Do you consider the GT350 a Shelby?

[Redline8250]

Some of the original Shelbys had a centrifugal Paxton blower on them. I would love to drive one of those. The original 289 installed in most Shelbys back in the day wasn't that much to talk about though.

I think the new cars are much better. The old stuff is neat, but not better in any way. Anyone who has worked on and driven 60s and 70s Mustangs for a lot of miles knows how crappy that front suspension is. The joy of trying to keep a recirculating ball steering box somewhat tight. 4 wheel drums! Manual steering and brakes! Z bar linkage clutches?

Nobody is saying they are better.
All I said is I'd rather have the 65-66.
I think people are assuming I mean the classics are better performance and nowhere did I say that.

Sponsored

 

[5.0 435]

I disagree to a point. 69/70 Shelbys are coming into their own recently, no doubt in part to CS's death. I've seen examples fetching near $150K, especially unrestored originals.

Yes the 69/70 GT500's are trending up in price but not the 69/70 GT350's. They seem to be flat over the last couple of years.



The 428 cobra jet motor has everything to do with this.

 

[machsmith]

When referencing my car I say GT350. I don't use the word Shelby. IMO the GT350 is currently the best mustang of all time.

 

[bossmango]

Carrol Shelby's last, direct, hands on, envolvement with production line Mustangs was in 1966. Shelby Mustangs went down Ford in house assembly lines from 1967 on and that includes the modern Shelby badged iterations from 2007 till the present. Carrol gave his so called blessings for the Ford/SVT engineered Shelby Mustangs till his death but was many years out of any role in actual design etc. He would have given his approval for anything Ford concocted as his company name on Fords again was life support for SAI which is still a worthless entity barely keeping afloat. Sorry but all of the above is reality.

 

[Zombo]

This poll has certainly provoked an interesting dialog.

At a cruise night a few days ago, I notice the serno on the 2 Shelby GT500s started with 1ZV, which signifies Auto Alliance International.

Our GT350s start with 1FA - Ford Motor Company. I thought that might make a difference?

 

[Mike02z]

Ok so now I'm a troll?
Explain how?
How many people on this GT350 thread have or owned a car from the 70s or older? How am I full of myself? Just because I'm in that line of business my whole life?
PP001 assumed that because I'm 45 that I never driven a original gt350 because I myself would rather have one then my 16. Talk about full of oneself. He's quick to judge.
I consider myself more knowledgeable in classic cars then most on this forum. Do I know every classic car? Of course not. Have I or do I own some? Yes. And I'll bet to say that I've owned more then many here. Why am I being judged because of my choice? I like classic cars and like I said I'd rather have a 65/66 gt350 over my 16. PP001 is the one who's all judging someone because of his personal taste.
I have a right to my opinion.
By the way calling me a troll? You sold your gt350 and drive a dodge!
I had to make a new user name.
You may remember me as voodooo.

You are a troll because you use generalizations and comments like you know more about cars than 98% of the people here. That is being full of yourself to think you know more than the vast majority of people here. How can you possibly know that? You are welcome to your opinions but keep in mind you started calling GM and FCA owners idiots. Again, do you know every GM or FCA owner? Your simply trying to stir up trouble.
That in my view makes you a troll. Your defense is that I sold my GT350 and bought a Dodge? Wow, I feel the burn What brand of car I own is immaterial. I'm not debating your feeling that you prefer the older Shelby's. I have no argument with that. No one has the right to argue that as there is no right/wrong. I don't like generalizations, period. You have made quite a few idiotic generalizations. That is what I'm trying to point out. I could care less how much you know about cars. That is not the point. When your defense is to call people who are not Ford Fanboys idiots, that is when I felt I needed to speak up.

 

[96cobra]

This poll has certainly provoked an interesting dialog.

At a cruise night a few days ago, I notice the serno on the 2 Shelby GT500s started with 1ZV, which signifies Auto Alliance International.

Our GT350s start with 1FA - Ford Motor Company. I thought that might make a difference?

Seems like you're fishing for every reason to NOT call it a Shelby. :doh:

Just call it whatever makes you feel good, no one is really going to care (not trying to be a jerk, but it's the truth).

I'm calling mine a Shelby.

 

[GRTWHT]

Maybe you should have owned a '68 390. Frank Bullitt seemed to do OK!!!

Would have been nice, but I was in the Viet Nam war at the time. Had to sell my 66 Shelby before I went in. Funny thing, everyone at the time was into big muscle cars and the road handling Shelby with a 289, just didn't cut it with a lot of people back then. Had a hard time selling it.

 

[l'Ingegnere]

I don't understand how anyone here can legitimately believe the current GT350 is a "real" Shelby. CS may have had some input on the last gen GT500's, but even those cars were still developed completely by SVT and built in Michigan with no SA involvement. CS was dead before any real work even began on the new car. It's a Shelby in naming rights only, literally.

 

[Mspeedster]

I don't understand how anyone here can legitimately believe the current GT350 is a "real" Shelby. CS may have had some input on the last gen GT500's, but even those cars were still developed completely by SVT and built in Michigan with no SA involvement. CS was dead before any real work even began on the new car. It's a Shelby in naming rights only, literally.

Actually, Carroll was involved in our GT350 too, in the early conceptual phases before he passed. So it's a little more than just naming rights.

 

[Epiphany]

I don't think anyone is saying that the car performs better due to its naming. People are only saying whether they like the name or not and why. That's why I like that the new GT350 is understated. The badges are small and there aren't an excess of them.

Boom - yes.

That is my point. In the context of paying for performance, the nomenclature of which royalty fees are paid for, does nothing in terms of adding performance. Hence my comment about why I think the banter on the matter is silly.

Nobody is saying they like or dislike the name. They are merely pointing out what they refer to their car as or what they believe it should be called. In my view, the stickers/stripes/badges (however minimalist, which I'm thankful for) represents monies that could have been spent on actual performance instead of the right to have "SHELBY" placed upon it.

I'd love to see Ford offer two near identical cars. One, a plane Jane car with all the performance options checked and a second for those that want to pay a royalty fee. No difference in performance, bodywork, etc, just one with all the labeling (more expensive) and one without. Never happen but which do you think they'd sell more of?

 

[96cobra]

From the Ford Website. I guess we all need to second guess the manufactuer of our vehicle?

 

[96cobra]

Another explanation, showing that Carrol Shelby was aware of this GT350:

 

[Caballus]

How much Carrol Shelby DNA is required to still be a Shelby? He started a tradition and passed it on--part to Shelby America and part to what's become Ford Performance (by law and tradition).

Henry Ford is also dead. His sons and grandsons are Fords, but they aren't the originals? Just as they must feel that Henry is constantly looking over their shoulders, no doubt anyone who is lucky enough to be part of creating a car that will have Shelby "stuck on it" feels that Carrol is looking over theirs. Carrying on that tradition is a heavy burden, and they seem to take it seriously...

 

[nastang87xx]

Another explanation, showing that Carrol Shelby was aware of this GT350:

That video was from the 60's...*sigh* journalists lol

[ame]https://vimeo.com/43123331[/ame]


What I don't understand is why people are making a big deal over whether it is or it isn't. It's in the title of the car. But it's just a name at this point.

I would have no doubt that Carroll Shelby knew a new homage was coming and the S550 was under development since I think 2010. Most of the time, manufacturers already have a sub model roadmap made during development or at least very early on. I think the GT350 started develoopment in 2011.

Sponsored