| Carroll Shelby built some of America's great muscle | | | | of the Mustangs to the Los Angeles International |
| cars but he was also a legend in American high | | | | Airport. They started work on what would be the |
| performance car racing. His racing career started in | | | | 1966 model. The 1966 GT350 would be offered in |
| 1952. He started off drag racing but quickly moved | | | | more then one color. It was available in black, red, |
| to road racing. He won his very first race, driving an | | | | green, and blue. Shelby America also offered a |
| MG. He beat not only other MG's in the race but also | | | | supercharged version of the GT350 as well as a |
| the more powerful Jaguars. By 1954 Shelby was | | | | convertible model. In November of 1965 Shelby |
| racing in Europe driving Aston Martins for John Wyers | | | | works out a deal with Hertz to build Shelby GT 350H. |
| team. In November of 1954 Shelby rolled his racecar | | | | He was originally given an order for 200, which is |
| 4 times in a Pan American Mexico race and suffered | | | | later upped to 1000. |
| cuts, breaks and a shattered elbow. He continued to | | | | 1966-1967 |
| race in 1955 using a special fiberglass cast and taping | | | | The 1967 model year of the Shelby Mustangs |
| his hands to the steering wheel, despite these | | | | offered a new style. Ford was building a tougher |
| hardships Shelby continued to win. In 1957 Carroll | | | | looking car and Shelby made it even more muscular |
| Shelby was named racecar driver of the year by | | | | by adding two scoops to the side and a spoiler. Many |
| Sports Illustrated magazine. In 1960 Shelby moved to | | | | of the body components on the GT 350 were made |
| California and opened a Goodyear Tire Dealership and | | | | of fiberglass. The biggest addition to the Shelby lineup |
| later that year he competed in his last race. | | | | was the GT 500. The Shelby 500 was the big-block |
| Carroll Shelby was retired from racing but he would | | | | version of the Shelby Mustang. It had a huge 428cu |
| now begin a chapter in his life that would have a | | | | in. police interceptor motor, which produced 355 |
| profound impact on American sports cars. He opened | | | | horsepower. You could buy the car with either a C-6 |
| a high performance driving school in 1961 and in March | | | | Automatic Transmission or a Ford Toploader 4-Speed |
| of 1962 he opened Shelby America in Venice | | | | manual. It came with power steering and brakes. The |
| California. His first car the Shelby Cobra was a | | | | Hertz model was not produced this year nor was the |
| combination of a frame being built by AC in England | | | | supercharged version. |
| and a small block V-8 being built by Ford Motor | | | | 1968-1970 |
| Company. The Shelby Cobra was the fastest | | | | There were not a lot of changes made for the 1968 |
| production car being built at the time. Shelby America | | | | model year, except for some pretty extensive name |
| went through some start up challenges but | | | | changes. The Shelby Mustangs for this year were |
| eventually starts selling quite a few Cobras. The car | | | | called the Shelby Cobra and the GT500 was released |
| is a proven winner in the racing world and in 1965 | | | | as the GT500KR for King of the Road. Most of the |
| Ford asks Shelby to develop a high performance | | | | changes were cosmetic and Shelby produced a large |
| Mustang for the street and racing. Ford was eager to | | | | number of convertibles for this model year. |
| compete with the Chevrolet Corvette on both the | | | | In 1969 Ford completely redesigned the Mustang line. |
| street and the track and they felt that Carroll Shelby | | | | Shelby made some dramatic cosmetic changes to the |
| could give them the edge that they needed. | | | | car, he extended the entire nose of the car using |
| 1964-1965 | | | | fiberglass and put 5 scoops on the hood alone. The |
| In September 1964 Ford Motor Company and Shelby | | | | engine was basically the same but was also offered |
| America form a partnership to build high performance | | | | as a 351. 1969 would be the last year of the Shelby |
| Mustangs. Ford starts shipping stripped down | | | | Mustangs. As sales slowed dramatically the |
| Mustangs to Shelby and lets him do whatever he | | | | partnership between Ford and Shelby America ended. |
| wants to them. The first 1965 Shelby GT 350 race | | | | The remaining 1969 models would be updated to |
| and production cars are built in late 1964. They are | | | | 1970 specifications and sold. In December of 1969 |
| only offered in white and Shelby added a blue stripe | | | | Shelby America closed its doors. It would be the end |
| down the side with the words GT 350. Under the | | | | of an era for American muscle cars. Carroll Shelby |
| hood Shelby put in an aluminum intake, which pushed | | | | would go on to work for Dodge/Chrysler and would |
| the horsepower from 271 to 306; they also added a | | | | be instrumental in the Dodge Viper project. |
| Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed transmission. The | | | | In 2003 Ford Motor Company and Shelby |
| suspension received a larger front stabilizer bar, Koni | | | | Automotive announced they would begin building cars |
| shocks and traction bars as well as a 1" sway bar. On | | | | together again. The Shelby Cobra was introduced in |
| the more cosmetic side the mustangs were fitted | | | | 2004 and the Shelby Mustang GT 500 was |
| with fiberglass hoods with functional scoops. The rear | | | | introduced a year later in 2005. In 2006 Motor Trend |
| seat was removed to make way for the spare tire | | | | magazine named Carroll Shelby one of the 50 most |
| and competition seat belts were put in. These models | | | | important people in the automotive industry and later |
| were put on the market in January of 1965. They did | | | | that year Hertz and Ford agree to resurrect the |
| not sell fast but car enthusiasts were buying them, | | | | Hertz Mustang for the car rental company. The |
| which was the target market. | | | | convertible Shelby Mustang was brought out in 2007. |
| In March of 1965 Shelby America moved production | | | | The Shelby Mustangs are still being produced today. |