1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 Coupé
Registration no. WME 9G
Chassis no. 67200F5A01598

Legendary Texan racing driver Carroll Shelby's team had been campaigning Ford's Mustang 'pony car' with considerable success in North America, winning the SCCA's B-Production title three years running in the mid-1960s. Capitalising on his success, Shelby began manufacturing modified Mustangs, which were officially sanctioned and sold through selected Ford dealerships. The first Shelby Mustang - the GT350 - arrived in 1965 powered by a modified version of Ford's 289ci (4.7-litre) small-block V8 producing 306bhp, with options of a 340-360bhp unit in competition trim or 400bhp supercharged. A four-speed Borg-Warner manual gearbox was the stock transmission on early Shelby Mustangs, though a heavy-duty, three-speed automatic soon became available as an option.

The running gear was appropriately up-rated to cope with the GT350's increased performance, incorporating the optional Kelsey-Hayes front disc brakes, stronger Ford Galaxie rear axle, Koni adjustable shock absorbers and aluminium-alloy wheels. The first cars were supplied minus the rear seats, thereby qualifying the GT350 as a two-seat sports car! Outwardly there was little to distinguish Shelby's GT350 from the standard product apart from a pair of broad 'racing' stripes down the body centreline. On the open road there was, of course, no comparison.

One of the great iconic muscle cars of the 1960s, the Shelby Mustang continued to be based on the stock version, receiving the latter's styling changes and mechanical improvements while retaining its own distinctive special features, until production ended in 1970.

This exceptionally well documented GT350 comes with a wonderful history covering virtually its entire life, including the all important Marti Report confirming its authenticity. The car was completed 22nd March 1967 (28 days behind schedule) at the San Jose, California factory and shipped to Minar Ford Inc in Minneapolis for retail sale. It is one of 1,174 GT-350s manufactured in 1967, of which 821 had manual transmission like this example. We are advised that the current odometer reading of 24,852 miles is believed correct and that the car retains its original block cylinder heads, transmission and rear axle.

The first US owner is not known but in any case the Shelby was soon exported to the UK (in 1968) where it was raced competitively in club events before being sold to Anthony Wolfe Motors of Middlesex in 1971. On 4th June 1971 Mr R G C Watling purchased the GT350, which came complete with a trailer and a set of slick-shod racing wheels (bill of sale on file). In February 1978 the car was purchased by Simpson's of Wembley (the UK's largest importer of new American cars) still wearing its white and blue racing livery. Simpson's reinstated the original colour scheme and 'WME 9G' was run by Phil Simpson, a director of the company.

The car's next purchaser was Mr Robert William Mael in 1979. While in his ownership 'WME 4G' was photographed with Carroll Shelby at the inaugural Street Racing Promotion in Birmingham in 1984. Repatriated to Florida, USA in 1986, the car had two private owners in Florida (details on file) before passing via a dealer in Colorado to Robert Brooks, founder of Brooks Auctioneers and Bonhams' current Co-chairman.

Re-imported to the UK in December 1989, the car comes with records of its racing career in the 1970s, '80s and '90s and has FIA papers dated 1990. Purchased by the Marlboro Tobacco Company, the Shelby given as the star prize in its 'Coast to Coast' promotion in July 1991 and was won by Mr P Hanson of Bradford, Yorkshire. In March 1992 the car was purchased from a Bradford motor dealer by D Dean Motors of Ruislip and then had two further private owners (details on file) before its purchase by the current vendor in 2001.

In 2008 a full 'last nut and bolt' documented restoration commenced in consultation with Alan Faulkner-Stevens of muscle car specialists Dragon Wheels of Buckinghamshire at a cost of circa £100,000+VAT (bills on file). Only some 130 'shakedown' miles have been covered since the rebuild's completion in January 2014 and the car is presented in effectively 'as new' condition. Taxed, MoT'd and offered with V5C document, 'WME 9G' represents a rare opportunity to acquire one of these iconic muscle cars, fresh from total renovation.