Shelby Mustangs have long been desirable cars and their values seem to just keep climbing, so it only makes sense that people take non-Shelby Mustangs and build them into tributes. When you figure that Shelby’s creations were just modified Mustangs to begin with, it’s actually a decent way to get the GT350 experience without all the expense. For the most part, I’m one hundred percent on board with building tributes, especially if they are built nicely. My only real complaint with it is that too many nice original Mustangs have been modified that should really have been kept original. And that makes me actually appreciate what reader Felix V has done here with this 1966 Ford Mustang. Rather than taking a nice original car, he found a salvageable wrecked car, repaired the damage, and then made it into a GT350R tribute. Although with a bit of a twist!
While it has a salvage title, his $15,000 asking seems quite reasonable considering what A-code Mustangs are worth these days. Normally a salvage title would be a bit of a deterrent, but in this case, you can drive and enjoy the car without having to worry about driving it hard or leaving it in a parking lot. Plus, you don’t have to feel bad about it being a tribute car, it’s better than it ending up in the scrapyard! You also are saving a decent amount of money over buying another Mustang and building it into a tribute. I don’t think you would be able to buy a different example, all the R parts, and have painted for anywhere close to his asking price. Heck, a nice paint job will set you back $10k these days.
Felix states that when he bought the car in 2011, it had been hit in the rear. So, he found a rear clip from a rust-free convertible, removed the crumbled section, and welded the good one on at the door jams. Based on the VIN, it appears the car started life as a hardtop, so I assume that means he also had to cut and modify the windshield frame to make the convertible top work. To make sure it was solid and safe to drive, he also welded in a frame reinforcement piece. I would want to inspect it and make sure the body is straight, but it looks to be nicely done in photos and everything appears to line correctly (including the convertible top).
There were only a small handful of GT350s built to R specification and none were convertibles, but the visual changes do go nicely with the convertible’s looks. Keeping with the R theme probably helps save a little money on the interior as well, as the R was stripped of any unnecessary weight like a back seat and carpet. And the roll bar may help improve the chassis’s rigidity as well.
There’s no word on what work was done to the engine, but it’s wearing all the usual Shelby bolt-on parts. Being an A-code V8 means this should be a 289-4V engine with a 4-barrel carburetor. Ford rated this engine at 225 horsepower, which is a ways off from the 300 horsepower of the GT350R, but bolt parts can get you part of the way there. This is a popular engine, so building it to R spec shouldn’t be much of a challenge, but as long as it runs well and makes nice sounds, I’d be content with the engine as is.
This is one of those finds that you will definitely want to view in person, but it could prove to be a good find if it’s solid and as nice as it looks in photos. It’s located in Redondo Beach, California so getting it inspected shouldn’t be a challenge for those of you that don’t live in the area. If you’d like to contact Felix for more information or to make him an offer, you can do so via his BF Classified!
Thanks for the intro on the car/ i tried to locate the orig owner so i could ck the engine build but to no avail however ,, inspection of the engine reveals the
following, carter comp 4bbl, aluminum heads, duel exaust hedders ,highspark ign,
correct lower traction masters, front disc brakes, functioning hood scoop,
the Rs came with a racing drivers seat ,I had a alum kirkey done in period
mustang vynl and have a correct passenger seat which goes with too
note the R ray dot mirrors. The engine will smoke the tires. I believe
it is barely broken in starts after 11 years in second , f.argasartist/instagram
FrankenStang! Warn the villagers!
Just another mustang
I remember seeing a GT350 (non-convertible) with the same color combo in the Seventies and Eighties parked in a gas station whenever I would drive to visit my brother 3 hours away for the weekend. Perhaps the station owner or a mechanic owned it. I just thought it was the coolest thing on 4 wheels. If built right, this car could be the screaming deal of the week. (That is a big if, of course).
Biggest deterrent for me is the salvage title. It can be an expensive nightmare in some states to get it registered for the road. I have to pass on this one. If you just want to display it in your collection, go for it. It presents nicely.
Close to me in CA with a salvage title, pass.
I think a white top would present better. I’d drive it.
i dont know if it is still in the cal dmv system
if i kept it i would go the route of the shelby cobras and re register it as a replica car…..felix
requires all the same dance as the kitcars!
i love the car brings a smile to my face everytime
im around it i may change my mind
Early Mustangs are prone to cowl shake. This is especially true with convertibles. The cowl structure tends to deteriorate as water gets into the “coffee-cans” below the vents. It was a design flaw which tended to get worse as these cars began to be driven less. When they get wet, not only do the drains get plugged, they hold water unless subjected to movement typical of a car being driven with some regularity. Otherwise, they rot out. The design held water unless driven regularly. Providing the cowl is in good condition and this vehicle was properly reinforced, this car might be a lot of fun. But the rust on the engine and on the under-carriage doesn’t inspire much confidence. This doesn’t look like a California car. More like a New Jersey car that moved to California very late in life. A solid inspection is in order. There may be substantial value here… the lines look straight. I would not worry about the salvage certificate at this price. I’d worry about how well reinforced the structure is and about rust.