https://www.mecum.com/lots/1172602/1965-shelby-gt350-fastback/
A lot of money to spend on something for your Trophy case.
Roy
I have noticed it appears Mecum is blurring serial numbers
Early car. Peter Klutt talked it up in a video before the auction. Record price. More than an R model
Quote from: Rickmustang on May 16, 2026, 10:42:19 AMEarly car. Peter Klutt talked it up in a video before the auction. Record price. More than an R model
Which makes me wonder what that Dick Jordan R model will sell for today, May 16, 2026. That should be a $2 million dollar car all day long if one uses this street car as a bench mark. I remember the Chicago Milo Brooks car R model was for sale back in 1998 in Rapid City, South Dakota for $150,000. I suffered greatly seeing that ad in Hemmings Motor News month after month, having been divorced and did not have the money to buy it. I should have taken out a loan.
Quote from: Rickmustang on May 16, 2026, 10:42:19 AMEarly car. Peter Klutt talked it up in a video before the auction. Record price. More than an R model
For now at least.
Yep. R-Model $2.5M
Could be number 39
Yes, the '65 street car is 5S039
WOW!!
Amazing car. Hope it goes into a museum so it is seen and shared.
I think the vin has no S Which makes sense for a low numbered 65.
R.R.
Hey,
Looks like S039 in the pictures, so the lower numbers than this had no R OR S Maybe 32 ??
Nice photo presentation of a spectacular car.
R.R.
SFM5031 was the last '65 before the S/R designation.
1.1 super-large for a '65, YOWSA.
Those strut rods are a real head-scratcher though, glad to see the owner/restorer was more concerned w drivability than concours-correct. Very few of us left seeing street duty.
Quote from: camp upshur on May 17, 2026, 12:34:56 AM1.1 super-large for a '65, YOWSA.
Those strut rods are a real head-scratcher though, glad to see the owner/restorer was more concerned w drivability than concours-correct. Very few of us left seeing street duty.
Maybe done out of frustration to adjust caster enough for the tires not to rub the fenders? Doesn't look like any other mods made underneath the car other than they left grease zerk fittings in the LCA's.
Hi Charles,
I totally get it.
Not a ping to the concours guys who consistently 'up the game' to all of our benefit.
Actually, running the SAI owner's manual 'book' caster w the locker was never intended (imo) for street ops, u-turns are a tough customer, better suited for high-speed longitudinal stability.
Keep up the good work.
-Steve A
This will now become the car that everyone will look to be the definitive early 1965 GT350. It is a thing of beauty and one that I'm sure that our friend Jim Cowles is looking down on it with great pride. I don't mean to contribute to a "pick-apart party", only to make an observation that the clamps used to attach the positive battery cable to the underbody are incorrect. They should be fabricated of simple sheet metal approximately 5/16 inch wide, in a "P" shape, the portion that makes contact with the cable dipped in black rubber. A hole is drilled in the center of where the two surfaces form the staff of the "P" which allows them to be pop-riveted to the underbody.
DSCN2906.JPG
Quote from: NC TRACKRAT on May 17, 2026, 01:31:25 PMThis will now become the car that everyone will look to be the definitive early 1965 GT350. It is a thing of beauty and one that I'm sure that our friend Jim Cowles is looking down on it with great pride. I don't mean to contribute to a "pick-apart party", only to make an observation that the clamps used to attach the positive battery cable to the underbody are incorrect. They should be fabricated of simple sheet metal approximately 5/16 inch wide, in a "P" shape, the portion that makes contact with the cable dipped in black rubber. A hole is drilled in the center of where the two surfaces form the staff of the "P" which allows them to be pop-riveted to the underbody.
DSCN2906.JPG
+1 the ones in the You Tube video appear to be common electrical supply clamps. Interesting. Ironically Jim C. was the first supplier of the correct clamps like in your pictures for at least 25 years or more prior to his passing.
From the Petersen archives
What's the car #? Perhaps they started with those and realized they could make 'em a lot cheaper. I'll differ to Mr. Gaines for further comment.
Quote from: SFM65 on May 20, 2026, 05:41:02 AMFrom the Petersen archives
Compare the style and appearance of the clamps compared to the auction car too ;) .
Quote from: Bob Gaines on May 20, 2026, 08:57:06 AMQuote from: SFM65 on May 20, 2026, 05:41:02 AMFrom the Petersen archives
Compare the style and appearance of the clamps compared to the auction car too ;) .
That's what I did and I quickly concluded that Jim Cowles did not use his reproduction clamps on purpose.
Quote from: SFM65 on May 20, 2026, 11:04:09 AMQuote from: Bob Gaines on May 20, 2026, 08:57:06 AMQuote from: SFM65 on May 20, 2026, 05:41:02 AMFrom the Petersen archives
Compare the style and appearance of the clamps compared to the auction car too ;) .
That's what I did and I quickly concluded that Jim Cowles did not use his reproduction clamps on purpose.
In my tunnel vision I neglected to indecate I was referring to the exhaust clamps with modern style raised reinforement gussets.
Although I am skeptical that the generic electrical supply type clamps are appropriate for that particular production period car(Shelby VIN in the 30's) , apparently that generic style clamp was used on the very first few cars until they got a supply of the typical style made up.
Quote from: Road Reptile on May 16, 2026, 05:20:22 PMWOW!!
Amazing car. Hope it goes into a museum so it is seen and shared.
I think the vin has no S Which makes sense for a low numbered 65.
R.R.
There are enough of them in museums and far too many squirreled away in garages. I hope some guy bought it who isn't afraid of getting it hit by an uninsured illegal and enjoys what Shelby wrought in 1965.
As far as oddball clips and clamps etc. The large scale manufacturing (anything over a few per month) for SA was new and I'm sure many different parts and installation techniques were tested to get them produced as quick and as cheap as possible. As we know Ford was never happy with the SA speed of production and sent their engineers to help speed it up - mainly by deleting many of the things that made the GT350 unique - lowered A arms, overrides and others.
Just a few comments,
I really doubt many owners that spend this amount of money still street drive a car of this standard
It is in amazing condition and I think should stay that way by preserving it in a museum.
As far as clamps go the correct term for this type of clamp is "Adel" and they were/are used in a wide spread of applications. Quite possible for Shelby's to be assembled with either type??
Also agree on exhaust clamps, at least they are easy to change/replace.
My 2 cents for today.
R.R.
Quote from: Road Reptile on May 21, 2026, 07:56:55 AM......As far as clamps go the correct term for this type of clamp is "Adel" and they were/are used in a wide spread of applications.
True - used a lot in all things military. There were bins full of them at every surplus outlet around SoCal. You'd go in fill up a bag of what you needed and they would weigh it and charge you about 25 cents a pound. Most of the race cars in LA had surplus clamps, bolts, AN lines, etc. I'd wager SA's parts guy was making regular restocking trips. By the mid 90s we were down to one surviving surplus store in Burbank. I was able to walk in and get a few AN lines for a Rondeau we were putting back together.