Dealers often added the stripes, probably at the customer's request. Approximately 28% of the 562 1965 cars built had Le Mans stripes. Very few GT350s were delivered to the dealer with the optional Le Mans stripes, a pair of color stripes that run the length of the entire car from the hood through the roof and the tail. Smith.Īll 1965 GT350s were painted in Wimbledon White with Guardsman Blue rocker stripes. The only year that Shelby Mustangs from the 1960s came from another plant was 1968, where they came from New Jersey, "T" in the VIN, and were modified by A.O. San Jose cars carried an "R" in the Ford VIN denoting that facility. The 19 GT350s were delivered from Ford's San Jose Assembly Plant in body in white form for modification by Carroll Shelby's operation, originally in Venice Beach and later at Los Angeles International Airport. By 1969 Carroll Shelby was no longer involved in the Shelby GT program, and the design was done in-house by Ford. The 1969 GT350s and GT500s were largely styling modifications to a stock Mustang. This trend for more options and luxuries continued in the following years, with the cars becoming progressively larger, heavier, and more comfortable, while losing much of their competitiveness in the process. The 1966 GT350 was more comfortable for casual drivers, including rear seats, optional colors, and an optional automatic transmission. There were 34 "GT350R" race-spec cars built specifically for competition use under SCCA rules, and the model was the B-Production champion for three straight years. The 1965 GT350 was not built for comfort or ease of driving. Beginning as a stock Mustang with a 4-speed manual transmission and 9-inch live rear axle, the cars were shipped to Shelby American, where they received the high-riser manifolds, Tri-Y headers, and were given larger Ford Galaxie rear drum brakes with metallic- linings and Kelsey-Hayes front disc brakes. Marketing literature referred to this engine as the "Cobra hi-riser" due to its high-riser intake manifold. Both models use the Cobra emblem, similar paint scheme, and the optional "Cobra" valve covers on many GT350s that were part of a marketing tie-in by Shelby, as well as one of his iconic symbols. Production started when 289 AC Cobra production was wrapping up and 427 AC Cobra production was beginning, both of which were Ford-powered AC-based two-seat sports car also produced by Shelby American during the same period. The 1965–1966 cars were the smallest and lightest of the GT 350 models. 289 cu in (4.7 L) Windsor K-Code V8 4-barrel carb.
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