Introduced in April 1964, the first-generation Ford Mustang got the high-performance Shelby treatment only a few months later. The GT350 arrived for the 1965 model year as a lightened pony car prepped for track duty. The nameplate remained in production with various changes through 1969, with the remaining inventory sold in 1970.
Shelby produced 7,104 units over five model years, a relatively low figure that makes the GT350 a desirable classic. The 1965 first-year version is the rarest of the bunch, with only 572 examples produced. This figure includes a long list of versions built in very limited numbers.
Of the 572 GT350s built in 1965, 514 left Carroll’s shop as regular street production models. This number also includes seven PR vehicles and six company cars. Of the remaining 58 units, 34 were built as factory Competition race cars. These are highly desirable and among the most expensive Shelbys ever made.
But what about the remaining 24 examples? Records show that 11 were “advanced pre-production” prototypes, while two cars were used to prototype the 1966 version. The list also includes the initial 1965 prototype, two Competition test rigs, four drag cars, and three units that went to the Shelby Hi-Performance School. Finally, there’s also a one-off prototype fitted with a Paxton supercharger.
The story goes that Carroll Shelby commissioned Paxton, which was owned by Studebaker at the time, to equip two GT350s with forced induction. However, one car had the supercharger removed after extensive testing, leaving just one example with this feature. The Wimbledon White rig you see here is that unique pony.
Used in the famous BF Goodrich Comp T/A ads, the one-off GT350 was shipped to a Michigan dealer and eventually sold. It changed a few owners, and it was separated by its original powerplant. A few years later, however, the presumably lost V8 was found and reunited with the car. By the way, the Paxton supercharger increased the 289-cubic-inch (4.7-liter) K-Code’s output from 306 to 390 horsepower.
But the fact that the pony is still around after nearly 60 years to tell its story is not the only spectacular thing about this GT350. You’re also looking at a survivor that still sports its original paint. And it appears to be in outstanding condition. This Mustang was auctioned off in 2020 for a whopping $800,000, so it’s probably worth seven figures in the current market.
The one-off is parked next to supercharged siblings from 1966 and 1967. Yup, Shelby offered the Paxton option for two model years after the initial prototype was built. The company sold 11 units in 1966 and 35 examples in 1967. That’s 0.46% and 2.9% of the total production for the respective model years.
Seeing all three of them parked side by side is a rare treat and we have YouTube’s “DezzysSpeedShop” to thank for the opportunity.