1965 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350 - Shelby Revolution

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As mentioned, 003 was the primary GT350 for early press and advertising blitzes. Featuring 003, the ad seen here was run in multiple magazine titles and was photographed and written by Shelby employee Peter Brock. During its promotional stint, 003 often wore a set of prototype Shelby Cragars on one side and the standard 15-inch steel wheels on the other. The emphasis for a particular promo shot dictated which side was photographed: the steel-wheel side typically used for competition-inspired images and the Cragar side for more street-oriented marketing.This image of the Shelby race shop at Los Angeles International Airport was a staged promotional photograph, part of the original '65 Shelby American press kit and one we've seen innumerable times through the years. What we didn't know until discussing this story with Dave Lennartz and Mark Hovander was that the lone street GT350 in the foreground is 003 during its preparation to be sold in mid-1965.

Critical Accumulation
Taking 003 from its current R-model configuration to that of street prototype will involve the accumulation of a large number of properly date-coded parts. Many, such as the NOS door panels Lennartz has tucked away, are standard Mustang fare, while others are unique to the earliest of GT350s if not to 003 specifically. Seen here are several necessary items: original Buddy Bar open-lettered valve covers, fiberglass dashpod, Talbot mirror, and extraordinarily rare prototype Shelby/Cragar wheels. The latter appear very much like the production Shelby/Cragars wheels, but actually have a larger hub area to give Cragar the flexibility of drilling for larger GM bolt patterns. The SAAC Registry explains Cragar had originally planned to add this wheel to its aftermarket lineup, but decided on a Shelby exclusive once adequate numbers were agreed upon. Without a need to offer a larger bolt pattern, the web size on production Shelby/Cragars was a bit smaller. Thanks to Craig Conley for coming up with and restoring these important pieces of 003 history.

Things that Go Bump
As he researched the history on 003, current owner Dave Lennartz heard an amusing tale from original owner Bill Moir. It seems that in the early days of ownership, Moir would frequently hear loud banging or thumping sounds from the rear of the car, although thorough inspections revealed nothing amiss underneath. About to go crazy, Moir reportedly tore the interior out one afternoon in an attempt to resolve the problem once and for all. Upon removing the rear package shelf, Moir discovered the small-block Cobra-Weber manifold seen here. How did it get there and why? If the manifold was inadvertently laid inside 003 by a distracted worker, it's hard to believe it would not have been noticed when the interior was put together. Nevertheless, is it conceivable that the large package shelf could have blocked an installer's vision as he positioned it in place, inadvertently burying the intake for months. Who knows?Despite selling the car a short time later, Moir held on to the manifold as a memento of the early Shelby, but recently offered it to Lennartz, who added it to his collection of 003 bits and pieces.