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The SHELBY AMERICAN
Summer 2016 15
CONTINUING HERTZ UNCERTAINTIES
After fifty years you’d think all of
the questions would be answered
about Shelbys, but that’s just wishful
thinking. For example, we know there
were 1001 GT350 Hertz cars: two pro-
totypes and 999 production models.
We know that the two prototypes were
shown to Hertz executives with 15˝
Shelby Cragar wheels because the
Hertz contract was not yet signed and
the Magnum 500 wheels had not yet
been sourced.
As soon as Hertz executives ap-
proved the GT350H program, Shelby’s
public relations department swung
into action. Photos were needed for
press releases but since no GT350H
models had yet been produced, two
hand-built mock-ups were made using
white Mustang GTs – because ‘65
GT350s did not have a five-dial GT
dash. Shelby American paperwork
with serial numbers identifying these
cars would have been nice, no such
documentation has been found.
A mocked-up 1966 GT350 was
used for photography for press photos
[
pictured below
]. This car was outfit-
ted with 14˝ cast aluminum wheels,
which would eventually become op-
tional. The plastic “CS” center caps
were not yet available so caps were
fabricated using Cobra nose badges.
The centers of the ten-spoke wheels
were painted black with polished high-
lights. If this was ever considered for
production it was likely rejected as
being too labor-intensive. These
unique wheels were used on the pho-
tography car. The same car was used
for the “bib overalls” ad. One inexpli-
cable feature on this car was the Pony
interior door handles; the rest of the
interior has no Pony features.
When photos were needed of a
Hertz model prior to actual Hertz pro-
duction, the same mocked-up car was
very likely used, identifiable by the
unique wheels. Shelby American had
a department called “Show Car” at
West Imperial Highway, which was
able to change the color of cars used
for Ford PR photos. They utilized spe-
cial paint which could be stripped off
using a high-pressure air gun, so if
Ford wanted a blue car they could
temporarily repaint a red one for a
photo shoot. While it is not known if
this is how a black and gold GT350
Hertz was created for PR photos, it is
a logical explanation. Also of note: all
production Hertz models had radios
and, hence, antennas – which this car
lacks.