A real-deal, 1969 Shelby GT350 is going to set you back some coin. Nevermind the scathing review Brock Yates gave the jet intake nosed Shelby for Car and Driver, what really sells the 1969-70 Shelby Mustangs is the look. If you want a Shelby that will do it’s best to kill you while scaring every non-gearhead for miles, go find an earlier model. This was the time when Ford realized that there was money to be made off of a special name affixed to their pony, and due to their rarity, the limited production cars have done nothing but climb in value. For a real one, you can expect to dole out for one of the 194 convertibles made. But would you drive a real one? Hopefully, you would, if you’re here reading, but just for the sake of discussion, let’s assume that you agree that a legit, real-deal Shelby needs to be babied and pampered in a garage somewhere. What’s the point of owning one then?
It goes back to the looks. I don’t care if the 1969-70 Shelby was considered a luxury tourer instead of a Trans-Am mercenary…those body lines are gorgeous in my eye, and I’d drive that sucker every possible place I could. But what you are looking at is not a real Shelby GT350, but what has to be the most convincing clone of one I’ve ever seen. Finished in 2010 using a 351-powered droptop from California as the donor, the builder certainly wasted no expense in making his own Shelby convertible. Look for the details, they are present: from the Shelby gauge faces to the center-exit exhaust and every last possible scoop affixed, it would require a VIN number check to prove that this started life as a plain-jane Mustang and not the car that made Carroll Shelby cut ties with Ford.
What do you think…would you pony up the dough for one of the most convincing fakes we’ve seen in a while, or is the thought of shelling out nearly $65,000 on a faked car, no matter how clean, too much to deal with? I’ll be sitting here with my Lottery ticket, hoping for the numbers to work with me this week…there’s plenty of Autumn top-down leaf-blowing cruising to do still!
eBay Link: 1969 Shelby GT350 clone
“A Pig With Lipstick” . . . the 1968 – 1970 Shelby Mustangs.
A fully restored, numbers matching 1969 GT350 convertible will set you back $130,000 to $150,000. So is $65,000 for a clone worth the money? IMO . . . no. It’s too high a price. $45,000 is more realistic.
I guess I can understand the ‘clone’ thing to some degree. I mean who hasn’t put Z/28 stripes & a cowl hood on a regular Camaro or a trunk spoiler on a Mustang or a plain ‘Cuda or a Cutlass, etc? The really sad part to me is how many guys are looking for those rare parts for their real cars when some clown puts them on a generic 6 cylinder fast back…..
Some cars should NEVER have been made into convertibles and unfortunately the Shelby GT500 is top of the list.
Typical convertible body shake and all that power, plus the fact that the convertible top ruins the proportions of the body.
Still – I’d give him $65 to get it off his driveway…
I’be had my share of soft tops and you couldn’t give me this car! Maybe if you were young and stupid with a deep pocket, go for it! At my age I want comfort.