GT 350 history

[chief135smitty]

Can someone reference me to a complete history of the GT350? I am more interested in the newer GT350's (non S550). How many GT's has shelby modified and what year range did this happen?

Thanks

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[mattlqx]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=shelby+gt350+wiki&l=1

 

[chief135smitty]

Thanks!

 

[Bullitt2065]

They made those from 2011 to 2014 (they started with the launch of the 5.0). The Shelby Registry would have the answer, but that doesn't come free.

But in reality, there's not much to really be excited about with those car in my opinion. As with most all Shelby-built modern cars, they're not much more than a collection of a bunch of parts built by other people with the Shelby name slapped on them. They let other companies do all of the engineering, and then charge a massive markup for the Shelby name. And I was never impressed with the styling of those cars, either.

I don't think those cars should even be used in the same sentence as the original GT350s or Ford's new ones (even though I just did ).

 

[chief135smitty]

Thanks for the insight, I agree with you. Was the original Shelby GT350 built the same way ie. using aftermarket parts? So what was Shelby (the corporation) input in this new car? I really like the fact that Ford has used all of its resources to build this car, but is it truely a Shelby?

 

[Bullitt2065]

Thanks for the insight, I agree with you. Was the original Shelby GT350 built the same way ie. using aftermarket parts? So what was Shelby (the corporation) input in this new car? I really like the fact that Ford has used all of its resources to build this car, but is it truely a Shelby?

The basis for the original GT350 actually came from an earlier performance version of the GT350 developed by Holman Moody (it's a little known fact and one many Shelby fans dismiss, but it is a fact). I know Shelby in the 60s did a ton of engineering and "hot rodding" on all of their cars, and there wasn't really an aftermarket in those days, so they had to make it all work on their own.

The new car is a Shelby only in name. Ford pays Shelby a royalty fee to use the GT350 name, as they did with the GT500 (although I've heard some say that Shelby doesn't actually own the GT350 nomenclature anymore, so I'm not sure). But the new Shelby GT350 is 100% designed, engineered, tested, built and sold by Ford Motor Company (and in this day and age, that's a far better product than Shelby American could hope to produce).

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