The success of the new Ford Mustang in the mid-1960s brought Carroll Shelby into the mix to produce a batch of Shelby Mustangs for those pure speed enthusiasts. That included a tuned 289 cubic inch V8 that was tweaked to an output of at least 271 hp. As a marketing ploy, Ford also partnered with Hertz Rent-A-Car for a 1,000 or so copies of the GT350 produced for Hertz’s Rent-A-Racer program that lasted one year. The seller’s ’66 Mustang is a fastback that has been modified to mimic a GT-350H. It doesn’t run and has almost rusted away in many places. Located in Bohemia, New York, this forlorn pony car is available here on eBay for $15,000 OBO.
Hertz’s Rent-A-Racer was designed to give customers with a heavy right foot an opportunity to drive a Shelby Mustang for a reported $17/day. Rumor has it that many of these cars were ridden hard, and some had important parts missing when they were finally returned. Once the cars were turned back over to Ford, we’re unsure what happened to what was left of them. The majority were painted black with gold stripes, though some of them were white with blue stripes. A small number also had 4-speed transmissions, but most were equipped with automatics. Since the program lasted only one year, we suspect the liability and damage to the cars prevented a return engagement.
We don’t know the history of this car, other than the cloning took place at least 40 years ago. It began life as a T-code (200 cubic inch inline-6) fastback, which seems to have many of the bells and whistles of the original GT350-H. But it has led a hard life and apparently was left outside for years to rust away. The hood won’t open far due to rusted/stuck hinges. The body is toast for the most part, so the seller describes this former speed demon as a parts car, at best.
What may make the car worth buying is key Shelby parts from back in the day, like the Paxton supercharger, Shelby oil pan, fiberglass hood, and possibly original wheels. The Ford has front disc brakes, as well. There is no title, so buyers will have to be happy with a bill of sale. At least it rolls okay, so loading it onto a trailer shouldn’t require extraordinary measures. Would you give $15k for this barn find?
I hope there is a Mustang expert among us who can explain why this thing is worth 15K.
If it is worth the asking price, or close to it, it’s based on the parts installed when cloning it into a GT350H. The average commenter will not have any clue as to the value and what they are looking at, it will need to be someone well versed in these cars to know what period “Shelby” parts have real value versus later over the counter parts.
Steve R
Spot-on comment Steve R. All of us “average commenter” folks don’t really know what this car (more specifically, the parts) are worth.
Bob, the difference between a part that is worth hundreds or thousands, versus a nominal amount can be as minute as the font size or location of the manufacturers name or location of the part number. That stuff won’t matter to the vast majority of people, but does to some. It doesn’t just effect high end cars, you see that approach even in expensive cars where deviation from originality of even the most minute parts if frowned upon, such as steering wheel covers or a non-OEM radio on a 60+ year old car.
Steve R
A little buffing, a pint of body putty, new plug wires, air in the tires and a can of Seafoam…we’re good.
Don’t worry, that’ll rub right out!
It is not worth 15k. Seller has not / can not accurately state what is present and real or JC whitney parts. Is it a K code engine? are the wheels real ? The cars condition is deplorable, so all of the parts he so dearly values are questionable. Huge gamble here.
I AM ITS NOT
Now that is a concise answer!
Well where to start, I have a buddy that sells rare ford parts for a living. There are MANY on this car. If you look closely, that is a hipo only harmonic balancer, which can only be installed with the hatchet balancer in the engine. That is also a correct hipo only carter fuel pump. It also has what appears to be hipo only pulleys. There is no view of the exhaust manifolds, so that is guess. As for prices, if the rims are real, 2000 apiece, the oil pan is worth 4000 as it is, the open letter valve covers are 500 apiece, the paxton supercharger, if shelby tagged is 4000 any day, the carburator plenum and plumbing 2000 easy, the steering wheel, that looks original, and un cracked, 2000, the shelby and k code only 9″ rear with pinion snubber, 1000 any day. The large front sway bar, and disc brake set up with the porportioning set up another 1000. So yes this is worth every cent. I have friends on the way there.
I am suprised, that being said, I would expect parts to be clean to gather those kind of prices. I suspect the seller is not up to the task of cleaning and breaking it up. But your input is very impressive.
If that’s true, how come the owner isn’t parting out the car ….. Selling those parts for top dollar?
Timothy, that’s easy to say, hard to pull off. Someone I knew that a good living selling parts would say, would you rather make the fast nickel or slow dime. This car owner has made their choice.
Steve R
Str8rbill, thanks for your input.
Steve R
OK thanks str8rbill, now we know.
Well upon further investigation, that IS a shelby tagged supercharger, and the hood also looks to be a real 66 shelby unit. The hood alone is an ask your price item, as restorers will pay. It almost looks like someone had a totalled or stollen shelby, and moved the parts to this ? I should know late tommarow.
If any money is going to be made, here, the car should stripped of these so called Shelby Tagged Parts, and these parts should be restored to as close to original condition as possible, in order to sell them individually.
No deal was made, to many un answered questions. A lot of the parts are real, but they all look to be from a different car, if you know what i mean, not my thing.
Dang – even if thier decaying condition – the wheels ? that pan ? even the fuel pump casting….I could see some money in the metal parts of the engine – that Cobra top cover – can that really be made to look new again or what….most guys restoring these want pristine parts and are willing to pay…..it’s been on the market now for awhile and nobody’s hit the button – is it the times or what ?
Did you guys go buy it? Were the parts legit? Super cool if they are!
It’s not 1975 anymore and there aren’t millions of these laying around.
thats easy there is $14500 in the trunk
Sorry Rex, but I doubt that there is a person on the planet that can explain the seller’s desired price.
Sad….but don’t really care…..having owned a 2+2…..was something in the day but even those fancy parts don’t hold up well……
It appears that , and i dont want to call anyone out, that a LOT, of these numbered parts that are traceable , came from a car that disappeared many years ago. You do your own research and examine them. I will not touch it. The numbers are in the shelby registery.
Thanks for the education. 👍
That’s why I say that if there are really such valuable Shelby Parts incorporated into this car, the individual parts could very well be worth more than selling the car for $15,000. From what I’m reading, the Shelby parts are probably wirth more than $15,000.
The real deal Shelby wheels used to go for a premium price ($8000?) a few years ago when new as did a lot of the genuine Shelby stuff but IDK if or how much of what is there that could be considered worth as salvageable on this thing.
Another instance of “yep, gonna get ‘er running again any day now” gone too long?
So sad.
Just did a quick check on E-Bay there is a used set same as the rims on this car for $10,000 still trying to wrap my head around that number. But considering what a restored 1966 Shelby goes for the rims sound like a bargain.
I paid $600 for my used Scott Drake repo’s. And guess what? Most comments are : “Love those wheels!” And, I saved $9400!
If it is still for sale on e-bay it is not a market transaction. I have no idea what they are worth, but for sale on e-bay isn’t necessarily an indication of the market.
Whats holding the windows in on this stang?
So 15 grand for a vin and maybe an engine to rebuild?
I once had a 289 hipo engine found in a relative barn and given to me back in the day. The heads were okay but since no one punched out the freeze plugs the block was DOA
I salvaged the heads and intake.
So yes 15 grand on rustang fastback vin and possibly non pitted additional items.
Another car parked in “natures garage” until it’s worthless.
Too bad it got this far, the owner really dropped the ball on this one, would’ve been worth and sold for so much more, but who knows why they let it get here. The parts alone could be worth the asking price, buy honestly, looking at the pictures I would pass because of how long they’ve sat for and what the real condition they’re in. If I were selling this I’d pull those parts off so that potential buyers would have a better idea of whether they’re worth refurbishing, whether they actually can be refurbished. The body is beyond saving, so why pay to have it shipped to you only to haul it to the salvage yard, if they’ll take it.
This is a sad bucket of rust. I hope this can be saved, but I don’t agree with that price. For $2500 or so, I would nearly jump on this. I think it would be a rewarding project.
The hood alone is worth twice as much as your offer
Please keep.us updated on what was actually found on this car and what the estimated “real” value of the parts. I assume your friends will buy it if they deem it worthwhile. THANKS FOR THE EDUCATION!
I made that comment before I saw the full extent of the rust. Had it spent some of its time underwater?
All the trouble to make it into a replica, not a clone. One cannot clone a car. Learn proper English. Just another clown who watches too many auctions. A total pile of s=/t here. I have restored a first gen Mustang. We called them Rustangs. Total garbage cars built like crap.
I’m a big fan of proper English. This is why I capitalize the first letter in both my first and last names!
Ok, I LOL’d at the zing….
As Borat said, “Very nice!”
I’m an old guy that’s had 3 Mustangs. I like pony cars and I enjoyed them all. But when Ford borrowed the chassis from the Falcon to build the Mustang, they built a very cheap and poorly built car.
Wimpy lower control arms with strut rods (like the later Pinto), shock towers that take up lots of engine bay space, a gas tank that was also the trunk floor (WTF?) and a unibody with lots of flex. They look really cool, but the buying public didn’t know much about engineering or structural design and didn’t require anything better.
I agree to some extent. Funny how these and others that also had trunk mounted/floor fuel tanks never had the “fire issues” that the Pinto was known for. (Yes, I know part of the issue on the Pinto was the filler neck popping out and the doors getting stuck closed.) But so many cars had the trunk floor gas tank (my Daughter’s high-school/ college Audi Fox for example) that there had to be some that split the fuel tanks open on contact.
This pains my crusty rusty old man heart.
A Gomer Pyle special at 15g’s. For shame, For shame, For shame.
It doesn’t run and has almost rusted away…. 😑.
I remember my father bringing one home. 5000 brand new out the door. The reason Hertz had them one year I can remember. People rented them, brought them home and swapped the engines with 6 bangers.
I remember that tale, but I wonder if it really occurred. The next renter would certainly complain.
Theres a special place in car Hades for those who neglected this once fine machine.
Let the madness continue, 15.000 for a clone ??? Maybe some desirable parts, but, really!!??
Oh, but if it were a little less rusted and priced at 10K
It’s only 3 states away
Hide the checkbook for my own safety.
So 39 photos of rust.
I know what I have here,no tire kickers
Yeah, kick the tires and the result will be four tires and a pile of rust laying in front of you.
Talk about kicking a dead horse
We saw what you did there, JohnP.
.LOL.
Can I have it haha nice car
Okay, wait a second, hold on here. I researched the “return a 350H with a 6 cylinder on Monday” story, and hate to break it to ya’, but it’s simply not true. I read Hertz had specific people it would rent the cars to, and had a rigorous check-in upon return. All numbers had to match. Now, it’s entirely possible some got filtered into society when used up. I also read, Ford/Shelby made 1001 350Hs for Hertz and nearly all were refurbished and sold. I believe that’s what we have here. So no “swapping out 350H parts on the weekend”, that was known, anyway.
The most famous 350H was in the movie Grand Prix, where Pete Aron( James Garner) wrung out a 350H he supposedly rented while in Europe, ( that was actually Mulholland Drive with a 2CV added for effect) while a very nervous Louise Fredericks( Eva Marie Saint) hung on for dear life.
Good sleuthing, Howard.
The left front 3/4 view makes the car look like it’s trying to fold in half at the cowl. Or maybe it is. Very sad.
Hey all I can say is I’m pissed to see it in this condition!
This poor thing looks like it was salt dipped, not acid dipped!!
i am no ford expert but being around muscle cars for the last 55yrs i see a lot of Shelby parts that are valuable to the right person. not sure about the 15k but cash is king. at the end of the day it’s a shame that this pony was left out in the pasture to end up like this and it did not happen overnite.
It will be interesting to see what Str8rbill’s experts and friends find when they go see the car in person. And although I’m sure some of those rare Shelby parts bring a premium price, their condition is still a big factor in their determing price. And by the painful looking condition of this car, that doesn’t look very promising.
Throw in that rusty Ford Maverick next to it and we probably can make a deal :-)
As Alfred said to Batman “some men just want to watch the world burn”
You guys all remember the commercial (from the 70s or 80s I think) with the Indian – sorry, Native American – who looks around before turning to the camera with a tear in his eye? That was me as I looked at these photos. Heartbreaking. I once owned SFM6S822 – a real honest-to-Carroll GT350H. (never should have parted with it – being a “responsible adult” really sucks). That car was my “black gold.” Best of luck to whoever ends up with this one. You could – with enough time, effort, and money – have the time of your life with it. So if you’re willing, put responsibility aside and go for it. Toot the horn if you see me beside the see-ment pond gazing appreciatively as you drive by. Maybe I’ll go see Mr. Drysdale at the bank and just buy it myself. 822 was a better ride than my wife ever was!
Are those original shelby parts, or just Shelby knock-off after market parts like the rest of the car!
There were no white GT350Hs with blue stripes. They were either black or red with gold stripes. The white/blue cars were either GT350 street cars or GT350R race cars, not “H”s.
Years ago, I bought a ’65 Mustang convertable that was just a sad looking as this one. The 289 engine and 4 speed were out and rebuilt. They also had boxes of NOS sheet metal. The agreement to buy this bundle was you have to take the car. A friend winched it onto a rollback. We loaded the engine and transmission along with most of the sheet metal in my pickup. Once home, I broke the drum brakes free, winched it onto a U-Haul trailer and took everything to an all Ford swap meet.
I left the swap meet with an empty truck and dropped off the body plus the engine and transmission at the buyer’s house, and a whole bunch of cash in my pocket.
The buyer ended up with a numbers matching drive train and a VIN. The EZ way to end up with a numbers matching V8, 4 speed Mustang convertable.
This gives new meaning to the term ‘rust bucket”, but as others have mentioned, the very rare Shelby parts would make it worth the asking price.
A sad story. Probably built by someone who knew what they were doing. Then as time went on, sold it to another enthusiast, who then sold to a nincompoop who parked it in the woods.
$4000 oil pan 😱
Yes, try to find another original one,
Maybe good for parts, nothing more, but 15G’s is still a bit stiff.
I sometimes wonder if there is a place in Heaven for cars such as this. It would be great if there was.
Misleading title.
The write up on this states that it was originally a 6 cylinder car, so nobody is going to buy it for the VIN, it’s not a refurbished Hertz rental car for the same reason. According to a couple of commenters of the ‘non-average’ type there are parts here that in their aggregate value might make this worth buying and parting out. As far as the term clone goes,Webster’s New World College Dictionary lists one meaning as ‘to make a copy of, imitate’.
Listing is until 10/22. Nobody is going to anything remotely near the asking for this thing.
I can imagine the offers that are being presented to the seller…$1500, $2500.
STr8 prices seem a little high , worth every cent? $8,000 dollar wheels, that might be cracked .? I would think the correct # on everything would have to be there and engine correct , also condition plays alot.But it all depends on OBO amount $15 k is no small amount. Also unless you need parts for your original Shelby to complete. Let us know if your friends got such a hot deal , Add profit figures to all you get seems hard to me , to make it seem worthy. Just my thoughts.
Started life as a six cylinder, then became a clone. It’s been rusting away for about the last 30 years in the woods. No title, and the parts that are “good” have been languishing in the woods all of this time, and are likely corroded, pitted; certainly not “A” quality. Plus it is the wrong colour for what it is supposed to be. The supercharger is likely seized, the engine as well.
Anybody who buys this has more money than brains, or just doesn’t care. “Worth” is a relative term. While I do applaud the owner for trying to sell it, I believe the buyer will have the challenge of provenance to add to the list, along with the powdery, pitted corrosion of the aluminium parts.
Also, the VIN is worthless for the illegal plate swap, so there’s that negative as well.
First off .. I’m waiting impatiently for Str8rbill’s friends’ report. ;>)
Second, This is such a massive shame … The overall build looks very impressive and despite being a clone, this looks like it WAS once a wonderful street burner. The amount of rust here is almost unimaginable. Except, I’ve seen and sold cars in at least as bad, if not worse, condition.
Third, this is a Mustang fastback and whether anyone agrees or not, they get prime dollars and move quickly. What Str8rbill states is correct about the Shelby parts… they fetch even bigger dollars than OEM Mustang bits.
That’s why I’m waiting, tapping my feet, to read his “report” .! LOL
It will take some work to confirm the originality of the parts, but if/when confirmed, this car could be a “bargain”. Never mind all the other OEM pieces scattered about that can be restored.
Some have asked why didn’t the seller do this or that … In many cases the seller is no longer able to do those things and has often reached a point where they just want the car gone .. they don’t want to put anymore time or money into a car. I get called in as a broker to get a car sold but can only do what the owner/seller wants me to do, is willing to pay me to do. If I was selling this car for the “widow of the owner”, she certainly isn’t pulling all the parts to sell individually and neither am I. I very well might dig into the parts a bit and show part numbers and true provenance so as to support the asking price, but the car would be sold as we see it.
Now, where is Str8rbill? LOL
So much rust! I had the privilege of riding it one of these in 1966. My Dad picked me up and took me out in it.
I’ve owned Mustangs since I was 16 and still today. I would love to own even a clone of a GT350H. But this is one of those times to strike a deal with the seller because this is a hard sell.
Take all the good parts off, and build a 4 speed car. It’s really all you can do with a body this bad.
Maybe it would not be entirely inaccurate for the title of this writeup to be “Poorest Phony” rather than “Forest Pony.”
Where’s that str8rbill guy at with his answers from his friends on the “valuable” parts is what I wanna know. He’s days overdue!
Now THAT is a great example of some Proper English! : )
Now THAT is a great example of some Proper English! : )
Way overdue 😞
The ad has lots of feedback , interest,I far as I am concerned all a scam to get buyers , and hype by SrT8bill is fake, a broker involved , or to make money on the side . I was jumping junk yard fences in the 1960s , started driving a tractor, at 10 years old , been doing cars and parts 60 years . The ad should be taken down .Srt8bill show us different . All Bologna !
I have to reply to this as I’ve known the fellows here at Barn Finds pretty much since the beginning and they aren’t the type to be posting scam articles.
The whole idea of posting ads here in the first place though is to make money.
Whether Str8rbill is a straw poster or not, the fact of the matter is that his numbers for the parts are not far off if they are indeed all Shelby parts.
True, the best way to make money on them would be to pull everything off the car and sell them separately … BUT … if the company that is selling this car doesn’t have the time to strip everything off the car, it’s simply easier to just sell the car as is and make whatever they make.
It was suggested that someone pull the parts and clean them up and put them on another Mustang .. and that sounds like the best plan in my opinion.
So, you’re saying that Barn Finds is running ads for profit. Gosh, that’s unheard of. 😆
I am real, and i know these cars VERY well, every nut and bolt. I have ben INVOLVED with many. I have no involvement with the seller, other than trying to buy it, for the parts alone. .
This is becoming a rather long conversation…. Obviously, no one that has commented is interested in buy this car, with whatever Special Parts are supposed to be included. If any money is going to be made, here, the car should stripped of these so called Shelby Tagged Parts, and these parts should be restored to as close to original condition as possible, in order to sell them individually. Lots of work, yes, but if these parts are as valuable as some say, the labor will be well worth it.
Who really cares anymore about this questionable, POS rust bucket? Lots of wasted energy, hoopla and response over a Mustang that’s so far gone, no one is even serious about buying what parts may or may not be left, or valuable. I’m over it.
Nope. Agree with everyone. If it is really an “H”, still not worth it. I got to see one personally. What a beautiful car. Not this one.
This has been a VERY interesting and educational read, but not being a car guy, in the end, all I can say is “So?”
So, you learned something about classic car parts/Shelby parts and you had an interesting read .. sounds worth it to me.
Hey AutoA, Yup :) But as I’ve been known to say after lengthy conversations like this, “Stick with me and you’ll be a wealth of useless information.” :)
So, are you into stamp collecting? Or something exciting like that?
Tbh Big C, I was gonna reply to him & ask why he was here then. But your ?’s topped that. Well done!
If you look at anything bigger than a pickup you’ll see my name come up next to Howard and Geo. 30+ years class 8 stuff. Guess you’ve never seen a Cummins powered White 9000 turn a 1/4 mile in 13 seconds.
To Quote,”The are those who will pat you on the back with one hand, and pick your pocket with the other”.
I’m wondering if there is even one ‘ijet’ among us who will fork over the $15.00 to buy this smoldering pile of ….parts?
The real question, as has been put forth way up top in the comments, is whether or not the Shelby parts might be stolen property, … or not. If not there is value. If so who, that is serious, would want to touch it?
What happened to the original chassis all the good parts came from?
i guess the first run through here was not enough for everybody. somebody please buy it and sell off what’s good and put out of its misery.
Not for 15 Grand !
If I had the time, between working a full time job and running my business full time (90-100 hours a week), never mind the space to put the husk of the car while it’s being stripped and all the parts once stripped off, I would certainly head down and scope things out and maybe with a friend, buy in and then strip everything off the car that is possibly worth something. Before that, I’d need to be certain that the parts were not stolen ( I know some folks in the Shelby community who could probably verify) Then I’d need the time to clean up the parts and make presentable, and then I would need the time to post each part to evil bay, marketplace, Ford and Shelby forums, etc. and then, deal with all the “interested parties” and maybe even some interested buyers ..
BUT .. I don’t have the time to do all that.
IF I had the time and space, I might do what the person who originally owned this car did and strip off all the parts and create a Shelby type clone of some sort… maybe just build a killer Mustang and leave all the Shelby lettering off the car .. BUT again, I don’t have the time or space.
Also, I wouldn’t pay $15,000 .. but not because I feel it’s not worth it, just because I like Wheelin and Dealin and seeing if I can get it for less.
Because this car is still for sale, I’m guessing there are folks who know the Shelby bits far better than I who have dug in and found out like Str8trBill insinuated, that there may be something nefarious with the car and Shelby bits.
I too find it interesting why it was posted again in the BarnFinds newsletter and listed as an October 3 find .. when it was initially posted back on Sept. 25th.
Read my posts above, I have already taken care of your step 2. And I am in the “Community”
Does that mean it’s real and worthwhile?
Russ you have over 100 comments on this now!!
Too bad they seller couldn’t get paid by the comment.
That was a replacement quarter panel They always rusted out a few years later after they were replaced
That’s a shame ! I hate when people do that to something someone could really enjoy and be proud of restoring ! It looks like the super charger is toast?
They made a green with gold stripes hertz in 66 there is one here on cape cod
Any new bids or best offers?
Body swap and you’ll be fine!