A superb and rare photo of the new and ever so impressive 1964 Ford Shelby GT 350 Mustang, photographed before its introduction  debut in the new model year 1965.

The Shelby Mustang is a high performance variant of the Ford Mustang built from 1965 through 1970. Following the introduction of the Fifth-generation Ford Mustang the Shelby nameplate was revived in 2007 for new high performance versions of the Mustang. The 1965 and 1956 GT350 and GT500 are properly not called "Cobras", which was the Ford-powered AC-based two-seat sports car also produced by Carroll Shelby during the same period. The confusion arises from the optional "Cobra" valve covers on many GT350s, part of a marketing tie-in by Shelby. All 1965-66 cars featured the "K" code 271 hp 289, modified to produce 306 hp. 1965-66 GT350s were delivered from Ford's San Jose assembly plant as "bodies in white" for modification by Carroll Shelby's operation, originally in Venice Beach and later at Los Angeles International Airport. All but one 1965 GT350s were painted Wimbledon White with Guardsman Blue rocker stripes. The one exception was blue with white stripes. Contrary to popular belief, very few GT350s were delivered with the optional "Le Mans" hood, roof, and trunk stripes, an option which was usually installed by the dealer. Today it's difficult to find a GT350 not so equipped. 1965 cars had the battery relocated to the trunk, featured overrider traction bars, relocated A-arms, and other modifications. 1966 saw the introduction of non-white colors — including blue, red, green and black. Other changes include special quarter-panel windows replacing the factory extractor vents, functional brake scoops on each side and optional automatic transmissions, as well as the addition of an optional Paxton supercharger. The battery was no longer relocated to the trunk for 1966, and the over-rider traction bars were discontinued. A fold-down rear seat was now standard. Where early 1965 cars had black engine blocks, 1966 and later cars had the 289 engine painted blue. The first 252 GT-350s for 1966 began as 1965 Mustang K-Code Fastbacks. Often these first 252 1966 GT-350s are referred to as "carry-over" cars, but this is not the case. These 252 1965 Model Mustangs were specifically ordered by Shelby American for conversion into 1966 GT-350 Mustangs. They were not "left over" from the 1965 production, at all. They had the 1965 Ford Mustang Bodies and 1965 Ford Mustang serial numbers under their Shelby serial numbers. They mostly had 1965 features including standard Koni shock absorbers and engines painted black. Blue engines did not appear in 1966 until after these first 252 GT-350s were produced. 1966 production was 1373 fastbacks, including two prototypes and four drag cars, and 252 early production models with Ford Mustang 1965 bodies. 1001 Hertz fastbacks were produced, including two prototypes. Four convertibles were also produced, for a total of 2378 units for 1966. A small number (how many remains unclear) of '66s were fitted with Paxton superchargers, but not the No-Spin limited slip differential, with an option price of US$670; the engine was rated at 440 hp (330 kW). Shelby struck a deal with the Hertz Corporation to produce a special line of GT350s for rent which were subsequently sold to the public after their rental-car lives were finished. These "GT350H" cars are sought-after today, with some examples selling for more than $200,000. Shelby produced 1000 of these cars. Most Hertz cars featured gold LeMans stripes and rocker panel stripes. Some were white with blue stripes. Early Hertz cars were available with four-speed manual transmissions until so many cars were returned from rental with burned and broken clutch assemblies that all of the later cars shipped to Hertz were equipped with an automatic transmission. There are stories, possibly apocryphal, that many were rented to use as production class cars at SCCA events, returned with different engines, holes where roll bars had been welded in, etc., etc. 1965-66 GT350s were successful racers, and had many production-class victories. 1966 production numbers: GT350 — 2,378 units (four were special order convertibles for Carroll Shelby, the rumor is that six were made, but only four VINs have been discovered). For 1967, the GT 350 carried over the "K" code high performance 289 with a COBRA aluminum hi-rise. The GT 500 was added to the lineup, equipped with the 428 Police Interceptor. These later cars carried over few of the performance modifications of the 1965-66 GT350s, although they did feature more cosmetic changes. In September 1967, production was moved to the A.O. Smith Company of Ionia, Michigan, under Ford control. Shelby had very little involvement after this time. As Shelby's two-seat Cobra sports car production ended in 1967, the Cobra name was applied to Shelby Mustangs for the first time in 1968. In February 1968, the GT500KR "King of the Road" debuted; under the hood was a 428 cubic-inch Cobra Jet V8 which was conservatively rated at 335 horsepower (250 kW).

Sebring started life as a United States Army Air Forces training base. From 1941 to 1946, pilots learned to fly the B-17 Flying Fortress. After World War II, aeronautical engineer Alec Ullman, seeking sites to restore military aircraft for civilian use, saw potential in Hendricks' runways to stage a sports car endurance race, similar to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Sebring's first race was held on New Year's Eve of 1950. The Sam Collier 6 Hour Memorial race was won by Frits Koster and Ralph Deshon in a Crosley Hot Shot. This first race attracted thirty racecars from across North America. The first 12 Hours of Sebring was held on March 15th, 1952, and would grow to be a major international race. In 1959, the racetrack hosted the first Formula One United States Grand Prix. Due to the poor attendance and high costs, the next United States Grand Prix was held at Riverside. For much of Sebring's history, the track followed a 5.38 mile (8.66 km) layout, these days the course of the track is 3.7 miles (5.95 km) long. It is a seventeen-turn road course with long straights, several high-speed corners, and very technical slower corners. Many of the turns and points along the track are named for the early teams and drivers. There is very little elevation change around the track and little camber on the surface, providing a challenging track for drivers, especially when it rains. Sebring is renowned for its rough surface. The course still runs on old sections of World War II-era landing fields that were constructed of concrete sections with large seams. The transitions between sections are quite rough and often, sparks fly from the undercarriages of the cars as they traverse them. Much of the track has intentionally been left with its original concrete runway surface. The track surface has 2.4 miles of asphalt and 1.2 miles of concrete. The 12 Hours of Sebring race has a rich history, as legendary drivers such as Mario Andretti, Briggs Cunningham, Juan Manuel Fangio, A.J. Foyt, Jacky Ickx, Stirling Moss and Lake Underwood, and manufacturers such as Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, Jaguar, Cunningham, Audi and Ford have all been victorious. It is known as an excellent preparation for the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The Ford Mustang made its first public appearance on a racetrack little more than a month after its April 17 introduction, as pace car for the 1964 Indianapolis 500. The same year, Mustangs achieved the first of many notable competition successes, winning first and second in class in the Tour de France international rally. The car’s American competition debut, also in 1964, was in drag racing, where private individuals and dealer-sponsored teams campaigned Mustangs powered by 427 cu. in. V8s. In late 1964, Ford contracted Holman & Moody to prepare ten 427-powered Mustangs to contest the National Hot Rod Association's (NHRA) A/Factory Experimental class in the 1965 drag racing season. Five of these special Mustangs made their competition debut at the 1965 NHRA Winternationals, where they qualified in the Factory Stock Eliminator class. The car driven by Bill Lawton won the class. A decade later Bob Glidden won the Mustang’s first NHRA Pro Stock title. Early Mustangs also proved successful in road racing. The GT 350 R, the race version of the Shelby GT 350, won five of the Sports Car Club of America's (SCCA) six divisions in 1965. Drivers were Jerry Titus, Bob Johnson and Mark Donohue, and Titus won the (SCCA) B-Production national championship. GT 350s won the B-Production title again in 1966 and 1967. They also won the 1966 manufacturers’ championship in the inaugural SCCA Trans-Am series, and repeated the win the following year. In 1969, modified versions of the 428 Mach 1, Boss 429 and Boss 302 took 295 United States Auto Club-certified records at Bonneville Salt Flats. The outing included a 24-hour run on a 10-mile (16 km) course at an average speed of 157 miles per hour (253 km/h). Drivers were Mickey Thompson, Danny Ongais, Ray Brock and Bob Ottum. Boss 429 engines powered Ford Torinos in 1969 and 1970 NASCAR racing.

The 1965 Mustang won the Tiffany Gold Medal for excellence in American design, the first automobile ever to do so. The Mustang was on the Car and Driver Ten Best list in 1983, 1987, 1988, 2005, and 2006. It won the Motor Trend Car of the Year award in 1974 and 1994. In 2005 it was runner-up to the Chrysler 300 for the North American Car of the Year award and was named Canadian Car of the Year.

The photograph that the winner of this auction will receive is a very nice and very rare photo that reflects a wonderful era of Ford ‘s automotive history in a wonderful way.  This is your rare chance to own this photo, therefore it is printed in a nice large format of ca. 8" x 10" (ca. 20 x 26 cm).  It makes it perfectly suitable for framing.

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