Model story
Ford Mustang Shelby GT500
FORD VIN 7R02Q146...
SHELBY VIN 67400F7A00...
Production Year: 1967
The Ford Mustang is an American automobile manufactured and marketed by Ford since 1964, as Ford's longest nameplate in continuous production. The namesake of the "pony car" automobile segment, the Mustang was developed as a highly styled line of sporty coupes and convertibles derived from existing model lines, initially distinguished by its pronounced "long hood, short deck" proportions.
Ford's designers began drawing up larger versions even as the original was achieving sales success. From 1967 until 1973 the Mustang was facelifted, giving the Mustang a more massive look overall and allowing a big block engine to be offered for the first time. Front and rear end styling was more pronounced, and the "twin cove" instrument panel offered a thicker crash pad and larger gauges. Hardtop, fastback, and convertible body styles continued as before. New safety regulations by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for 1967 included an energy-absorbing steering column and wheel, 4-way emergency flashers, and a dual-circuit hydraulic braking system, and softer interior knobs.
The 1967 Shelby G.T. 500 was the first model built in the Shelby G.T. 500 range. It is based on the 1967 Mustang and is equipped with a FE 428 cu in (7.0 L) Police-Interceptor V8 engine topped with an aluminum mid-rise intake and 2X4-barrel 600 CFM Holley carburetors producing 355 bhp (360 PS; 265 kW) at 5,400 rpm and 420 lb⋅ft (569 N⋅m) at 3200 rpm of torque. Two thousand forty eight were produced in 1967.
Documented plans to introduce a convertible mid-production year were shelved due to supply, production and financial problems that happened as soon as the first cars started to arrive at Shelby's Los Angeles facility in September. By October 1966, Ford took control of engineering and purchasing. A.O. Smith was tapped to fix the fitting of fiberglass components. In May 1967 the decision was made to terminate the California-based Shelby operation. On August 18, 1967, a small carryover Shelby staff, along with the remaining engineering cars, was sent to Ionia, Michigan; Shelby personnel had substantially less involvement after this time.
Several body parts of the G.T. were made of fiberglass including the front-end, hood, rear tail light panel, deck lid, quarter panel extension, and side scoops.
One 1967 Fastback was updated to a GT500 equipped with a 427 FE GT40 racing engine producing 650 hp (485 kW), and was known as the "Super Snake". The car was capable of speeds over 150 mph (241 km/h); hitting 170 mph (274 km/h) during a demonstration (by Shelby himself) of Goodyear's Thunderbolt tires. No cars other than the prototype were built due to limited interest.
The "Eleanor" name is given to the film's featured car; now a Dupont Pepper Grey 1967 Ford Mustang fastback, depicted as a Shelby GT500, with a customized body kit designed by Steve Stanford and created by Chip Foose, in Pepper Gray Metallic with black stripes riding on Halibrand-style wheels with a host of subtle and not-so-subtle enhancements.