1965 GT350 as delivered to Shelby American ?

[pchmotoho]

While reading the story about 5S003 in my annual I saw where the car was returned to
knockdown condition (which I thought was a very cool idea). Anyways my question is why would these cars be delivered to Venice / LAX with the 289 and Mustang emblems on the front fenders?

I understand these cars had to move off the line under their own power, thus the stock manifolds, intake, etc but why were the emblems left on? Perhaps an oversight by Mr. Cantwell when he visited San Jose or maybe later cars were delivered without the side emblems?

Thank you

[6s1802]

John, San Jose deleted the fender emblems during production.

[6s1802]

After the first three cars

[CharlesTurner]

Only the first 3 cars had the emblems, 5R001, 5R002 and 5S003.  It was most likely an oversight when the the cars were ordered. 

When 003 was re-restored and put completely back to as-delivered Mustang configuration, there were actually holes for the emblems on the fenders.  When the GT350 conversion was done, the holes were leaded and the bottom of the fenders painted.  003 was raced for many years and the fenders that were on the car when it was previously restored did not appear to be original, so a date correct pair from a San Jose coupe with a scheduled build date of 12 days before 003 were used.  When looking behind the fenders now, there is lead oozing out of the holes.  Lead was chosen to fill the holes as on the original driver side door, there is the same type of oozing where a mirror was removed and the holes filled for the car to be prepared to sell.

003 was shown at the 2019 MCACN show as the knock-down white hi-po.  It will be there this weekend as the prototype GT350.

[pchmotoho]

Thanks for the answers.  Much appreciated. 

[gt350hr]

  It was my understanding the first three were regular production K codes , not DSO "knockdowns".

[98SVT - was 06GT]

  It was my understanding the first three were regular production K codes , not DSO "knockdowns".

Mine too - regular complete Mustangs right off the line. There was a problem with some of the old pictures being confused due to 001 being written on the firewall.
Car #3 in the build sequence - became SFM001 the R Model Titus drove most of the season and won the Championship in it.
Car #2 in the build was the prototype R Model and got SFM002 - used as a backup and for some guest (paying?) drivers during the season.
Car #1 was the first built and was the prototype street model - it had SFM001 in the firewall and is the first street car. It got SFM003

The cars got their tags well after 65 production had started. Don Day had converted 003 to R Model specs due to a belief that the photo of his car having SFM001 on the firewall meant that the R Model had been converted back to street car status.

[CharlesTurner]

  It was my understanding the first three were regular production K codes , not DSO "knockdowns".

The first 3 cars were special orders through DSO84, Howard has copies of the order sheets.  There were 2 orders, one for what became the street car and another for the 2 competition cars.  The 2 orders were unique with the competition cars specifying more delete items and no sound deadener.  They were absolutely in no way regular production cars.

It was SAAC that notified Don Day that they had paperwork from SA that listed 003 as a race model.  Additional paperwork discovered later turned out to disprove that.  Kopec did an article about it years ago.

[98SVT - was 06GT]

It was SAAC that notified Don Day that they had paperwork from SA that listed 003 as a race model.  Additional paperwork discovered later turned out to disprove that.  Kopec did an article about it years ago.

The "paperwork" at the time was the photo. There were always questions due to the un flared rear fenders and having sound deadner, etc but Don went ahead with the conversion. Later when SAAC got the ledger and stuff from the SA attic they knew Don's car was never an R Model.

[tomhawk]

Just a comment about the mustang emblems. I owned and did the restoration on 5s045 in the late 90s. The car still retains its original sheet metal. The holes for the mustang emblems had been plug welded. I dont remember but I dont think there were any welded holes for the 289 emblems.

[gt350hr]

   Thanks for the clarification Charles. Glad to know Howard has the records on them.