1966 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 Replica FIA HTP

When the Ford Mustang was launched in April 1964, its impact was immediate and unprecedented, with nearly one million examples sold in the first eighteen months. Fresh from his successes with the Shelby Cobra, Carroll Shelby was the natural choice to transform Ford’s stylish pony car into a genuine competition weapon capable of taking the fight to Chevrolet’s Corvette in SCCA racing. Development commenced swiftly at Shelby’s Marina del Rey facility in California, and a legend was set in motion.

Introduced in January 1965 at $4,547, the Shelby GT350 was essentially a road-legal race car — stiffly sprung, loud, visceral and thrilling. Powered by a 289ci V8 producing 306bhp, and fitted with uprated suspension and brakes, the GT350 quickly proved its credentials. By 1966, further refinements including Plexiglas rear windows, brake-cooling side scoops and a distinctive thin-bar grille helped cement its reputation, delivering sustained success on both road and track.

The car offered here began life as a left-hand-drive 1966 Mustang Fastback, confirmed by its VIN as a genuine two-door example built in San Jose, California, originally equipped with a 289 two-valve engine. Today, it is superbly presented in Race Red with the instantly recognisable Cobra stripes, capturing perfectly the spirit and presence of the original works cars. Prepared by AWS Engineering, respected specialists in historic motorsport, this FIA-specification Shelby Replica has been developed with reliability and competitiveness firmly in mind.  At its heart lies a freshly rebuilt Tim Adams V8, completed to the highest specification and has covered just a single competitive outing at the Mini Tour Britannia since, with subsequent preparation by Alan Mann Racing, including cylinder head work and a comprehensive overhaul of the final drive with new flywheel, crown-wheel and pinion. We understand that in terms of safety equipment, the seats and harnesses are out of date and the extinguisher will need a service, however, apart from these and a check on the currency of other safety related equipment, it now requires little more than a fresh set of tyres, a spanner check and a routine change of fluids.

The car is supported by a current FIA Historic Technical Passport (Class GTS12, Period 1962–65) valid through to 2030 and sensibly estimated, it presents an outstanding opportunity for a new custodian to participate in many of Europe’s most prestigious historic motorsport events, whether on road or circuit.

Accompanied by a comprehensive history file including its FIA HTP, a folder of invoices detailing recent works and a current UK V5C, this is a compelling and competitive entry into the world of historic racing - a car that looks every inch the Shelby legend and performs exactly as it should.