp. A rugged 4-speed manual was standard. Exterior changes were simple, but effective. A no-frills grille insert was installed, with a Mustang badge at the left, and a subtle hood scoop was added to the hood. The car had the aggressive stance of a warrior; ready and able to do whatever it took to win.

For the 1965 model year, the GT350 was offered only in Ford Wimbledon White, with Guardsman Blue stripes as an option. The black interior featured a roll bar and competition seat belts, reminders that this was essentially an all-out racecar in street clothing.

Rugged and challenging to drive in normal traffic, the GT350 was at home on the track. It immediately gave the Mustang a huge image boost. In total, just 562 GT350s, 34 of them GT350R competition cars, rolled off the line at Shelby's Los Angeles facility. Today these true first-of-the-line 1965 Shelby GT350s have an almost mythical status and remain hugely collectible on an international field. They are eligible for premier events such as the Tour Auto in France, and the Copperstate 1000 in Arizona.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

This true 1965 model-year GT350 emerged from the Los Angeles-based Shelby works over the Summer of 1965, having been received as a rolling-chassis for its build on 6/12/65. The completed car – Shelby chassis number SFM5S441 – was shipped to Hi-Performance Motors of Los Angeles on August 10th, 1965. The desirable and competitive GT350 had been factory equipped with the $214 Cragar Wheel option, as well as the iconic blue Shelby Racing stripe option. The new Shelby was sold to the first owner by Bill Leeper Ford of Santa Maria, California, and remained with this owner until traded back to Hi-Performance Motors on a brand new 427 Cobra. SFM5S441 was then purchased by Mr. Richard Snyder of Laguna Beach, California on December 1st, 1965, who was the road manager for rock/blues musicians John Mayall and Ricky Nelson. Apparently, he and a friend had flipped a coin so see who would purchase this 1965 Shelby GT350 or a "newer" 1966 Shelby GT350. While in Mr. Snyders ownership, SFM5S441 was twice used to tow an Austin-Healey Sprite to local racetracks. Snyder would later sell the GT350, but then reacquire the car soon after.

In 1975 SFM5S441 was purchased by a Mr. Tony Fasola of Marietta, California, who then resold it in 1982 to a Hollywood, California recording studio owner. The car later passed through the hands of a Mr. Joe Ryan of Oxnard, California, before being purchased by renowned Shelby specialist Craig Conley of Santee, California in 1996. Well-known Los Angeles-based collector Ron Hein would purchase the Shelby in 1998, before it relocated to Texas where Arlington-based collector Paul Rafael Marvin would own the car, still retaining its original engine and transmission.

As one would imagine with such an exhaustive list of dyed-in-the-wool Shelby enthusiast owners, the car today presents in very nice and highly original condition, heaving with all the nuanced authentic details that are typically only seen on original, unrestored cars. Showing with the period blue and yellow California license plates, there is little question this car has been well cared for over the last nearly 55 years. The interior remains original and intact as well, testimony to the devoted preservation carried out over the years. Accompanied by a copy of the original sales invoice from Shelby American, Inc, this highly desirable 1965 Shelby GT350 must be among the best examples on the market today.