The History of the 1965 Shelby GT350

The 1965 Shelby GT350 was arguably one of the purest sports cars ever built by Shelby. In this video, The Gearhead Lounge will be giving a brief look into how Lee Iacocca talked Carroll Shelby into turning the unassuming 1965 Ford Mustang fastback into a fire breathing GT racer that ruled SCCA B-Production for three years.
Music supplied by www.bensound.com
#GT350 #65GT350 #shelbymustang

[@bigl6322]

Ok.. dude, I have a 66 fastback that I’m doing a restomod on. Thinking about an R code competition tribute and so I’ve been studying up for a hot minute, and I learned a new thing or two from your video, thanks!!

[@TheGearheadLounge]

Awesome! I'm glad the video was of value! Thank you so much for watching!

[@robcarr1899]

Hi bud. I'm new to your channel and I'm a eat sleep live Mustang. I live in Manchester England and though i don't have a Mustang I do have a black gt 350h tattoo and I have models and posters of mustangs. Thank you for these videos.

[@TheGearheadLounge]

Thank you! Greetings from the United States!

[@jasonsanders979]

My favorite car, informative video thanks. As a Classic Mustang enthusiast I didn't know about the fuel tank mod on Shelby models until watching your video. Thanks for great content.

[@TheGearheadLounge]

That is awesome. Thank you for watching!

[@jetsons101]

I picked up a 65 GT350 back in 77 and still have it today, all original. Glad I never sold it. Thanks for posting. It was about $5000 - - - that was a lot in 77.

[@TheGearheadLounge]

Glad you still have it!

[@jetsons101]

@@TheGearheadLounge Me too. I'm starting to "maybe" think it's time to sell. But you never know..... Thanks again.....

[@larrysmith6797]

Shelby wasn't responsible for the GT40. He was responsible for turning the GT40 into a winner.

[@Wooley689]

Very well presented video. Thanks

[@francoisrivard893]

Great video! Nicely researched.

[@TheGearheadLounge]

Thank you!

[@English2Elvish]

This is a GREAT video and exactly what I was looking for; for information on what actual modifications they did. I had no idea they did the traction bars into the cab for instance!

[@TheGearheadLounge]

Thank you so much!

[@jacobsteele7138]

It was built for one purpose. Sell 500 and kick corvettes ass. Very good explanation of the car. I had a 68 G.T. 350 (Very watered down by then). You didn't make any errors that I saw.

[@rallycatgarageharvey1135]

Great video. Well done !!

[@TheGearheadLounge]

Thank you so much!

[@classicstangbrn8964]

Great video PJ

[@TheGearheadLounge]

Thank you so much!

[@NLBassist]

Very cool vid! I'm not into Mustangs but this is one of my favourite cars ever. Nuff said. I missed the black and gold Hertz versions btw!

[@TheGearheadLounge]

Thank you! Yeah, I love the black and gold Hertz cars!

[@sohcammer]

Well done!!

[@TheGearheadLounge]

Thank you!

[@JG-ef2cn]

Beautiful car the 65 gt350

[@caldon03]

Well done video, thanks. However, at approx. 1:36 where you discuss how the GT350 cars came, ALL 1965 GT350s were painted Wimbledon White with Guardsman Blue rocker stripes. Very few GT350s were delivered to the dealer with the optional "Le Mans" (or "LeMans") top stripes, which run the length of the entire car. Approximately 28% of the 562 1965 cars built had Le Mans stripes. Dealers often added the stripes, probably at the customer's request. And then again at approx. 2:26, where you say "... asked by then president Lee Iacocca ..." is a bit inaccurate. On November 10, 1960 Iacocca was named vice-president and general manager of the Ford Division; in January 1965 Ford's vice-president, car and truck group; in 1967, executive vice-president; and president on December 10, 1970. Iacocca was president and CEO of Chrysler from 1978 and chairman from 1979, until his retirement at the end of 1992. So Iacocca was NOT President of Ford at the time of the 1965 GT350 development and sales.

[@TheGearheadLounge]

Thank you! I appreciate the correction! Glad you liked the video!

[@puppetmaster1403]

Thanks for making this!

[@TheGearheadLounge]

Thank you so much for watching!

[@kevinkinney5445]

Well done .

[@TheGearheadLounge]

Thank you!

[@FiscalRangersFlorida]

I lived 1block from Carrol and watched him drive these or Cobras to work at the LAX facility. They lent me the 66 fastback prototype to drive in the Santa Monica City College homecoming parade.

[@TheGearheadLounge]

Nice!

[@jeffduncan9140]

Too cool!

[@user-en4ph6ze6r]

Excellent video, Thank you 👍

[@TheGearheadLounge]

Thank you! I appreciate that!

[@williamlair9822]

I've been working on getting one of those.

[@eddy71454]

Good video. The music is too loud and distracting though.

[@knowthetruth1032]

Great JOB BRO!!! I read the book and various articles SPOT ON!!!! AGAIN!!!! 😇 IF YOU ARE READING THIS WATCH THE OTHER VIDEO ON THE 1966 SHELBY GT 350 IT'S GREAT TOO!!!!!

[@gregd6404]

Well done!

[@TheGearheadLounge]

Thank you!

[@knowthetruth1032]

CARROLL Shelby's video INTERVIEW WITH THE SNAKE IS GOOD 2! THIS VIDEO GIVES A LOT MORE MECHANICAL DETAILS!!!! ITS THE MECHANICAL DETAILS ENTHUSIASTS WANT!!! 🙃😎😇 WE'VE SEEN THE CAR A MILLION TIMES!!!! HOW WAS IT ENGINEERED IS WHAT'S IMPORTANT!!!!

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Very good video!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@TheGearheadLounge]

Thanks!

[@MustangsTrainsMowers]

I like the video but the background music could be lower.

[@TheGearheadLounge]

Thank you!

[@brianochs2548]

Best Shelby Mustang ever yes new ones will run rings around them but means nothing to me Pull into the any gas station with a new one and the 65 and see what get the attention

[@281cobracar7]

Very well done, very well researched. Excellent job on explaining the modifications done on the original GT350 and GT350-R. Especially the one inch drop on the front suspension and the traction bars in the rear. One thing though. I thought Shelby built 37 GT350R models not 35.

[@TheGearheadLounge]

Thank you! As far as the R Model production numbers go, I could have missed that. I'll double check my research to see where I missed it. But thank you again for the encouraging words!

[@Wilett614]

FYI Carroll Shelby was NOT Responsible for building or Designing the FORD GT40 . He did make IMPROVEMENTS and Increase the RACING and Handling aspects Yes , But He did NOT design or Construct the FORD GT40

[@MustangsTrainsMowers]

Did Carrol Shelby make any money in the 1960’s during his Cobra and Mustang era?

[@TheGearheadLounge]

I'm not sure, where I found the info, but I believe with his contract with Ford, he made a ton with the Mustangs and the racing program. I don't think he made that much with the Cobras...but I'm not completely sure.

[@designertjp-utube]

Snap! That Muscle Car is Awesome! Is this the *Shelby* I saw in you and yo Daddy's Driveway a while back?

[@TheGearheadLounge]

I wish! Mine was just a plain ol' Mustang!

[@OLMEQ]

Daytona Coupe ???

[@TheGearheadLounge]

...when I do a video on the Shelby Cobra...

[@MrAllan9]

The 1964 1/2 was the first Shelby Cobra 289 HP, I owned one and the registration was marked 64 1/2. Won lots of bar bets lol.

[@jacobsteele7138]

Not sure what your saying? 64 1/2 289 HP or 289 Cubic inches?

[@MrAllan9]

@@jacobsteele7138Ford put out that Shelby mustang half way through 1964, making it a 1964 1/2 with a 289 HP (high performance "R" code). Not the same as a regular 289, much larger pistons and the firing order was different as well. You'd be hard pressed to find those motors today, short of mortgaging your house if you did.

[@jacobsteele7138]

@@MrAllan9 I'm only familiar with the K code that put out 271 hp that Shelby upgraded to 306 hp. I'm familiar with 64 1/2 mustang's that are identified mostly by a generator vs an alternator not by a vin tag. As far as 65 - 66 Shelbys the only R codes were very limited Shelbys that were race ready versions of Shelbys meant for track use available from the dealership.

[@MrAllan9]

@@jacobsteele7138 I just dug up my 1965 book by Carol Shelby (the cobra story) and it had some intersting info. Page 250 says that the performance could reach 370 bhp and they had to have the solid lifter conversion, different camshaft configuration, different ignition curve; multiple Weber downdraft carburetors with special manifold; oil cooler, tuned intake and exhaust system etc. It won't surprise me that it was R coded, but I could be mistaken.

[@Loulovesspeed]

@@MrAllan9- You are confusing displacement with horsepower. The K code was the first high performance (Hi-Po) 289 cu. in. and it produced 271 HP with solid lifters and other mods by Ford. There was no 289 HP 289. The final super high performance version ended up in the Shelby Cobra and the Cobra Daytona Coupe. With tuned headers, 4 twin choke Weber carbs, a hotter cam and a few other tricks it put out 390 HP!

[@dethklokicksbutt]

Just picked up a 16 with the same color scheme, thanks for the lesson!

[@TheGearheadLounge]

Thank YOU for watching!! Congrats on the new purchase!