Is it a Shelby - 65 GT 350

Re: Is it a Shelby

does the plate look new or like it is 40 years old? Yes, these plates can be purchased.

 

Re: Is it a Shelby

Yeah, you can get almost anything repoduction. I would take that number and the Ford number under the plate and verified it and the chain of ownership with SAAC.

Do you have pictures of it. If you don't mind me asking, what did you [pay for it?

 

Re: Is it a Shelby

Hi Lemuel,
If you remove the Shelby Vin plate, the Ford number
below shall be: 5R09K217XXX.
If this number is correct you just made a killer. You most
likely have a Shelby. I own #275 and a friend of mine owns
#262.
/Texas Swede

 

Re: Is it a Shelby

Often times you can get to the underlying Ford VIN by removing the driver's side tire and looking straight up at the bottom the inner fender panel. While undercoated or covered with road tar and debris over the years, clear that away between where you see the rivets protrude through and read the reverse-image Ford-stamped VIN. Many times, the removal of the rivets damages or scars the original VIN plate-- a sin if it's prestine.

Reproduction VIN plates are easily obtainable, but they are also easily distinguished from originals in that the wording to the righthand side of the plate with Shelby American's address is evenly spaced on originals and oddly spaced on reproduction plates with large, irregular gaps between words.

Good Luck with inspection of the car.

 

Re: Is it a Shelby

I recently purchased a 68 GT350 and I know exactly how you feel. Yes, almost everything can be reproduced. The best way to check the true vin number is to remove the Shelby plate which is riveted directly above the original Ford stamping. You should also remove the right front fender and find the same vin number stamped.

Once you have verified the vin number you should seriously consider joining the Shelby Association of America. You will realize there is still much to learn about your Shelby and the best way to do this is by joining SAAC. You can access their site at www.saac.com. You may also email SAAC National Director Rick Kopec at rkopec-hq@saac.com and 65 -66 Registrar Howard Pardee at 65-66registrar@saac.com

Rick and company are always willing to help and believe me they will really spend time to communicate with you and try to answer all your queries.

I hope everything works out.......

 

Re: Is it a Shelby

put a photo of it so we can see....

 

Hi.
I live in South America. Some one is offering me a 65 GT-350 Shelby Mustang unassembled in the middle of a frame of resto.
He said it's original but has lost the original Shelby plate.
He is a serious person but I would like to be sure if it's a true one or not.
Can you help me to identify it? What do I need to check? It has the holes for the Shelby plate. It has Fiber Trunk lid, 2 Holes for Rear Brakes ventilation, huge rear axel.
What else do I need to check?

Regards

Pocker

 

Are you sure it's a 65 and not a 66? The 65's didn't have the holes for the rear brakes. Big difference in price too. Do you have pictures?

 

Yes. Its a 65 Fastback. I will get some pictures today and will try to post them.
Which is the price for a 65 GT 350 Shelby?

 

Prices are really dependent on condition and originality. There are a couple of nice 65's around for the 225+ range.

It would be interesting to see some pictures.

 

Thanks
As soon as I get them I wil post them.

Regards

 

Hi,
Added to the above comment, neither 65 nor 66 Shelby's
had fibre trunk lids. Shelby started to use fibre on the 67's.
Also, the Ford number must be 5R09KXXXXXX to be a
possible 65 Shelby, 6R09KXXXXXX to be a possible 66 Shelby
and 7R02KXXXXXX to be a 67 GT350 or 7R02QXXXXXX to be a GT500.
Quite many early Shelbys including several R-models were sold and delivered to Peru but most have been sold to Americans and shipped back here. Personally, I have seen several of those Peruvian 65 R-models here in the states. Not many Shelbys were sold in other South American countries.
Hope this helps and good luck.
Texas Swede

 

Building on the previous advice, (contacting SAAC with the numbers being top on the list.) Here are a few things to check for. Check the rear floors, there should be holes for the override traction bars. Also, directly above the rear axle housing by the wheel well, there should be an eye bolt for the limiting cables. The passenger side rear engine panel should have the "SFM5..." number stamped in it by the shock tower. There should also be a Ford number hidden beneath the fender on that panel. These items I've mentioned don't prove a car is a Shelby by themselves, because an owner could easily make these modifications to a Mustang. It does provide you more evidence to look for. Cross referencing the Shelby numbers and the Ford numbers. If you would care to provide the Shelby number, I would be happy to look it up in the Registry to see what SAAC has on its history.

 

Hi Guys
I have the original Ford serial number. 5F09C6848
This one is in the original Ford plate. It has 2 more holes under the plate that I assume was the Shelby plate. I have not the shelby plate but there was one.
It has a huge transmision and huge rear axel. (both originals and much bigger than a regular ones)
The side vents are from plexiglass and are original.
The trunk lid is original and is fiberglass.
It has holes for rear brackes ventilation, and they are originals (even the vent tube has FOMOCO inscription).
The person that is selling it to me its a trustable man but he is not 100% sure its a shelby. He only can asure all the parts are original.

I have some pictures but I dont know how to place them here.

Regards

David

 

David, the plate on the door does not indicate it to be a Shelby, but Shelbys in '65 and '66 did not utilize the Ford-supplied VIN warranty plates. They were removed. It's possible the door is a replacement from another car, and that car's plate not removed. The key VIN stampings are those in the engine compartment-- The Shelby VIN tag which should cover the Ford-assigned VIN on the driver's side, next the the fender's edge, just forward of the shock tower. In the absence of that VIN plate, Shelby also stamped the car's VIN on the passenger's side fender apron near the shock tower. That VIN should also be cooborated by at least one of the three Ford-assigned VINs. The Ford VINS are located just forward of the hood hinges on both sides-- hidden by installed fenders --, and on the driver's side, next the the fender's edge, just forward of the shock tower-- that one should be always visible if the Shelby tag is missing. Only SAAC can verify whether the Ford and Shelby VINs are in agreement and valid.

There were a couple of Shelby American plates that were available that found their way onto Mustangs which have lead to many a Mustang to be miss-identified as a Shelby. One that comes to mind was one that normally was found on the AC-built Cobras. That tag said something to the effect, "Custom manufactured by Shelby American... dada dada dada". That plate did not have the VIN on it. It was one of those incidental plates on a chassis like a tire pressure or maintenance schedule tag.

If the car IS a '65, it would not have originally come with rear brake ventilation scoops, but they were a common upgrade for owners who liked what they saw in the '66 models. The same is true with Pexiglass quarter windows.

Fiberglass trunk lid kits were available from Shelby as well as a number of other sources. These parts were over-the-counter, after-market items; not part of the cars originally. Personalizing the cars was a tremendous market when they were new, so diferentiating somethings with an "original patina" can be very difficult for novices.

 

and the guy says he is not sure if it is a Shelby? I would take this as it NOT being real and pay accordingly.

 

He say it’s a 65 Mustang GT 350 Fastback.
He is a trustable person but he is not sure, that’s why he does not assure it’s a real one. He only says he is "ALMOST" sure it´s a real one.
I will try to check the numbers stamped on the engine bay and let you know what I discover.