While any original Shelby Mustang is a treasured classic, mystery surrounds this particular Ford that Dennis Collins gets his hands on.
Dennis Collins’ latest YouTube automotive adventure is filled with questions and some answers as he heads to Belvidere, Illinois, to retrieve a 1967 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350. While any original Shelby Mustang is a treasured classic, mystery and uncertainty surround this particular Ford.
Stripped Down For Racing
As the video progresses, viewers quickly learn that this GT350 had been modified into a racer at some point. The front clip has been converted into a one-piece, flip-forward arrangement and underneath is a stripped-down engine compartment. The equally bare cabin reinforces that Mustang was all about speed.
And throughout the presentation, the sellers recount a three-year journey to learn the car’s origins. Ordinarily, the VIN would reveal many of these details, but this information is absent likely due to the modifications that occurred in the past.
A Smile-Worthy Tribute To “Eleanor”
As Collins wraps up the transaction, we see the sellers had applied a clever nickname to Collins’ latest acquisition: “Helanor.” This ode to the Gone In 60 Seconds Mustang is a few model years earlier than the 70s-era Eleanor from the original 1974 movie, but the tribute is still smile-worthy. Nicholas Cage’s 2000 remake featured a 1967 Shelby GT500.
About the Shelby Mustang GT350
Eager to take advantage of the freshened 1967 Mustang body style, Carroll Shelby went to work with the GT350. And while the Shelby GT500 frequently garnered more attention, his GT350 offered a sweet spot that combined performance and value.
To help the GT350 stand out from the pack, a unique and elongated front end (accompanied by an extended fiberglass hood) reinforces the car’s performance-focused appearance. Other distinguishing features include dual grille-mounted driving lights and a functional hood scoop.
Other tell-tale signs of the GT350 are a pair of air scoops taking the place of rear-quarter windows. There are also working brake vents (see the 12:15 timestamp in the video) at the front of each rear wheel well.
At the back of the GT350 is a unique fascia distinguished by horizontal taillights appropriated from the 1967 Mercury Cougar. A fiberglass trunk lid with a spoiler completed the car’s go-fast looks.
Stock GT350s were fitted with a high-performance 289 cubic-inch V-8 upgraded to crank out 306 horsepower and 329 lb-ft of torque. While tame by today’s standards, this Shelby would top out at 140 mph and hit 60 mph from a standstill in just over seven seconds.
Sources: YouTube, Ford
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