Capitalizing on his considerable success racing, Carroll Shelby began manufacturing Shelby GTs based on the Ford Mustang, which were officially sanctioned and sold through select Ford dealerships. The first Shelby Mustang, the GT350, debuted in 1965 powered by a modified version of Ford’s 289 high-performance small-block V-8 engine.

To ensure that Shelby American would not run out of Mustang fastbacks to convert, Ford’s San Jose plant delivered 252 1965 K-code Mustangs to Shelby before shutting down to retool for the 1966 model year. Known as a “carry over” GT350, this small run of chassis are a much sought-after blend of the 1965’s handling and the 1966 model’s looks, with many unique and distinctive features throughout.

The Shelby GT350 offered here is the 165th produced, and was initially invoiced to Sexton Ford of Moline, Illinois on 30 November 1965. It was originally clad in Wimbledon White, without a racing stripe, and over a black interior. As documented by the SAAC’s 1966 Shelby Registry, the car then moved from Sexton to Marshall Motor Company of Mayfield Heights, Ohio—who outfitted it with alloy wheels, side mirrors, radio antenna, and rotunda clock. Afterwards, Ken Miller of Shelby American sequestered this still-new “carry over” as a company demonstrator. Miller returned it in March 1967, then indicating just under 2,180 miles. The dealer invoice was thusly paid by Marshall in March 1967 for $2,700—a reduced price which reflected the car’s used state. It was then sold thereafter to its first private owner, Robert Russell Smith of Aurora, Ohio.

This attractive GT350 remained in Ohio, seeing regular use among a sequence of enthusiast collectors from March 1967 until its acquisition by the Lindisfarne Collection in February 2001.The SAAC registry notes that the car indicated just shy of 41,065 miles at that time. Over the ensuing two decades of residence, this rarified Shelby has enjoyed careful exercise, and now displays 43,340 actual miles at time of cataloguing—a testament which is verified by the title documentation submitted by the consignor.

The GT350 retains much of its original equipment, including its aluminum Borg Warner T-10 four-speed manual transmission, rear axle, third member, and numbers-matching 289 HiPo V-8 engine. Other notable extant features of this “carry over” include its fold down back seat, rotunda clock, Bullitt-style side mirrors, and all fiberglass hood. Though the car presently wears a set of 15-inch Cragar alloy wheels, a complete set of the correct 14-inch ten-spoke wheels wrapped in Goodyear “small letter” polyglas tires are included.

This well documented and authentic GT350 presents an opportunity for an astute collector to acquire one of the best and rarely available “carry over” examples of the Shelby Mustang breed.