The Shelby American (Fall 2021)

fuel injection test car became a 1970 model when the unsold cars were up- dated. Goodell would continue work- ing on the system well into 1972 or longer. The demise of the Shelby program at the end of the 1969 model year has still not been accurately documented. As with all complex relationships, there were a number of factors that contributed to the end of the Shelby Mustangs. One was that Ford, itself, had three Mustang models that were direct competitors to the Shelby: the Mach 1, the Boss 302 and the Boss 429. Another was the three-way antag- onistic relationship between Ford, Shelby Automotive and A.O. Smith. Smith often complained about not being paid in a timely manner and ul- timately refused to build the 1970 models, opting out of the program en- tirely. By the end of the 1969 model year, conversions of unsold 1969 Shelby models were completed by Ford subcontractor Kar Kraft in Brighton, Michigan. Along with the experimental fuel injection unit, car #101 appears to have the first ram-air ducting under the hood. It would serve as the proto- type for the mid-year GT500KR mod- els. The air cleaner’s warm air ducting (otherwise known as the snorkel) was eliminated because the air was taken in through the wide 1968 hood scoop and channeled directly into the open top of the air cleaner. A block-off plate was installed over the air cleaner’s opening on the side where the snorkel had been. Factory paperwork revealed other details about the car: a “sound pack- age” referred to additional undercoat- ing, sealer and sound deadener sprayed inside the car, a “torque-sen- sitive” rear axle (essentially a locking 3.0:1 rear axle with special mounting brackets and insulators normally found only on Cougars), and an AM radio. Other items could have been added and taken off the car during the two years it spent as a Shelby engi- neering car. It was still listed on Shelby’s inventory as of January, 1969. Factory paperwork shows air con- ditioning, automatic transmission, The SHELBY AMERICAN Fall 2021 29 Disher had the top plate for the sensor box redesigned. On the original units it was a flat sheetmetal plate; the redesigned plate carries the Conelec logo and a tribute to the inventor, E. David Long. Original Conelec throttle body and sensor box. Reproduction throttle body. Reproduction throttle body and sensor box. The pumpulator (yes, that’s what it’s called!) is the electronic fuel pump/regula- tor and is mounted in the corner of the fender panel/radiator support.