While Mexico is famous for producing air-cooled Beetles long after they were retired stateside, a lesser known element of their automotive history is the brush the country’s Ford operations had with muscle car greatness. None other than Shelby Enterprises formed a short-lived operation there to build Shelby cars specifically for the Mexican market in varying levels of tune. This is one of those cars, specifically a 1972 Mustang GT351 which represents the final year the Mexican Shelbys were made. Find it here on eBay with a $25,000 Buy-It-Now and the option to submit a best offer .
The Mexican Shelbys began rolling into showrooms around 1965, with relatively modest changes from the stock U.S.-spec GT 350. However, demand increased and Shelby decided to make the partnership more formal, which resulted in the creation of a model that more closely aligned with the traditional Shelby recipe. The 302 was the standard motor, but features like the must-have Shelby taillights made their way into the Mexican-market cars. This car is from the final year of production, which is likely the least desirable given Shelby was winding down operations. Aside from the badges, there wasn’t much that distinguished this model from non-Shelby vehicles. Just 300 were made in the final year with no actual Shelby components installed.
The standard issue motor for this final fling of the Mexican Shelbys was a 351 V8, with no tweaks by the factory. This car unfortunately doesn’t retain its factory engine, and the seller ruminates that the original motor was “…probably worn out running drugs.” If this Mustang was actually a drug mule, that makes its history even more fascinating! The interior remains in surprisingly nice condition, with bucket seats and door panels in good condition and seemingly few alterations from stock. The seller points to significant documentation, including Mexican registration and license plates and speedometer that reads kilometers per hour as evidence of its south-of-the-border heritage.
There’s also this, which is likely the original selling dealer of the Shelby-ized Mustang. The current motor is a 302 with a “hot cam” paired to a Toploader four-speed manual. The options list is lengthy, including power steering, power disc brakes, Ram Air hood, Rallye wheels, HD suspension, and dual exhaust. The original carburetor is included, and while I love the sound of a tweaked 302 under the hood, a 351 is what should be in the engine bay in a true Shelby de Mexico Mustang. While the historical significance is a bit subjective, there’s little doubt in my mind that a car like this is the missing link in many Mustang collections.
Actually prior to this car being used as a “drug runner” it is the actual vehicle that conveyed President Lincoln’s body from D.C. to his final resting place in Springfield IL. Not many people know this…
WOW!!! I never new that, that so cool!!!!! you must teach history or something?
Nope! Saw it with my own eyes
Bwahahahahaha
Uh…what?
Was that via I-64 or I-70?
Will this car run on pump gas or do I have to fill the tank with tequila?
Salsa
Nope, it runs on meth injection
Yea, a mildly unique story for this car, but OMG, it’s UGLY.
Awaiting Miguel’s response.
Front end looks OK, rear end rather blase’
I looked for the VIN in our national vehicle registration, but since it hasn’t been licensed for decades, it is not there.
He says he has the Mexican registration, but did not show a picture of it.
To see if it really is a Shelby car, I would need to see the original bill of sale, factura, which will say exactly what it is, or isn’t.
I have seen a few 1969 Shelby models, but never one from this year.
If the car doesn’t have the original engine, or even the original size of the engine, has rust, and is a 1972, I don’t see any value there at all.
IMHO it’s just an old mustang, a badge in the trunk doesn’t make a Shelby.
The Mustangs and Mavericks from Shelby de Mexico S.A. have a lot of cosmetic touches and wider tires no performance upgrades on Engine, Suspension or Brakes as long as I remember.
25K it’s more than optimistic.
AUTOVISA, I wonder how Carroll really felt about the Mexican cars. He was all about performance and his name was on a completely stock engined car.
The 1969 model was an interesting looking car, but this 1972 looks like a Sprint from the US.
They called the 72 the air craft carrier because the hood was so long!!! Do they have planes in Mexico???
Yeah… Lots!!
When it comes to this ‘Stang body style, I do prefer the coupe over the fastback…although they are growing on me. That it’s not a faux-tribute and a legit Ford-built model, gives it credibility but that BIN seems somewhat ambitious. I’d be happy with this in my laneway.
That sticker that says “Calidad Universal Ford” is like the “Quality Is Job #1” in English, it was not a dealer sticker.
#Miguel, I think Carroll didn’t care about the Mexican market.
At that time he was so busy with production of Mustangs, Cobras, Racing Cars and he’s company selling licenses to almost anything, do you remember the white jackets with a blue stripe on one side and a cobra logo on the other? Decals, Caps etc.
As usual it has a standard transmission , not as a hipo option , but rather as a means of starting it long after the battery needed replaced .
#Miguel, I think Carroll didn’t care about the Mexican market.
At that time he was so busy with production of Mustangs, Cobras, Racing Cars and he’s company selling licenses to almost anything, do you remember the white jackets with a blue stripe on one side and a cobra logo on the other? Decals, Caps etc.
Maybe they should have used the ’69-70 shelby american mustang tailites here?
& possibly a modified ’69-70 nose. Not sure about side scoops tho.
The Mexican GT-351 had nothing to do with Shelby. There were a few other cars built with Shelby stickers on them but failed like all of the Shelby efforts. The GT-351 Mexican models used the 351 W not the Cleveland like U.S. built cars.