www.QV500.com - Shelby Mustang Part 2: GT350 (1966)
 
For the 1966 model year, Shelby's GT350 underwent a variety of changes brought in primarily because Ford wanted to make more money. Most importantly, the rear seats returned and a wider choice of colours was offered in an attempt to attract extra buyers. The 1966 model year also saw the introduction of a famous rental version produced for Hertz, this later being joined by a supercharged GT350 and even a handful of Convertible's built for Shelby's closest associates. All '66-spec GT350's were completed with 14-inch wheels as standard, these in favour of the 15-inch diameter rims used the previous year.
   

The lowered A-arms used in '65 were ditched for standard items and the rear traction bars originally installed over the axle exchanged for less complex units that now went underneath. Outside, the elegant sail panel extractor vents were replaced with Plexiglas quarter windows, the fuel-filler cap now bearing a Cobra logo rather than a Mustang. To make the GT350 more consumer-friendly, four new exterior colours were introduced. These included Ivy Green, Candyapple Red, Sapphire Blue and Raven Black, all of which could be specified with contrasting striping. Customers could also select new chrome-rimmed Magnum 500 wheels. As mentioned earlier, the rear seats returned (although 95 '66 cars were built as two-seaters), other cockpit changes including an oil pressure guage added to the instrument panel. Also, the '65 GT350's instrument pod was discontinued in favour of a seperate tach mounted on the dash top. 200 1965 models were held over and titled as '66 cars, but by August 1965, production of the latest version was underway. They went on sale that October, the first 300 or so being completed without the GT350 tailgate badge. In November, Shelby made a proposition to the Hertz car rental firm about producing a special edition GT350 that would serve as a useful publicity tool for both firms. Hertz liked the idea and a prototype was quickly up and running. A contract for 200 cars was soon upped to 1000 units and eventually, all 1000 Hertz GT350's were produced in the '66 model year.

   
All were supplied with Gold sill stripes that read GT350H, many also being kitted out with matching Le Mans centre stripes. Around 80% were painted Raven Black, the remaining 20% being split primarily between Wimbledon White and Candyapple Red. Quickly earning itself the nickname ‘Rent-a-Racer', this was after some Hertz customers headed straight for the track. Others even exchanged the powerful Shelby motors for standard units in their own personal Mustang's. All Hertz GT350's got Magnum 500's as standard, early examples being equipped with the Borg-Warner four-speed manual.
   
The Borg-Warner was replaced by Ford's own Toploader unit after around 250 had been completed. But when the C4 automatic transmission was introduced as an optional extra, many customers (including Hertz) began ordering GT350's with the slushbox. Autolite 4100 carbs were used for this application as opposed to the Holley 715cfm. In addition to building cars for Hertz, Carroll Shelby decided to treat himself, his secretary and a handful of his closest associates with a batch of specially developed GT350 Convertible's. Not offered for public sale, between four and six were made (all in different colours), the chassis numbers ranging from 6S2375 to 2380. However, whether of not 2379 and 2380 were ever completed remains a mystery. 11 GT350's were also equipped with Paxton superchargers during the 1966 model year, Paxton's Joe Granatelli having approached Shelby with the concept in early 1965. The idea was for a Paxton supercharger kit to be offered as an official option and Shelby lent Granatelli a '65 GT350 (chassis 5S425) for use as a development mule. The prototype was completed in July 1965 and Shelby was apparently bowled over by the cars performance. He went on to order 500 Paxton kits for installation by special request, these supercharged GT350's also getting Autolite 4100 4V carbs and Carter high-volume fuel pumps. Inside there were Paxton gauges for the manifold pressure and vacuum, these being mounted in a chrome bezel underneath the dash centre.
 
With an output of between 380 and 400bhp, these were the quickest road-going GT350's yet. They could sprint from 0-60 in under six seconds and hit over 150mph flat out. By June 1966, the specifications for the 1967 model year GT350 and an even bigger-engined GT500 were finalised, production beginning in September at Shelby's new facility at Los Angeles International Airport. Although historians disagree on the exact number of '66 model year GT350's built, we believe 2388 were manufactured. This was split by 1368 stock GT350's, 1001 Hertz variants, four Convertibles, 11 supercharged cars and four racers.