As this year’s Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion — set for next weekend at California’s Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca — is honoring the Shelby Mustang GT350 as its featured marque on the car’s 50th anniversary, it seems only fitting that a rare example of the car be available for sale at Russo and Steel’s annual Monterey Auction.
The GT350 in question (SN 6S213) is what’s known as a “changeover” car in that it was one of 262 built late in 1965 on basic ’65 GT350 platforms, with all the standard GT350 performance modifications — full-length exhaust, functional rear brake-cooling ductwork, and plexiglass rear quarter windows — that make these changeover cars unique as reflections of Carroll Shelby’s original, harder-core vision for the original GT350, yet combined with the updated visual cues of the 1966 cars.
This GT350 is unique in that it is the only ’65-’66 Shelby ever to win all three of the most prestigious awards available, the Concours Premier Award at the Shelby American Automobile Club’s national convention, the Mustang Club of America’s Grand National Thoroughbred Gold Award (twice) and the MCA’s Authenticty Award.
This Shelby retains its complete, matching numbers drivetrain; including the aluminum-case T-10 four-speed, and the engine, transmission, and rear end were completely inspected and refreshed to factory specifications during the one-owner car’s recent restoration. This outstanding GT350 also does not carry the usual dual longitudinal racing stripes that grace the majority of other examples of the breed. For complete information please visit www.russoandsteele.com
