1966 Ford Mustang Fastback GT350 Tribute
When Chuck Cantwell, the "father of the GT350" was a guest on the Classic Auto Mall podcast, he imparted stories of the development of the cars with Carrol Shelby, riding shotgun with Ken Miles, and blowing out a tire on one of the test runs at Willow Springs. It's a fascinating inside look at a legendary automobile and how it came to be. They really need to do a movie called "Ford vs. Corvette" and feature Chuck and the development of the GT350.
For consignment...a tribute to that legendary car...a 1966 fastback with some faithful and custom mods that make this more of a race car than street car, but still street-able! This is the best of both worlds without the worries of driving a rare, six, (or seven!), figure car. Strap in and enjoy this one!
Exterior
Coated in Ford Guardsman Blue with white Shelby stripes, the car starts off with a great look. It's base/clear and not overly glossy, just as it should be for a "race car". A hood scoop and side scoops give the car an authentic look and the hood pins give clues to what might be hiding underneath. 15-inch American Racing Torque wheels make up the shoes of the car and are surrounded by staggered size tires, (70's back, 60's front), giving the car decidedly raked appearance " a profile that varies slightly from the track and continuation cars of the 60's. The Shelby GT350 gas cap is in place and along with the sport mirror and chrome bumpers, the car has some quality bling. We noted just two small areas of paint imperfections.
Interior
Door panels in black vinyl are pretty standard, minus the arm rests, removed to make room for the roll cage which greets you upon entry. Standard black vinyl seats with added "homemade" headrest that sports the Shelby GT350 logo...a nice touch that supports the race tribute. A four-point race harness is included and a backseat, also in black vinyl, is still in place. A wood steering wheel is tied to a tilt column that leads to a custom instrument cluster housing Autometer gauges. A modern "vintage" radio is in the center and A/C controls are in an aftermarket unit mounted in the lower dash. A beefy Hurst shifter is floor mounted and is used to put the automatic in gear. The low pile black carpet and headliner are clean and tidy.
Drivetrain
A consignor stated 347ci stroker engine lurks under the hood and is topped with an Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor. Power is transferred through a C4 three-speed automatic with a mild shift kit. Cobra finned valve covers side next to an Edelbrock intake manifold. Power goes to the rear wheels of course, through 3.75 gears in a 9-inch rear. Power brakes, (disc front, drum rear), enjoy race-inspired drilled and slotted rotors, pads, and new calipers.
Undercarriage
Headers lead to long glasspack style mufflers and then splay sideways to exit in front of the rear wheels. A Mustang II front suspension unit is present along with tubular front control arms. The front is dropped 2" via spindles while the rear is sprung by leaf springs and bolstered by Caltracs bars. Some minor areas of surface rust throughout and two areas of concern with flaking rust on the frame in the right rear and front subframe. Some oil is on the pumpkin, (possibly pinion seal), but the oil pan and engine are dry.
Drive-ability
It's our goal to just make sure the car is running and that functions work...but oh how I wanted to pretend to be at Willow Springs raceway in 1966. Alas, we settled for a "Sunday drive" around our loop where the car and its raucous exhaust, went through its paces with flying colors. The suspension is noticeably tighter than "stock" fastbacks we've driven, and the brakes are up to the task of halting whatever horses the 347 is putting out.
There are few cars as iconic as a fastback and few cars as legendary as the GT350. This car is the complete package that you can drive virtually carefree. As with Cobra replicas, GT350 tributes are not shunned by the Ford performance people...in fact, they're going to want to hear about how it was built and what it has in it. Enjoy the questions and join a devoted group of enthusiasts that have worldwide participation.
6T09T174805
6-1966
T-Metuchen, NJ Assy Plant
09-Mustang Fastback
T-200ci I6
174805-Sequential Unit Number
WARRANTY PLATE
BODY 63A-Mustang Fastback Standard Buckets
COLOR Z-Sauterne Gold
TRIM 26-Black Standard Vinyl Buckets With Black Trim
DATE 21M-December 21st
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8 acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.
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