Ford Shelby Mustang

The Mustang that carried the Shelby name were truly amazing cars. The Shelby Mustangs were symbols of Detroit’s ability during the muscle years to build cars that were a cut above the ordinary. Today, everywhere Shelby Mustangs go, they stop traffic and turn heads. People who restore these cars know they’ve brought something very special back to life. This Mustang magic is what led Charles and Liz Lambert to become a two Mustang family: “The blue color catches peoples’ attention a little bit and then you can see them looking. When I come behind Liz in the Shelby you can see the jaw fall down. That’s the awesome part. Catch ‘em when this comes behind the blue one.”The Shelby Mustang is a fascinating chapter in what is already the best success story in muscle car history!

The option list included several power train combinations; the buyer could choose a 3 speed or four-speed manual transmission]] ($115.90 or $188.00 with six-cylinder or eight-cylinder engines, respectively) or the three-speed Cruise-O-Matic automatic transmission ($179.80 or $189.60). The standard six-cylinder engine could be replaced with a 164 hp (122 kW) 260 in³ (4.2 L) for $116.00 or a 210 hp (157 kW) 289 in³ (4.7 L) V8. Boasting the V8 and four-speed manual, the Mustang Road & Track recorded a 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) time of 8.9 seconds, with the standing quarter mile in 17 seconds at 85 mph. Starting in June 1964, the new 271 hp (202 kW) "K-code" High Performance engine became available. At $442.60 (not counting the mandatory four-speed transmission you had to get on a K code engine) it was the single most expensive Mustang option, and only 7,273 of the 680,992 Mustangs sold in 1965 were equipped. With a skilled driver, K-code/4-speed equipped Mustangs could do 0-60 in around 6 seconds, and put down mid 14-second ¼ mile times with ease.


Other options included: limited-slip differential, styled wheels and wheel covers, power steering, power brakes, air conditioning, center console, a vinyl top, various radios, a bench seat, and various other accessories. Disc brakes for the front wheels became optional later in 1965. The list would continue to grow through much of the Mustang's history, in which added trim packages like the Interior Decor Group (or "pony interior") and GT package (which included disc brakes, a handling package with stiffer springs, shock absorbers, stiffer front anti-roll bar, fast-ratio steering, and duel exhaust . Additional engine choices and convenience items are well known for the Mustang.

Also available during that two-year period was another homologation special for the up-and-coming sport of Trans-American sedan racing. The Boss 302 was Ford's attempt to mix the power of a muscle car with the handling prowess of a sports car. The automotive press gushed over the result, deeming it the car "the GT-350 should have been." Boasting a graphic scheme penned by Ford designer Larry Shinoda, the "Baby Boss" was powered by an engine that was essentially a combination of the new-for-1968 302 in³ (4.9 L) V8 and topped with cylinder heads from the yet to be released new-for-1970 351 in³ (5.8 L) "Cleveland". This combination meant that the Boss 302 was good for a conservatively rated 290 hp (216 kW) through its four-speed manual transmission. Ford originally intended to call the car Trans Am, but Pontiac had beaten them to it, applying the name to a special version of the Firebird. In the ¼ mile the Boss 302 could post very similar times to the Boss 429, oddly enough, despite the smaller displacement and an incredibly free-breathing induction system in the car. It should be noted that the blocks from these cars are incredibly strong, and Ford Racing plans on selling new Boss 302 blocks in the near future!!