Old-school tribute has the mechanicals to back up the looks
It’s undeniable that you’ll travel a long way to find a better-looking muscle car than a sixties Mustang fastback, particularly with race plumage. The sad fact is that the originals are thin on the ground and hugely expensive and this car offers a viable alternative.
Hagerty in the USA currently lists Shelby GT350 values on a scale from well over half a million US dollars for concours to around 380k for one in good but not great condition.
While the real thing is unquestionably an interesting investment vehicle, it does raise the question over whether it would make any sense to drive it. And that’s where a well screwed-together tribute car makes sense.
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This example claims a pretty extensive list of recent work, including a 351 V8 powerplant, four-speed manual transmission and new chassis bushes and rubbers.
It remains a left-hooker and seems to present very well. When you look at the cost of building a car to a similar standard, the $80k pricetag at Lorbek.com.au starts to make a fair bit of sense.
The Shelby originals in fact started with a high-performance version of the 289 V8, claiming 271 horses from the factory. They were then given a refresh with Holley four-barrel carburettor, Tri-Y headers (which are still made by a number of aftermarket firms) and dual exhaust. That lot was enough to boost them to 306 horses and (with a four-speed) a top whack a shade over 200km/h.
Read more on this 1965 Ford Mustang at Lorbek.com.au
Photography: Lorbek Luxury Cars