1966 Shelby GT350H – SOLD 8/17/2024
- A fantastic example of Shelby’s legendary Hertz “rent-a-racer”
- Fresh rotisserie restoration to Mustang Club of America and Shelby American Automobile Club 1966 Concours standards
- Lifelong Southwestern car, delivered new to Hertz of Tucson, Arizona
- Documented by Shelby American order invoices and SAAC Registry listing
- Retains its numbers-matching Hi-Po 289-cu. in. V-8 engine and date-coded body panels
“Chassis SFM 6S1879 is confirmed by the Shelby American Automobile Club registry to have been born in April 1966 equipped with an automatic transmission and finished in Raven Black. It was purchased by The Hertz Corporation of Tucson, Arizona on 20 April 1966 and shipped to Pueblo Ford of Tucson for dealer preparation, arriving via rail on 23 April 1966. Upon taking delivery, the rental firm was invoiced $3,859.75, including additional costs for the installation of chrome Magnum 500 wheels and a radio.
After its rental career, 6S1879 made its way into private hands and is believed to have remained in the Southwest all its life. Upon acquiring the car, the consignor began an exhaustive rotisserie restoration which was completed this summer. Once the car was stripped to bare metal, the body was found to be wonderfully preserved, with many panels bearing March 1966 date stampings including the doors, fenders, quarter panels, quarter wells, radiator support, aprons and rocker panels. The car was then meticulously reassembled following both Mustang Club of America and Shelby American Automobile Club 1966 Concours standards, going so far as to apply proper red-oxide primer with body color overspray and replicating factory chalk-markings, paint daubs, and bare steel finishes.
Furthermore, the car wears many trademarks unique to the GT350 Hertz cars including an Autolite 4100 CZ6F-F four-barrel carburetor, correct C Servo automatic transmission with March 1966 date casting, and 1966-only all-steel hood, which Shelby would quickly forgo in favor of the easier-to-fabricate fiberglass units. During the restoration, the car’s original Ford chassis number, located beneath its Shelby American chassis tag, was importantly found to match the stamping on its 289-cubic-inch “K-code” Hi-Po V-8 engine.
With superb documentation and sporting a fresh rotisserie restoration to exacting factory specifications, this numbers-matching engine GT350 “rent-a-racer” is sure to delight even the most discerning Shelby collector.”
Link to auction listing: RM Sotheby’s – 1966 Shelby GT350H
