Latest Shelby GT350 Mustang is a track terror like the original but with a much longer feature list.
The first ever Shelby Mustang was the 1965 GT350, so with the introduction of the new-and-improved 2019 GT350, the Shelby Mustang name is entering its 54th year. While the modern GT350 is designed with the same goals as the original, a great deal has changed in the last half-century.
However, automotive engineering doesn’t naturally enjoy the benefits of Moore’s Law. So while much has changed, there are still inevitable parallels between both of these beastly vehicles. Here’s a look at how the 1965 Shelby Mustang is both very similar and very different from its successor.
GT350 Body
The original Shelby GT350 Mustang maintained many of the body bits of the non-Shelby models, with the exception of the fiberglass hood, the rear quarter window louvers, the package-specific stripes and the unique grille design.
The new Shelby Mustang has far more unique components with a front fascia, hood, grille, side skirts, rear diffuser, rear spoiler with Gurney flap and, of course, package-specific badging. Although there are some shared components, the modern GT350 stands apart from the rest of the Mustang lineup far more than the original did.
Engine
The 1965 Shelby GT350 Mustang was powered by the same high performance 289-cubic inch V8 as the basic Mustang, but the Shelby model offered 306 horsepower rather than 271 horsepower. This increase was achieved by adding a high raise intake manifold, headers, racing 4-barrel carburetor and high volume aluminum oil pan.
The 2019 Shelby GT350 Mustang is powered by a unique 5.2-liter flat-plane-crank V8 engine with 526 horsepower. This is an entirely different engine from the one in the Mustang GT.
Transmission
The 1965 GT350 featured a lightweight Warner four-speed manual transmission with an aluminum case and close-ratio gears. This was an entirely different transmission from the one in the non-Shelby models. The 2019 version features a Tremec six-speed manual transmission with a unique gear set from the one found in the Mustang GT.
"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.
You must be logged in to post a comment.