| Let's face it, some like their performance cars | | | | tilt steering wheel, and tinted glass.And, perhaps |
| raw, some like them with a healthy dose of | | | | most importantly, a backseat was now |
| seasonings and side dishes. And sometimes a | | | | standard.But despite the added weight of such |
| machine's recipe evolves from one style to the | | | | amenities, Shelby's machines hadn't lost their bite. |
| other.That was certainly the case with one of | | | | Although the base GT-350's V8 was now |
| ex-racer Carroll Shelby's most famous cars. For | | | | somewhat tamer, that model for '67 was joined |
| 1965, he began production of hopped-up Mustangs | | | | by the new GT- 500, powered by a torquey |
| at his shop in California. For those first couple | | | | 428-cid big-block V8 rated at 360 hp.For '68, the |
| years, his 'Stangs, called GT-350s, were | | | | GT-500 packed an even bigger wallop, with the |
| barely-disguised competition tools.With a | | | | midyear introduction of the GT-500KR "King of |
| road-racing suspension setup, high-strung | | | | the Road," which had a 428 that was some 40 |
| small-block V8, and lack of a backseat on which | | | | hp stouter yet. Also that year, the Shelby |
| to haul buddies, those original GT-350s weren't a | | | | Mustang's fastback bodystyle was joined by a |
| popular pick with the burger-joint crowd. And that | | | | convertible, to further appeal to the boulevard |
| was fine with Ford, at least at first -- Shelby's | | | | cruising set.Development and production of |
| cooperation on the Mustang was initially sought to | | | | Shelbys continued along similar lines into the next |
| give competition credibility to Ford's pioneering | | | | generation of Mustangs, ending in 1970.Today, |
| ponycar, which GT-350s did handily by winning | | | | muscle-car fans are divided on which of the |
| sports-car races.But starting with the '67 model | | | | Shelby Mustangs are the greatest -- the almost |
| year, Ford began expecting Shelby's machines to | | | | race-ready early versions, or the punchier, plusher, |
| speak to a more mainstream performance crowd | | | | more street-appropriate later ones. Regardless, |
| -- the typical muscle-car buyer. Signaling this shift | | | | any flavor of Shelby Mustang is counted among |
| toward street appeal over race-track prowess | | | | the great performance cars, a fact clearly |
| were mandatory power steering and power | | | | reflected in the hefty prices these cars command |
| brakes, along with a number of optional comfort | | | | nowadays. |
| and convenience features, including air conditioning, | | | | |