1964 Shelby Mustang Prototype

Well, this is all rather interesting. Whether or not "Old Cooter" is blowing smoke or just has a hazy recollection of what really happened back then, will be hard to define. Lets just look at documented history.
First, a pair of notchback Mustangs were made available to Ken Miles at Shelby American to start development work on the proposed Shelby Mustang. These were Ford production cars that never received any Shelby identification. They were just development mules. A pair of white fastbacks were made available to Pete Brock, to start styling exercises to make the new model more identifiable to the market. Thats where the Le Mans stripes were born. These cars, too, were never assigned any Shelby numbers or identification.
It's assumed they all made their way back to Ford.
Once the engineering and styling was accomplished and decided upon, 3 white fastbacks were ordered by Shelby American. Upon their arrival at Shelby American, work began to make them into GT350's. One car became the street prototype and the other two became the first race cars.
Now back to "Old Cooter". He just might have been around some of the happenings during that period of time. So, maybe he is being earnest in his descriptions, but a lot of detail has possibly evaporated into the ozone layer.
So what do we know? We have a person who recalls being around the Shelby's during the early days. We have documentation of the actual beginnings of Shelby American GT350 production. Result: Maybe, just maybe he does have a Shelby along with his Mustang convertible. At the very least some of his stories must be interesting. Just remember, even though the Mustang
was introduced to the public in April of 1964, ALL first year Mustangs have a 1965 date code in their Ford VIN. So technically, there is no such thing as a 19641/2 Mustang. Maybe "Old Cooter" fixated on the moniker "19641/2 Mustang" in his descriptions from back then. Just a theory. It will be interesting to follow up on this as it does make good reading. Oh, by the way, any good ocean front property for sale in Arizona?

shlby66

 

old thread haven't been here in a while .. anything ever become of this ?? oh ya I "think" there were 4 66 converts .. blue, green, red, and yellow

 

That is one lucky dog! Riding in one of the 4 original 1966 GT350 convertibles with the top down no less. I would sell all three of my Shelbys just to have the opportunity to own / restore such a rare car. Beautiful! The quest for the Holy Grail has to continue ....

 

Without seeing it, I can only guess.

I found out on a European website called "t5"(what the Mustang was called in Germany) that the very first Mustangs went to Europe to race in various events like the Tour de France, and they were built in '64. They were all notchbacks.

Or he could be referring to the 1964 Mustang show car the Mustang II, which has an extended nose, removable hardtop and three separate taillights on each side. But that is in a museum in a place called Owl's Head.

The first Shelby Mustang prototypes were supposed to have been notchbacks. I remember reading there were two of them (not Little Red and the Green Hornet, which came later).

I have found many cars in barns. Before you think a guy is making it all up, wise to check. I remember when George Stauffer was asked to look at a Rolls Royce and though he had soured on the marque, agreed to listen and the guy later said "Do you like old Fords" and that led him to the Mk. II Ford GT that won LeMans!

 

The fellow who started this thread has made a total of 8 posts. All of the posts he has ever made have been in this thread. They were all within three days of each other. (none since then..in over a year). As we reach the "one year anniversary" of the original post. I would like everyone to note that we are just a week or two past April fools day. If anyone would like for me to carry on this story with news that I cook up I will gladly add my imagination to this "pile"........ A friend of mine knew CS's dentist..
jimbo

 

remember this is the "NET" take everything with a grain of salt

 

OK ITS ME AGAIN. (formerly 67gt350tribute)I have a new name and I will be adding some pics of my shelby. She arrives to her new home on the 11th of June. Cant wait! Counting the days!

 

Congratulations on the purchase of your Shelby.

 

Congrats on the car! There is something about those cars whose serial number ends in double or triple zero's. Post some pictures when you get her home.

 

Thank you!!!

000's look good!..i agree!

 

Just noticed this posting and see some mentioning of my website (called t5 above or indeed www.ponysite.de) mentioned above.

So just to add a few cents since these early prototypes take a big share in my research.
If you look closely at one early Shelby factory outside pics before the program started, you see at least one red Mustang fastback around). I think this one is still considered an "inspection car" although work on it is not confirmed. I know it's speculation, but maybe sb. has more info on what happened to this red 1964 (year) Mustang.

Could be that a Mustang hardtop was "loaned" for a closer look much earlier before any officialFord delivered car arrived. If one wants to count "a closer look" as a Shelby programm related action, is of course questionable enough, but borderlines are getting fuzzy today, aren't they.

As far as I know from some communicaton the IRS prototype(s) are hidden in Detroit. The new registry will go deeper in that, I assume since genuine pics of the prototypes are in their files and a few more connections being made every day....
As to the mentioned Alan Mann suspension testing prototype being at his shop in February 1964, I believe acc. to independent statements from mechanics that the car was indeed an S-code (factory code) preseries car numbered 10003, but no evidence is there. Still sb. claims that it is still around in the UK, but I have not been able to see it so far. I am just in touch with another mechanic to confirm that story, but a real document is still missing. Pics are on my site though and exclusively from Alan Mann himself. I hope to get some more info in the following monthes or years.. I am patient enough. Just being in touch with this AM Racing team mechanic may open a few more photoboxes, which may lead to others... Mustang and Shelby history remain interesting. (just like the GT40 story acc. to Carroll Shelbys editiorial in Octane/July2007.)

 

I saw that car
before it shipped out very nice project. finding one that solid at this point of the game is oh so difficult. you are on the right forum to get any help you need along the way back to making her road worthy. Best of Luck with #3000 !!

 

Thank you! I've been busy tearing her down and getting her ready for blasting. Wow lots of boxed parts. Slowly doing research to see where they all go. You saw #3000 before being shipped out? How? You must know the guy I bought it from. Great Guy!

 

Didja ever hear of a pilot model? Coulda been one of those

before I dismiss this guy's story of the old man's '64 Mustang I have to throw in that while researching Corvettes I came across the oddity that they made up to a dozen or so '63 Sting Ray Corvettes back in '62 while the '62 assembly line was still making '62 cars. This is because these are called "pilot models" and, at some point every automaker has to make some pilot models to see if the tooling for the new model is going to work or if some changes are going to have to be made in order to start the assembly line. These pilot models were not supposed to be sold, but wouldn't you know it, some were and their numbers are all out of sequence for the regular '63 models. So there is the chance that the '64 Mustang was a pilot model, though I never heard how many pilot model Mustangs were made before they started production. A more modern example is the '05-'06 Ford GT. Ford made three '03 models which appeared at the 03 Centennial--that allowed the crew making the car entry into the bundle of cash saved for the Centennial. So there's a case of a "production car" being made two model years before "production" started.