First released in 1964 and now on its sixth generation, the Ford Mustang is unequivocally one of the most iconic and instantly-recognizable cars of all time. In continuous production for the last 58 years, the Mustang was expected to be a hit with the motoring public, though its success was even greater than what the Blue Oval had predicted, quadrupling Ford’s projections. This would ultimately give way to a slew of similar muscle and pony cars from competing marques, as well as a plethora of different Mustang variants. And while literally dozens of different versions of the original pony car have been produced, one of the most significant is undoubtedly the fabled Shelby GT350R — one of which has just crossed the online auction block of Bring a Trailer.
One of just 36 turnkey racing variants of the GT350, this street-legal homologation special would ultimately go on to achieve a trio of back-to-back-to-back SCCA B Production national titles. Adorned in blue fender script denoting its SCCA Spec B Production Champion status, this specimen has also had a noteworthy post-competition life that’s included being part of Carroll Shelby’s Cobra Caravan promotional tour and winning a Triple Crown on the Shelby show circuit in 2017.
Currently powered by a 289ci V8 with rebuilt cylinder heads and timing assemblies, a Holley four-barrel carb, and a Cobra high-rise intake manifold, this 1965 example is also being sold with an included 289ci HiPo V8 that’s been built to race-spec. The recipient of an extensive restoration courtesy of renowned Mustang specialists Thoroughbred Restorations, this R-spec GT350 boasts only 9,000 miles on the odo (though original mileage is unknown).
Located in the Dallas suburb of Mansfield, Texas, this 1965 Shelby Mustang GT350R is currently sitting on the online auction block of Bring a Trailer, where, as of the time of writing, bidding has reached $775,000 with four days remaining on the sale.
