Shelby Mustang Performance History

[rshelby]

SHELBY MUSTANG PERFORMANCE HISTORY

In August of 1964, Ford approached Carroll Shelby to develop a high performance Mustang fastback for street and track. Basically, the new car would challenge the Corvette in SCCA B-production road racing. The Cobras score in Europe at the Freiburg Hill climb in the Black Forest, at the Tourist Trophy in Goodwood, England, and at the Sierre-Montana Grand Prix De La Montagne in the Swiss Alps.

September 1964 - The first '65 Shelby Mustang GT350 race cars and street cars are built.


December 1964 - The SCCA accepts the GT350 in the B-production road racing class, as cars are being completed at the Venice, California, shop of Shelby-American.

January 1965 - Shelby-American begins its move to Los Angeles International Airport facility.

February 1965 - The Shelby Mustang GT350 wins its first race, at Green Valley, Texas.

March 1965 - Production of the GT350 moves to Los Angeles International Airport after the first 250 cars are completed.

May 1965 - The first GT350 drag car is built.

August 1965 - Production of the '66 GT350 is under way.

October 1965 - The brand-new '66 GT350 Shelby fastbacks go on sale, and Shelby-American proposes a special Hertz racer. A prototype GT350H is built.

November 1965 - Hertz likes the GT350H and gives Shelby-American a contract for 200 cars. The '66 GT350 again wins the national B-production road racing championship in the SCCA.

December 1965 - Hertz ups its contract for GT350H models to 1000 units.

February 1966 - Shelby-American builds a Mustang notchback prototype for the brand-new Trans-Am racing series.

June 1966 - The specifications for the '67 GT350 and new GT500 are finalized.

September 1966 - 1967 production begins at LAX (Los Angeles International Airport). Jerry Titus wins at Riverside and Ford wins the Trans-Am Manufacturer's title.

November 1966 - The first of the '67 Shelby GT350s and GT500s are delivered to dealers nationwide.

August 1967 - Shelby-American loses the lease on its LAX facility.

September 1967 - Production of '68 Shelby Mustang moves to Ionia, Michigan, and the A.O. Smith Company.

October 1967 - Shelby-American takes the '67 Trans-Am Manufacturer's title for Ford.

November 1967 - Shelby-American racing moves to Torrance, California, as '68 Shelby production begins. The '68 Shelby Mustang convertible joins the lineup.

June 1968 - The '69 Shelby GTs are finalized.

November 1968 - The 1969-model year Shelby Mustang production begins.

May 1969 - At Lime Rock, in the Trans-Am racing series, Sam Posey pilots a Shelby team car to the company's last Ford victory.

September 1969 - The Shelby Mustang project is ended as sales slow dramatically. The leftover '69 models are updated to '70 specifications and production ends.

October 1969 - At Riverside, in the Trans-Am, Shelby fields his last Ford team race car.

December 1969 - Shelby Automotive Racing Company closes.

February 1970 - Ford ends its long-term racing agreement with Carroll Shelby.

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