SHOT WITH A CHASER: This 1965 GT350 is packing Shelby’s biggest punch under the hood
December 6, 2016
Posted by Barrett-Jackson
Written by independent automotive journalist Steve Statham
This outstanding 1965 Shelby GT350 Fastback (Lot #1365) will be headed across the auction block in Scottsdale this January.
It takes more than hype to build a legend. Performance cars, like people, achieve legendary status for a reason. And if you want to understand why, you need to drill down to the source material, the origin story, the first of the breed. For Shelby Mustang fans, that means going straight back to the 1965 GT350.
That first-year GT350 was the purest version of a Shelby Mustang, sent out into the world before any compromises took hold. The 1965 GT350 was a street car, sure, but one that came with a race-tuned suspension, a ratcheting, noisy Detroit Locker rear end, and headers feeding into rumbly side-exit exhaust. Back seat? Air conditioning? Automatic transmission? Choice of colors? No, no, no and no.
Most of these performance features were eliminated or made optional starting in 1966, leaving the ’65 models as a particular favorite with collectors. The **1965 GT350 (SFM5S219) **offered for sale as Lot #1365 at No Reserve in Scottsdale includes all of that original mojo and more. An earlier owner acquired a complete Paxton supercharger conversion kit from Shelby American to be fitted to the original engine. The Paxton blower became a Shelby Mustang option in 1966, but was also available through Shelby American’s parts catalog for retrofitting.
An expensive and rare option, the Paxton did wonders for the small-block 289’s torque output, and Shelby American claimed the setup delivered a 46-percent horsepower boost. The one on this GT350 is the real deal, one of the Paxtons built for Shelby American.
The Paxton wouldn’t have been so effective without the other modifications Shelby made to the Mustang. The K-code 289 in the 1965 GT350 was fitted with an aluminum, dual-plane high-rise intake manifold, and the factory Autolite carburetor was swapped for a Holley 4-barrel. The finned aluminum “Cobra” oil pan was baffled to keep oil properly corralled during hard driving. A “Monte Carlo Bar” between the shock towers stiffened the chassis, traction bars were welded and bolted into place, and large Galaxie station wagon drum brakes were fitted to the rear. All ’65 GT350s were built with the Borg-Warner aluminum T-10 4-speed transmission.
Besides the supercharger, the car for sale is noteworthy in that it survived the years with a rust- and damage-free body shell, and is presented with no missing or altered components from when it escaped from Shelby American’s assembly line. The historical record and supporting documentation shows that this Shelby was completed in May 1965 and shipped to Herb Tousley Ford in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.
This Shelby was always well-maintained and unmodified, and was given a comprehensive restoration in the late 1990s. In late 2016 this GT350 underwent a thorough service, including the fitment of five new, correct Goodyear Blue Dot tires. The car was also treated to a freshening of the cosmetic restoration, taking it to a concours level. It has been driven only a few judicious miles since restoration.
Shelby American built only 562 GT350s in 1965, including race cars and prototypes. This example, with its original components intact and a careful restoration, offers a driving experience directly out of 1965. The lucky buyer will get the opportunity to explore the legend of the GT350 straight from an original source.
For up-to-date information on this vehicle, click HERE.