1965 Ford Mustang Fastback GT350 Tribute

The Mustang name, of course, was born with this car, allegedly because aviation enthusiast and Ford Executive Stylist John Najjar Ferzely felt the car resembled a P-51 Mustang airplane.  An alternate name-origin story suggests that designer Philip Clark came up with it in reference to the wild horses he saw on a cross-country trip.  The horse angle, as opposed to the plane angle, is the one that stuck in the end.

For consignment, a 1965 Mustang fastback showing as a Shelby Mustang GT350 clone.  This means it was a fastback but has been modified to look as though it was an actual GT350.  It has the correct colors, the vents on the B pillar, and a swept back rear glass.  It also contains a built to the hilt by Rick's Speedway Performance 289ci V8 and is shifted by a 4-speed Toploader transmission.  All this from the humble beginnings of a former mundane, (as if any Mustang fastback can be considered mundane), 6 cylinder automatic fastback...we've come a looooonnngggg way baby!

Exterior
With the GT350 option becoming available in 1965, this Mustang has been modified to look like a 1965 GT350 with Amherst Classic Cars making sure all bodywork was in rust free condition, it was then bathed in Wimbledon White, has Guardsman blue dual wide racing stripes on top, and a rocker stripe with a GT 350 badging in the middle near the wheel well.  This car now presents with straight exterior steel which is minding its gaps nicely.  Our consignor notes that extra paintwork was performed in 2021 to correct a few issues and I'd say it was done spot on, allowing us to gaze into our handsome reflections in the white.  We note a few very small bubbles in the passenger's door lower, making an appearance in the blue stripe.  A fiberglass scooped hood hovers just above the mesh grille with a later style GT350 badge and yellow tinted fog lamps.  Chrome trimmings surround the windows and show on the bumpers as excellent condition.  For the icing on the cake 14-inch Magnum 500 chrome wheels are now adorning each corner, all wrapped in raised white letter retro-modern Goodyear Nascar Eagle radials.

Interior
As we move to the interior, past a large blue vinyl vertical tuck and roll panel which has a textured blue steel surround and houses the door actuator and the window crank all showing off the chrome rearview bullet style mirrors perfectly.  The seats, front low back buckets, and rear fold down bench have blue bolsters which are nice and smooth with a small top area that is done up in blue vinyl tuck and roll.  This is the standard interior, so there's no extra fanciness going on, just pure horsepower and muscle.  These seats show some very light wear, but remain in overall good condition.  Fronting this seating is a blue plastic rimmed 3-spoked, chromed and drilled steering wheel.  The plastic is showing some cracks, common for the age.  Way upfront, is the dual “eyebrow” blue topped and padded dash top, and blue painted metal dash front.  The series of 5 round digital gauges are within a black camera case and there is an integrated tachometer.   Blue carpeting floods the floors and is clean and not faded, and on the hump a blue plastic console races forward to meet the dash.  It is trimmed with textured black and ribbed aluminum along with the chrome armed Hurst shifter.  A factory AM radio resides in the dash center and in front of the passenger is a black camera case finished oval glove box and door with an incorrect Shelby GT350 badge.  Above all this is a light blue headliner in vinyl and looking nice and tight with matching visors. 

Drivetrain
Gone is the pedestrian 6 cylinder and replacing it between the shock towers is a fully rebuilt in 2013 by Rick's Speedway Performance 289ci V8.  It has been fitted with a very torquey camshaft for a wide powerband and works in conjunction with a pair of Pro-Top aluminum cylinder heads with small chambers and large valves.  It is topped by an Edelbrock intake with new gaskets and a 650cfm Demon 4-barrel carburetor.  The transmission is now a 4-speed manual Toploader with a new clutch which pushes power to the back through a Ford 9-inch rear weighing in with 3.55 gears and TracLoc.

Undercarriage
A beauty up top and inside, so we were not surprised to see a clean black steel environment down below.  Looking at the photos and our inspection shows some very light surface rust on the usual suspects, but everything remains structurally solid.  Giving this snake induced pony a sure footed ride, we can see independent coil springs for the front and leaf springs for the rear, and some Shelby style traction bars added for some extra grip.  Power disc brakes are on front, and power drums on back.  Flowmaster mufflers take the spent gasses from the headers to the back of the car, exiting under with chrome tips under the rear valance.

Drive-Ability
A quick starter and a bit of a low roar as it made its way to the test track.  Here it has snappy acceleration, good handling and bias free braking.  All other functions were working as they should save for the radio which simply doesn't turn on.

A nice version of the fastback GT350 clone.  Correct colors, wide stripes, and the louvered pillar sweeping rear deck, all this without the fear of ruining a Shelby original.  The same look, same performance, and at a fraction of the cost.  Visit our Hallowed Halls and check this venom induced horse out in person....maybe get snakebit...

5F09T668146

5-1965
F-Dearborn, MI Assy Plant
09-2 Door Fastback
T-200ci I6
668146-Sequential Unit Number

WARRANTY TAG

BODY 63A-2 Door Fastback, Standard Buckets
PAINT Y-Silver Blue
TRIM 22-Blue Vinyl
DATE 18Q-March 18th
DSO 32-Cleveland
AXLE 2-2.83 Conventional
TRANS 6-C4 Automatic

Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special interest automobile showroom, featuring over 850 vehicles for sale with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle barn find collection is on display. This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914. Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.