1965 Ford Mustang 289 Notchback Race Car

• Desirable 'K-Code' Mustang finished in Guardsman Blue
• Raced from new in 1965 by David Tallasken before being campaigned by IMSA winner Gene Felton
• Engine totally rebuilt by I.C.E. Automotive Racing Engines in 2017 and used minimally since
• Potential entrant to Goodwood Revival, Tour Auto, Spa 6 Hours, and Masters Pre-66 Touring cars
• Supplied with a UK V5c and a superb history file

UK saloon racing in the 1960s was epitomised by the battles between the American V8s and the British Lotus Ford Cortinas and Austin Coopers of the day. They were driven, in the British Saloon Car Championship (pre-BTCC), by current Grand-Prix stars such as Jim Clark, Jack Brabham and Graham Hill, as well as saloon car specialists like Frank Gardener, Brian Muir, Sir Gawaine Bailie, Roy Pierpoint and Jack Sears. It was an exciting and evocative period of racing and the crowds enjoyed the closeness of the racing brought about by the contrasting abilities of the nimble Cortinas and Minis and the straight line speed of the V8s.

We are pleased to offer this special 1965 'K-Code' Ford Mustang Notchback, finished in Guardsman Blue, which was purchased new by a Mr David Tallaksen who set about racing the car straight out of the box. Mr Tallaksen went on to campaign the Mustang across the South Eastern States, even setting a track record at Savannah International Speedway in 1965. A few years later Mr Tallaksen went on to own a Ford GT40 Mk.I – clearly bitten by the Ford / Shelby bug.

Late on in the 1965 season, the car changed pilots and owners, when Tallaksen sold it to a Mr Gene Felton, who, at the time couldn't afford a new Shelby Mustang, so decided instead to have this car upgraded to Shelby specification. Two full seasons in the SCCA Regional and National Championships in 1966 and 1967, saw Gene win a number of races and finish in the top three each season, culminating in an overall win of the Southeast Division in 1967. The car and driver were both invited to the American Road Race of Champions each year, with a credible 6th place finish overall at Riverside, California in 1966 – a picture of the car in action at this race is included in the file. In July 1967, Gene Felton entered The Paul Revere 250 Trans Am race at Daytona, leading the charge until an engine fault forced retirement from the race. At the end of the 1967 season, Gene retired the car as it was in need of repair following an on track skirmish, and the arrival of a new Camaro saw the trusty K-Code sidelined. Remaining in storage throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s, Mr Felton eventually decided to return the car to its former glory and post-restoration began to campaign it successfully once again, winning on its first outing at Road Atlanta in 1989. Due to its illustrious period race history and its period-correct race preparation, it became one of the first historic race cars to gain SCCA certification in 1992. After some 28 years of ownership in 1993, Gene sold the Mustang to a Mr Richard Amsden of Florida. The car remained in the USA until it was purchased in 2006 by a Mr Anders Nannerup and exported to Denmark.

During Mr Nannerup's ownership, it was raced in Denmark with a class win at the Grand Prix of Denmark and a 3rd overall in the Danish Vintage Championship before it was again the subject of a full restoration in 2008 preparing it to 'Historic 1965 Mustang Appendix K' specification. Finished in its 1967 Paul Revere 250 Trans Am race livery, it was invited to compete at the 2014 Goodwood Revival where Mr Nannerup shared driving duties with ex-F1 driver Rupert Keegan.

Purchased in 2015 by the current owner, it has since been prepared by WDK Motorsport and was the recipient of a full and comprehensive engine rebuild by I.C.E Automotive Racing Engines in July '17 resulting in an invoice in excess of ú15,500, however the dyno sheet confirms a healthy 395bhp at 6,800 RPM. The car was then campaigned at the 2017 Goodwood Revival and Tour Auto.