It was revolution rather than evolution in 1969 at Shelby American. For half a decade, Carroll Shelby and the company that bore his name had taken standard Mustangs and turned them into street legal racing machines. But in 1969, Shelby reworked the Mustang, discarding the factory’s shark-nose front fascia in favor of its own, bespoke look. Fiberglass was used for the Shelby Mustang’s hood and front fenders, which wrapped around in a much more angular fashion.
It was not an immediate success, but it was a Shelby and with the reputation surrounding the name, they found homes for more than 3,000 models. The platform also gained a pair of black hood stripes and the option of a black chin spoiler like that on the factory’s Boss 302. They would be the final Shelby Mustangs for more than three decades.
Presented here in appropriately named Grabber Orange, this 1970 GT 350 runs with the 351 cubic inch V-8 engine with a four-speed manual transmission and represents one of those final cars. Its 1970 cues remain intact and it is exceptionally eye-catching. It is fitted with period-correct Sport Slat louvers over its rear window, air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, a Ford-badged radio, racing-type mirrors with driver’s side remote, properly styled wheels, Goodyear Polyglas GT tires, and its engine bay is particularly well detailed.
As one of the last original Shelby Mustangs produced, this example represents a rare opportunity to acquire one of the vehicles that fueled Carroll Shelby’s colorful legend.