Pearly-white Shelby ponies are certainly a weakness for any classic Mustang lover and this one is no exception.
The history of the Ford Mustang is chock full of legendary performance cars, but there are few models that garner more respect than the Shelby GT500. While attending the Dallas Autorama, the samspace81 YouTube channel came across a stunning example of the original GT500 that has only been owned by two people, with the same person having owned the car since 1971.
Along the way, it was restored, leading to the beautiful, classic pony car shown in the video above.
Original GT500
While Carroll Shelby introduced his tuned Mustangs in 1965, 1967 marked the first GT500. This pony car came from the factory with a 428-cubic inch V8 topped by and aluminum intake manifold and twin four-barrel carburetors, offering 355 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. Other performance upgraded included better cooling components, power steering, power front disc brakes and a heavy duty four-speed manual transmission.
On the outside, the 1967 GT500 featured a unique hood, grille, wheels, rear quarter window vents and a rear end with a molded spoiler and quarter panel extensions that created a very different look from the 1967 Mustang GT. Of course, it also had Shelby badges on the front, rear and sides, along with stripes that carry the GT500 logos on the sides.
In short, the 1967 Shelby GT500 offered more performance than any standard Mustang, along with a look that allowed it to stand out in a crowd of classic pony cars.
Bill Devlin’s 1967 GT500
The Shelby Mustang in the video above was purchased by 19-year-old Bill Devlin back in 1971 from the original owner. Bill eventually married his wife, Pat, and with their GT500, they traveled around the country with the Marine Corps, spending time in six states over the course of the past 40-plus years.
For many years, this GT500 served as a daily driver, being fitted with snow tires and carrying a baby seat while also spending time at the drag strip during the warm months. This Mustang was used how Ford intended, before being restored back to its original glory by a shop in Texas.
In addition to giving us a close-up look at Bill and Pat Devlin’s GT500, this video also gives us a quick look at a GT350, allowing us to see the styling differences between the two original Shelby Mustangs.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
