1965 Ford Mustang 289 Sport Coupe (Notchback) Race Car

• Bare metal strip in 2015, media-blasted, lightened, strengthened and prepared for paint
• Superbly finished to road-car quality in the distinctive Black and Gold of the famous Hertz 'Rent-A-Racer' Shelby GT350s from 1966
• Cobra springs, Koni Race Shocks, full suspension set-up by the Mustang Workshop
• Powered by a 1965 289ci V8, with HiPo crank, Eagle rods, big-valve heads, Cobra cams and pistons etc. Massive spec detailed below
• Bespoke inlet manifold, Tech-craft Mega-Flow silencers, Holly 650 double pumper
• Fully rebuilt by Colin Mullan Engineering in August 2019 at a cost of £8,000. Only three hours running time since
• Full cage, Corbeau pro seat, OMP Harness, Moto-Lita wheel, full safety equipment
• Complete with its FIA HTP, Class CT10 valid until 31/12/2025
• UK road-legal with a UK V5c and current MOT valid until Jan 2022
• One of the best prepared and delightfully presented Competition Mustangs we have seen

It started when Carroll Shelby, ever the salesman, convinced Hertz Car Rental to order 1,001 Ford Mustangs modified by his workshop for a “Rent-A-Racer” program in 1966. The Shelby G.T 350H was born (H for Hertz), and the legend grew almost as soon as the cars began hitting the track and drag strip. Built with the K-code 289 V-8, tuned in Shelby’s Venice, California shop to 306 horsepower, these cars were nearly identical to the standard G.T. 350 and the majority were finished in Hertz’s corporate colours of Raven Black and Sunlit Gold, as is this superb example.

This 1965, left-hand drive, 289 Sport Coupé road car was imported from Canada in 1999. Within the large history file are a number of invoices from C J Pony Parts of Pensylvania for components used during the car’s complete restoration and preparation as an FIA Competition Car during 2015.

The majority of the build was carried out by Heritage AutoWerks of Berkshire and their spec-sheet indicates that the Mustang was fully stripped and media-blasted back to a bare shell, new metal let-in where required, and the body and chassis were lightened, strengthened and fitted with a multi-point cage with door bars before being prepared for paint. The door furniture was removed and the side window glass replaced with plastic. The car was then painted to a very high, road car, standard and looks fabulous in Hertz’s attractive black and gold with lots of fresh brightwork. The suspension was fully rebuilt using brand new parts with Koni race shocks and front and rear springs by Cobra Automotive. Brise Fabrications created a bespoke fuel cell, radiator and catch tank. Naturally, the brakes were full rebuilt with new components, converted to dual-circuit and fitted with larger, FIA compliant front discs. The car sits on a splendid set of 15” American Racing Torq-Thrust wheels with the centres finished in matching Sunlit Gold, wearing a set of sticky Dunlops.

The engine is a 1965 289 with a heat-treated HiPo crank, Eagle con rods, big-valve heads with NASCAR retainers, ARP bolts, hardened FIA-spec tappets, Crane pushrods and Cobra pistons and cams. We understand that pre-initial build all rotating parts were balanced at Mercedes F1. The manifolds have been chambered, the intake is a replica of a ‘65 Shelby and the exhaust feeds into Tech-craft ‘Mega-Flow’ mufflers. The sump is baffled and the car is fitted with a large capacity oil pump. Fuel is supplied by a Holly fuel pump through high-flow inline filters to a Holly 650 ‘double-pumper’ topped with a K&N filter. All the engine wiring has been replaced with race-spec wire and terminals and a new alternator, Mallory coil and distributor have been fitted.

All safety equipment is FIA-compliant but, as with any competition car, interested buyers will need to satisfy themselves as to its currency and compliance with Series regulations.

Since its 2015 build, a further £5,000 was spent in October 2018 upgrading the steering and suspension and the engine was fully rebuilt by Colin Mullan Engineering in August 2019 at a cost of £8,000 with only three hours running time since.

Ever since Roy Pierpoint won the British Saloon Car Championship in 1965, the 289 ‘Notchback’ Coupe has been a presence in British motor racing and, in its evocative Hertz livery, this superbly prepared example would be welcome at prestigious events anywhere. It’s eligible for a number of historic championship events such as the FIA Pre-66 GT Championship, the Masters Series, Goodwood or the fantastic Spa 6-Hours and the fact that it's road registered with a V5 and current MOT opens up the possibility of using this dramatic car for tours and road rallies and, at this attractive guide price, could be a perfect route into multi-level historic motorsport.