'66 Hertz Shelby Mustang GT350-H, 1 of 85 Factory 4spds!

SFM6S588 was delivered to a Hertz rental agency in Phoenix, AZ in December of 1966. A full Concours restoration was completed in Fall of 2015, bringing the car back to its “as factory delivered” form. The car still retains the original T-10 4-speed it was born with along with a date code correct service replacement HiPo 289 installed by its first owner. After its "Rent-A-Racer" duties were complete, it was sold in May of 1967 to Gary Ray, who fitted it with a Shelby/Paxton Supercharger and Detroit Locker rear-end and then went racing! Personalization of these cars was the order of the day, as commanded by Carroll Shelby himself “We built these cars to drive the "HELL" out of them, not to be museum pieces!"

In April of 1974 Mr. Ray put the car up for sale in AutoWeek advertising that the car featured a new, date-code correct K Code HiPo 289 installed and 47,000 miles on the odometer. The reason? He bought himself a ’66 289 Cobra! The Hertz car passed through the hands of Dean Watts of Pleasanton, CA. From there, it traveled to the Pacific Northwest to Roger Winslow of Tacoma, WA and out of the public consciousness. It was discovered “barn fresh” around 2012 in Yakima, Washington hibernating under a tarp with just under 47,800 miles on the odometer, not registered since 1983. So, since 1974 it has been sitting with a mere 800 miles traveled from the time Mr. Ray sold it.

Of the 1,001 Hertz cars produced in 1966, only 85 were fitted with a manual transmission. It is rare to find a GT350H factory equipped a 4 speed, let alone the original aluminum case T-10. In addition to Shelby American Automobile Club documentation and registry history, we also have titles dating back to 1978.

When the car was discovered, #588 was trimmed out in white like an “R” model. She wore a fiberglass “R” model apron, lightweight fiber glass fenders, rear wheel well flares and 15x7 Magnesium Torque Thrust Wheels. Quarter work was done with OE metal at factory seams and spot welds to remedy the fender flare work and minor rust in the right rear quarter panel and trunk area behind the rear tire. The floor pans and frame extensions appeared to be solid and did not require any rust repair or replacement.

As part of the restoration the fiberglass front fenders were replaced with factory units, dated 5-27, perhaps early for the car but correct OEM parts. The driver’s side inner apron was repaired early in the car’s life, this repair was worked to current standards to be undetectable from original. The correct Ford VIN was found on the passenger side shock tower and verified by ’65-’66 SAAC Registrar, Howard Pardee.

According to the Shelby Concours Judge who inspected the car, the hood, doors, roof skin, floors, trunk lid, and fenders are factory original pieces.

The car survived wearing all its original glass. New Concours quality reproduction glass was used referencing the original glass for the proper date codes. The original Plexiglass was retained in the quarter windows and is in very good condition.

The overall fit and finish of the paint, body, glass, and trim is superior to that of factory original with pains taken to replicate factory correct detail.

With #588 came a cash of NOS parts, as Mr. Winslow planned on restoring the car himself one day. The package of spares included one correct seat and correct (non-chrome) seat belt, an original tachometer, an NOS dash pad, and quite a few NOS interior trim pieces. These were used along with others to complete the restoration. Everything used was the best one could find. The Shelby Concours Judge who inspected it commented “Nicely done.” in his notes.

When the first owner advertised the car in 1974, he stated in his Auto Week ad, that the car was equipped with a “date-code correct K Code HiPo 289 installed and 47,000 miles on the odometer.” When the car was purchased “barn fresh” by the current owner with about 47,600 miles on it, she still had a C40E “5 bolt” block in it, complete with HiPo Damper, date code correct HiPo Heads, large letter intake. Further inspection of the engine verified that it does indeed have HiPo Spec Heavy Duty main caps and solid lifters. C40E 289’s were in fact fitted to receive a 6 bolt bell housing after September of 1964. This block has a casting date of 5H26, cast on August 26th, 1965, consistent with a 289 Hi Po service replacement block. The car rolled off the assembly line around September of ’65 before being sent to Shelby American and finally to Hi-Performance Motors in El Segundo, CA in December 1965 for radio installation. While the engine is HiPo service replacement motor, it is indeed date code correct for the car.

As part of the rotisserie restoration, the engine was completely rebuilt to factory specs, aside from hardening the valve seats on the heads to run unleaded fuels, and a date code correct carb was sourced and rebuilt to place the ’69 Date Code 715 CFM that the car was discovered with.

The car was recovered with its ORIGINAL aluminum case T-10 4-speed Transmission, factory correct third member and original Koni shocks. In a very real sense, as with many muscle cars that were raced, this Shelby’s sporting life saved it from the elements and time. The floors and frame are solid, clean, and original. The inspector noted no evidence of frame or floor pan damage for repair. The undercarriage was finished in epoxy paint that replicates the color and texture of factory primer. The suspension and all other chassis assemblies have been restored and refinished to factory original specifications. The exhaust system appearance and detail is factory correct for the car. Wheels, spare, jack, and trunk trim are all correct for the car.
Of the 1,001 Hertz cars produced in 1966, only 85 were fitted with a manual transmission, three times rarer than a ’66 “carry over” car. It is rare to find a GT350H factory equipped a 4 speed, let alone the original aluminum case T-10. In addition to Shelby American Automobile Club documentation and registry history, we also have titles dating back to 1978. She has traveled fewer than 900 miles since 1974 and has fewer than 100 miles on the restoration. This 4spd Hertz car is the finest restored example offered to the public in recent memory. If you’ve been looking for one, your search is now complete!