Virginia Classic Mustang Blog

Mar 23, 2020

Just the Details...Early Production 1965 GT350 Shelby Mustang Restoration

Body work is almost complete on the early production 1965 GT350 Shelby build.
©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

Today, we have some more pictures from the early production 1965 GT350 Shelby restoration project taking place at Maple Hill Restoration. Lots of work goes into to a project like this and Jeremy never disappoints.

In this post, you can check out more parts that are being fitted, painted, and detailed so they will be ready to go when the car is at the reassembly point.

The rear quarter panel parts, along with the original 1965 GT350 package tray were all carefully fitted after repairs. Then they were removed for refinishing.

The original dated (11-64) Koni shocks were also refinished in the proper color and the correct Koni winged shock decals were installed. We just received a new batch of decals, and you can buy them by clicking here.

So you don't miss a post about this awesome restoration, please subscribe to our blog by clicking here.

If you have missed any of the other posts about the restoration, you can find them all by clicking here.

Interior Rear Panels are fitted in the early production GT350 Shelby

Interior Rear Quarter trim panels are fitted in the 1965 GT350 Shelby before refinishing.
©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

Interior Rear Quarter trim panels are fitted in the 1965 GT350 Shelby before refinishing. Here is a shot of the fiberglass rear seat latch hole cover.
©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

Original dated (11-64) Koni shocks painted with correct decals.
©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

Interior rear quarter brackets refinished and ready to install.
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Details, details...1965 GT350 Mustang grill.
©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

Original 65 GT350 rear package tray repaired and refinished.
©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

Chrome trim pieces for the interior rear quarter trim panels ready for back detail paint for the 1965 GT350 Shelby Restoration.
©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

Chrome trim pieces for the interior rear quarter trim panels receiving back detail paint for the 1965 GT350 Shelby Restoration.
©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

Interior rear quarter trim panels. Chrome trim pieces refurbished and installed for the 1965 GT350 Shelby Restoration.
©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

Starter motor rebuilt, refinished and restamped for the early 1965 Shelby GT350 build.
©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

Feb 11, 2020

New Shelby Mustang Shirts

New Shelby Mustang Shirts
©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

They are here!!

Our new Virginia Classic Mustang shirts featuring our 1965 GT350 Shelby Mustang. Great new art work on high quality t-shirts and heavy blend hoodies. Black with color art work.

Click on of the links below for more information:

T-Shirt

Hooded Sweatshirt

New Shelby Mustang Shirts
©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

Feb 5, 2020

1967 and 1968 Mustang Dash Pad

1967 and 1968 Mustang Dash Pad
©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

We have really nice reproductions of the original 1967 and 1968 Mustang Dash Pads in stock, and we now have a new color!

Dash pads for 1967 Mustangs in '67 red are now available.

The 1968 Mustangs used a much darker red (maroon) color for the interior and that one is available also.

These dash pads are also available in Black, Blue, Aqua (Turquoise) and Ivy Gold.

Click for more information.

1967 and 1968 Mustang Dash Pad
Above picture shows '68 Dark Red (Maroon) and the '67 "Brighter" Red
©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

Feb 1, 2020

Just the Details...Early Production 1965 GT350 Shelby Mustang Restoration

Just the Details...Following the build of a very early production 1965 GT350 Shelby Mustang.
©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

It is always such a great pleasure to have the opportunity to follow along with the restoration work of Jeremy at Maple Hill Restoration. The latest project that we will be featuring is a very early production 1965 GT350 Shelby Mustang.

Particular production times each have their own unique details, and, of course, this one is no exception. One of these details is the black painted floor pans, which are unique to this production period at San Jose rather than the almost always "copied" red sealer floor pans.

We plan to explore this detail, along with others as we document this restoration of this early Venice-built GT350.

As always, Jeremy is extremely organized and as the car is currently being prepared to receive paint, many of the parts have already been restored.

The pictures above and below show the body and some parts getting very close to having Jeremy apply the original shade of Wimbledon White.

Check out the pictures and comments below. Be sure to follow along and subscribe so you don't miss a post! This one is going to be awesome!!!!

Just the Details...Following the build of a very early production 1965 GT350 Shelby Mustang.
©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

The original number 3259 Holley carburetor has been restored, and it is just gorgeous! Please note the date coding on this early carburetor. The "4B5" stamping translates as follows:

4=1964
B=December
5=fifth week of that month

Just the Details...Following the build of a very early production 1965 GT350 Shelby Mustang.
©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

As usual, Jeremy has done a terrific job restoring the leaf springs. These springs are unique to the High Performance / K Code Mustang Fastback and feature a date code of "325". In this case, the date code is the 325th day of 1964, which was Friday, November 20th.

Just the Details...Following the build of a very early production 1965 GT350 Shelby Mustang.
©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

The above picture shows the date code on the original differential carrier housing. In this case, it translates as follows:

4=1964

K=October

2=2nd day of that month

Just the Details...Following the build of a very early production 1965 GT350 Shelby Mustang.
©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

Quarter vents are restored and ready to install after the car is painted.

Just the Details...Following the build of a very early production 1965 GT350 Shelby Mustang.
©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

The seat frames were completely stripped and painted. New burlap and seat foam along with our new seat upholstery have been installed. They are now completely assembled and ready to bolt in.

Just the Details...Following the build of a very early production 1965 GT350 Shelby Mustang.
©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

The restored rear differential carrier features a Detroit Locker with 3.89 rear gears. Check out the original pinion snubber shield that was unique to the K Code / HiPo Mustangs.

Just the Details...Following the build of a very early production 1965 GT350 Shelby Mustang.
©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

Even the heater box assemblies on the Mustangs were stamped with a date. It's a joy to have a complete car like this with so many original parts!

Jan 22, 2020

WSJ Article - 1966 GT350H Shelby Hertz - 4 Speed

Below is a recent article by A.J. Baime written for the WSJ. As stated in the article, Holly participated in our last GT350 Tour and had a fantastic time! It was a thrill seeing Holly enjoy the car and her fellow participants. She had a blast...and it's one of those cool 85 factory 4 speed Hertz cars!

See the original link with more pictures at this link: https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-rental-car-a-vintage-mustang-it-was-both-11579618862

Holly LaCroix, 69, a legal assistant from Oceanside, Calif., on her 1966 Ford Shelby Mustang G.T. 350H, as told to A.J. Baime.

My husband Terry and I were preparing to get married in 1973, and he had a friend who had this Shelby Mustang out in front of his house. The car was sitting there in the elements, and Terry kept saying, “You have to take care of it.” Ultimately, we bought that car for very little money right before our wedding. I spent a lot of time in the passenger seat, and we went through tires like gangbusters.

Not a lot of these cars were made. In the mid-’60s, the Mustang was huge, and Ford partnered with the racing legend Carroll Shelby to build the high-performance Mustang G.T. 350. Hertz bought a thousand of these cars for customers, calling them Rent-a-Racers. Cars were painted in Hertz colors, and the H in the name stands for Hertz. [When this car appeared in 1966, it cost $17 a day and 17 cents a mile to rent, according to Hertz.]

When Terry first thought about buying ours, he was hesitant, because he had heard that people would rent these cars, pull out the high-performance engines, and put their own in. When he figured out the engine was the real thing, he was thrilled. Most of these cars had automatic transmissions, but ours is one of the few built new with a four-speed.

When my husband got ill, the car was no longer his focus, and when he passed away, the car sat in the garage. I would start it every so often, but for seven years, it sat there.

Then one day last year a man named Lee Cross called me. How he got my number is a long story, but he knew I had this car and wanted to buy it. It was not for sale, so he told me about this G.T. 350 tour that he hosts. Every year, he picks a spot and hosts a gathering for Mustang G.T. 350 owners. He asked if I would come.

I am a shy person, and this was out of my comfort zone. But a lightbulb went on in my head. I thought: This car needs to get out of the garage. I thought: I am going to do this.

I started getting the car ready. Terry and that car were a source of pride in our neighborhood, and people came to me when they heard what I was going to do, to wish me well. The G.T. 350 tour was going to be in the Ozarks in Arkansas, and we would be staying in Branson, Mo. I shipped the car, recruited a co-pilot, and flew east in October. The tour started on Oct. 27—my late husband’s birthday.

For four days we toured the Ozarks. There were 25 cars, and the people made me feel like part of the group. For over 45 years, that car has been part of my life. I was so proud to watch it shine.

Image ©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc

Jan 10, 2020

Bullitt Mustang - $3.4 Million

Bullitt Mustang sales for $3.4 Million.
©Virginia Classic Mustang

Just in case you missed it...the Mustang from the Steve McQueen movie, Bullitt sold for $3.4 million!

3 Dog Garage Visit

We have wanted to visit Ross Myers' car collection at 3 Dog Garage for quite some time, so we decided to start the new year off right with a visit last week. We figured that the best way to visit this amazing collection would be to go with Chuck Cantwell! Well, it was better than even expected.

Honestly, this is one of the coolest collections of cars in the best designed spaces that we have ever had the opportunity to visit.

3 Dog Garage is a nonprofit, educational museum. It's normally not open to just "walk-ins", but if you visit their website at www.3dog.org, you can request a time to visit with your group or car club.

The collection includes a bit of everything but certainly leaves heavily towards the Ford marque, race cars, and hot rods.

If you ever have to opportunity to visit, you will not be disappointed.

Enjoy a few pictures from our visit here in this post.