EXPERTLY BUILT RECREATION, CORRECT K-CODE 289 V8, 4-SPEED, LOTS OF STYLE & POWER

The early Mustang fastbacks are some seriously good-looking cars, and the GT350 only enhanced everything that was already great. This 1966 Ford Mustang GT350 recreation packages all the details that make Shelbys special in a body that includes the traditional Shelby paint job, along with a great running K-code 289 and a very accurate interior. If you want the GT350 experience without the GT350 price tag, this car is as good as we've ever seen.The first thing you notice on this car is that Wimbledon White paint job with blue LeMans stripes. Finished in 2015 and driven just over 1000 miles since then, the car fits together well, and no matter who you are, it will be hard to mistake it for anything else. Shelby details include the Plexiglas quarter windows, which enhanced visibility on the track and were more of a functional upgrade than a purely stylistic one. Then there's the functional scoops on the rear quarters that feed cold air directly to the rear brakes. And, of course, who can ignore that cool R-model front bumper? The split design was originally configured to hold an oil cooler, but it looks just as good on this road-going car with its chrome bumpers for dress-up. Hood pins, a mesh grille, and the GT350 stripes along the rockers are details that will make the guy in the next lane think twice about making a go of it once the light turns green.Inside you'll find a very correct black interior, which includes all the Shelby upgrades that were part of the GT350 package. The thoroughness of the build strongly suggests someone did their homework, so you won't find upgraded seats or modern gauges here. All Shelbys got black interiors like this, so it's entirely appropriate in this car. The steering wheel is a Shelby-style wood-rimmed piece and there's a correct Shelby/Stewart-Warner tach perched up high on the dash, just as it should be. There's no console, just a 4-speed coming out of the transmission tunnel, which is how it was done if you were looking for a fight. The lone upgrade appears to be a modern AM/FM/cassette stereo head unit, but that's an easy sin to forgive. Door panels and the back seat are in excellent condition, and the trunk is finished with a correct plaid mat and full-sized spare tire.Power comes from a high-revving, solid-lifter K-code 289 cubic inch V8 that makes all the right sounds and provides plenty of pop. A correct high-rise aluminum intake, center float Holley carb, and Tri-Y headers all mix wonderfully with the fully balanced engine putting out 306 HP, just like a genuine GT350. It's dressed in correct Ford Blue paint on the block, and a chrome air cleaner and Shelby-style cast aluminum valve covers add to the illusion. Beautifully detailed, it's got the right decals, the right hoses, and right fittings, and a shock tower brace has been added, just like Shelby would have done it. The aforementioned center-force 4-speed gearbox channels power aft, which is just how the GT350 models were built, and it spins a set of easy-cruising 3.00 gears so it's not terribly high-strung. The chassis is likewise highly detailed, with correct red oxide primer on the floors, a new Flowmaster exhaust system that sounds spectacular, and a fresh gas tank hanging out back. Koni shocks, disc brakes, and traction bars make it feel like a real Shelby, too. Finally, it rolls on a set of 10-spoke Shelby alloys and a set of 235/60/14 Dunlop performance radials.Sometimes the best defense is a good offense, and with the looks of this Shelby tribute, a lot of folks will definitely think twice. Beautifully and accurately built with no stone left unturned, it delivers the real Shelby experience without the worries, and without that huge price tag.