65 GT350-Tribute Restomod/Autocross car

[Jim Herrud]

I was disheartened to see the forum problems. The guidance this forum has provided has been invaluable for my project.

My wife and I are starting the final assembly of our 65 Mustang GT350 Tribute project. The car was purchased cheap in 1983 after being resurrected following a high-speed encounter with a bridge abutment and given a crude restoration. It was my daily driver and autocross racer for 10 years.  As my interest in the Mustang hobby grew, I became a Shelby fan. I couldn't afford a true Shelby, and if I could, I probably wouldn't want to abuse it. Fortunately, I had the perfect candidate for a tribute car. In '93 we tore the car down and began a better restoration - or at least as good as our newbie skills would permit. The project has proceeded in fits and starts with lots of surprises along the way, but hopefully we are now on the last leg.

We are keeping the exterior and interior mostly true to the 65 GT350 appearance. No major modifications to the body other than a color change to arctic white and a touch of GT350R in the mix. Other features: Ford 289 (Eng. dyno: 350HP@6500/340Tq@4300), coil overs, R&P, EFI, front-disks/2.5x10" rear drums, Ford 9", Wavetrac diff, etc. We also added creature comforts like power-steering, boosted brakes, hyd. clutch, 5-speed, A/C and sound-deadening so the wife could/would drive it. The added weight is not a performance concern as my racing class requires a minimum of 3000 lbs. and I am still going to have to add ballast.

I might add that Shelby Parts and Restoration recently made available what looks to me like a good reproduction of the '65 Shelby dash-mounted horn toggle switch. I attached two photos that they provided. (Note that their web-page touts a $60 switch, but that unit appears to be no longer available.) I paid $183 incl. shipping in November 2017, just as they started getting these switches from a new supplier.

[Bob Gaines]

I was disheartened to see the forum problems. The guidance this forum has provided has been invaluable for my project.

My wife and I are starting the final assembly of our 65 Mustang GT350 Tribute project. The car was purchased cheap in 1983 after being resurrected following a high-speed encounter with a bridge abutment and given a crude restoration. It was my daily driver and autocross racer for 10 years.  As my interest in the Mustang hobby grew, I became a Shelby fan. I couldn't afford a true Shelby, and if I could, I probably wouldn't want to abuse it. Fortunately, I had the perfect candidate for a tribute car. In '93 we tore the car down and began a better restoration - or at least as good as our newbie skills would permit. The project has proceeded in fits and starts with lots of surprises along the way, but hopefully we are now on the last leg.

We are keeping the exterior and interior mostly true to the 65 GT350 appearance. No major modifications to the body other than a color change to arctic white and a touch of GT350R in the mix. Other features: Ford 289 (Eng. dyno: 350HP@6500/340Tq@4300), coil overs, R&P, EFI, front-disks/2.5x10" rear drums, Ford 9", Wavetrac diff, etc. We did change the color to Arctic White. We also added creature comforts like power-steering, boosted brakes, hyd. clutch, 5-speed, A/C and sound-deadening so the wife could/would drive it. The added weight is not a performance concern as my racing class requires a minimum of 3000 lbs. and I am still going to have to add ballast.

I might add that Shelby Parts and Restoration recently made available what looks to me like a good reproduction of the '65 Shelby dash-mounted horn toggle switch. I attached two photos that they provided. (Note that their web-page touts a $60 switch, but that unit appears to be no longer available.) I paid $183 incl. shipping in November 2017, just as they started getting these switches from a new supplier.

That appears to be a correct looking 65 GT350 switch from the passenger compartment side which what counts most IMO.

[Shelby_r_b]

I was disheartened to see the forum problems. The guidance this forum has provided has been invaluable for my project.

My wife and I are starting the final assembly of our 65 Mustang GT350 Tribute project. The car was purchased cheap in 1983 after being resurrected following a high-speed encounter with a bridge abutment and given a crude restoration. It was my daily driver and autocross racer for 10 years.  As my interest in the Mustang hobby grew, I became a Shelby fan. I couldn't afford a true Shelby, and if I could, I probably wouldn't want to abuse it. Fortunately, I had the perfect candidate for a tribute car. In '93 we tore the car down and began a better restoration - or at least as good as our newbie skills would permit. The project has proceeded in fits and starts with lots of surprises along the way, but hopefully we are now on the last leg.

We are keeping the exterior and interior mostly true to the 65 GT350 appearance. No major modifications to the body other than a color change to arctic white and a touch of GT350R in the mix. Other features: Ford 289 (Eng. dyno: 350HP@6500/340Tq@4300), coil overs, R&P, EFI, front-disks/2.5x10" rear drums, Ford 9", Wavetrac diff, etc. We also added creature comforts like power-steering, boosted brakes, hyd. clutch, 5-speed, A/C and sound-deadening so the wife could/would drive it. The added weight is not a performance concern as my racing class requires a minimum of 3000 lbs. and I am still going to have to add ballast.

I might add that Shelby Parts and Restoration recently made available what looks to me like a good reproduction of the '65 Shelby dash-mounted horn toggle switch. I attached two photos that they provided. (Note that their web-page touts a $60 switch, but that unit appears to be no longer available.) I paid $183 incl. shipping in November 2017, just as they started getting these switches from a new supplier.

Well done!  I'm all about the Restored/Autocrossers