Mustang Forums Exclusive – New 2019 Shelby GT350 Mustang: What’s Changed Since 1965?

Rear Differential

The original Shelby Mustang had a ratchet-type limited-slip differential built by Detroit Automotive Products for heavy-duty truck use in a solid rear axle housing.

The newest Shelby has a mechanical limited-slip differential in an independent rear suspension assembly.

Suspension

Shelby’s first Mustang had a one-inch front anti-roll bar, front and rear Koni adjustable shocks, rear trailing torque-control arms and front suspension tuning – all of which differed from the non-Shelby models back then.

The new model features Ford’s high tech MagneRide Damping System with front and rear coil springs and a rear multi-link layout. This setup is similar to that used in the Mustang GT, but the Shelby models get unique tuning.

Steering

The first GT350 had a revised steering geometry that allowed for 14% quicker response rate compared to the non-Shelby models, making the steering system far more acute.

The new model features Ford’s selectable-effort Electric Power-Assist Steering (EPAS) that offers the sharpest steering system that the original pony car has ever had from the factory. This is a similar system to what is used in other models, but the GT350 has unique tuning.

‘The 2019 GT350 has new lightweight aluminum wheels measuring 19 by 10.5-inches up front and 19 by 11-inches out back. Those huge rollers are wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, 295/35 up front and 305/35 out back, giving the newest Shelby some of the stickiest road-and-track tires on the market today.’

Brakes

The original GT350 was fitted with Kelsey-Hayes 11-inch discs up front and rear drum brakes from a Ford station wagon that were almost an inch wider than the standard Mustang rear brake drums. Also, the ’65 models had performance front and rear brake linings and by the standards of the day – this system was cutting edge.

The 2019 GT350 comes with six-piston Brembo front brake calipers and 15.5-inch, two-piece, cross drilled iron discs mounted to aluminum hats with a unique floating pin system. Out back, there is a four-piston Brembo system with 14.9-inch rotors with the same unique construction. As modern brake systems go, this is as about as cutting edge as it goes in terms of steel systems.

Wheels & Tires

Back in 1965, Carroll Shelby’s team fitted the Mustang with 15 by six-inch Kelsey-Hayes “mag-type” wrapped in low-profile, “semi-racing” Goodyear tires that had a stunning speed rating of 130 miles per hour.

The 2019 GT350 has new lightweight aluminum wheels measuring 19 by 10.5-inches up front and 19 by 11-inches out back. Those huge rollers are wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, 295/35 up front and 305/35 out back, giving the newest Shelby some of the stickiest road-and-track tires on the market today.

Interior

The original Shelby Mustang had the same front seats, interior trim and instrument cluster as the non-Shelby models, with some changes. There was no back seat and in its place was the spare tire mount. There was also a wooden-rimmed steering wheel with the Shelby logo in the center, an added tachometer and an added oil pressure gauge.

The newest GT350 has the same basic layout as the non-Shelby models, but the premium infotainment system with the big touchscreen is standard, as are the auxiliary performance switches, an oil pressure gauge, an oil temperature gauge, Recaro cloth bucket seats and a flat-bottom steering.

While a great many things have changed mostly due to the massive improvements on automotive technology over the course of the past half-century, the 2019 Shelby GT350 Mustang still achieves the same goal as the 1965 model. It improves on the performance of the Mustang GT by adding a little more power with a substantial improvement in handling to create a muscle car that handles like a sports car.

Photos for Mustang Forums by Patrick Rall

Join the Mustang Forums now!

Patrick Rall

"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.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Facebook   Twitter