the ford shelby gr-1 concept springs from a long line of ford functioning plot cars and quickly establishes itself as one of the most modern and theatrical front-engine , two-seat , fastback supercars. this running prototype reaches closer to reality with a 605-horsepower , 390-cubic-inch all-aluminum v-10 engine , a road-tested version of the ford gt suspension and a stunning fresh polished-aluminum relics.
Sensuous , upon Even Terms proportioned and exclusively modern , this exhibit car builds on the success of the ford shelby cobra concept – the 2004 north american international auto exhibit (naias) "best in show" winner – and reinforces ford's continued commitment to functioning.
The shelby gr-1 concept's nom remunerate tribute to both a functioning extensive and "group racing." this uniquely emotional american sports car plot represents ford's continued purpose to include a high-end , limited-production specialist supercar in its lineup. initially unveiled as a plot exercise at the pebble strand concours d'elegance in august , the ford shelby gr-1 concept is a sports car salutation to "performance science."
"a perfect relics with level , shimmering aluminum fell , the fresh ford shelby gr-1 concept is a rolling sculpture whose comely , flowing lines belie the raw , beastly v-10 wedged under the hood , " says j mays , group vice president of plot and chief creative officer. "this concept shifts gears and takes ford's functioning car future into a fresh surveillance."
The shelby gr-1 concept combines modern sculptured surfaces and a sleek muscular fastback plot. all of the sophisticated mechanicals of this extraordinary coupe are wrapped in a sleek , muscular aluminum fell left naked and polished bright. the result is a forward-looking supercar with attention-grabbing ford presence and carroll shelby inspiration.
A reality-based concept
Much like the basic ford gt and final year's shelby cobra concept vehicles , the shelby gr-1 was intended to be a fully engineered , production-feasible roadgoing , drivable plot vehicle.
"with the ford gt and ford shelby cobra concept , we have a vast amount of experience quickly structure high-performance cars , like the shelby gr-1 , with world-class functioning , " says phil martens , group vice president , product creation. "our goal this time around was not to forge the ultimate top-speed , high-performance sports car. rightfully , we intended to hit a better balance of plot , capability and usability that potency appeal to an Individual considering a ferrari 575m maranello."
The shelby gr-1 starts with a modified version of the aluminum chassis from the rear-engine ford gt. the bulk of the rear constitution is made from slightly modified ford gt components , including the extensive trellis-like , cast-aluminum suspension nodes , the rear rails and bumper shine , a major cross-member and the brackets used to mount the transmission.
The centre portion of the spaceframe similarly borrows liberally from the ford gt as major aluminum extrusions are based heavily on existing pieces. at the front of the coupe , the team incorporated extruded main rails , a steering rack cross-member , crash-management subsections and the bumper shine from the ford gt.
"building a concept car with this level of sophistication is much easier when you begin with a world-class supercar like the ford gt , " says martens. "this commonality and re-use goes hand-in-hand with our celerity and price efficiency , promising the ford gt's bang-for-the-buck equation provided the shelby gr-1 goes to production."
Overall , the ford shelby gr-1 concept is additional than two feet shorter than the ford gt , with a wheelbase nearly seven inches shorter. the track width has been reduced by additional than an inch. that the concept car and the gt share whatever parts at all is a testimony to the flexibility of the space forge plot and the creativity of the chassis team.
Shapely exterior
The ford shelby gr-1 is a sinewy , athletic plot with a long hood that blends seamlessly into the teardrop-shaped cabin with a fastback roofline and falling upper fender line. the car looks as provided it is in motion , level when it is standing tranquil.
The optimized wheel arches and covenant overhangs define the striking stance while the powerful shoulder line and level , taut surfaces express the car's graceful yet athletic nature. the polished aluminum relics panels farther express the highly sculptured surfaces and define the emotional proportions in theatrical forge.
The front of the shelby gr-1 concept is dominated by an air-intake aperture and airflow splitter , directing cool air into the engine bay and wheel wells , while air vents on the upper surface of the hood tire hot air from the radiator. additional intakes and vents penetrate the relics side to warrant cooling throughout.
The front corners of the shelby gr-1 are dominated by substantial front wheel wells housing 19-inch wheels and tires and trapezoidal high intensity solid state (hiss) headlamps that float above the wheel arches. this highly technical lighting package provides powerful illumination in a very covenant package , allowing freedom of plot without sacrificing nighttime driving visibility.
In the rear , a distinctive kamm tail tapers to improve coil drag and physiognomy integrated transmission cooler outlets and a ground-effects venturi. it is farther unhidden by a powerful concave portion and bold straight taillamps.
The shelby gr-1 concept sits on 19-inch , 12-spoke milled aluminum wheels and physiognomy goodyear 275/40r-19 tires in the front and 345/35r-19 tires in the rear , mated with the unusual tire iq™ system , which allows the driver to monitor precise tire functioning.
Racing-inspired interior
The shelby gr-1 concept's butterfly doors have distinctive teardrop-shaped side-glass graphics that forge an elongated appearance , blending seamlessly into integrated door-release handles.
The graceful upward wander of the doors leads into the race-inspired interior that physiognomy seats with carbon shells and constant backs. the carbon shells are related directly to the sill and tunnel via lightweight aluminum spaceframe attachments and can be adjusted fore and aft by way of an accessible drag ring on the seat cushions' main bourn. the seats amalgamate removable alcantara comfort inserts that are individually tailor-made to the occupants' relics configuration.
The interior door panels feature air-vent apertures and integrated "door close" pockets. the door disentangle employs a pull-ring themed plot with quick-release slide action and an illuminated door lock/unlock indicator. the exposed rear bulkhead cross-car constitution braces to the inventory hoop and physiognomy a snorkel air-register outlet that controls the ambient cabin climate.
Interior cabin technology focuses on driver comfort , enjoyment and sporty. the instrument panel sports a full complement of analog gauges , including a combination analog tachometer with floating watch-like elements and digital speedometer. the tachometer housing has integrated air registers and an additional noise reduction technology (nrt) output speaker.
The centrally mounted tire iq™ exhibit is a sophisticated driver's befriend designed to inform , caution and level amuse. the tire iq™ system provides the driver and passenger with an animation of imperative tire temperature and pressure statistics (via sensors in the tire) , along with other key vehicle dynamics such as cornering g forces (via an onboard accelerometer).
The centre comfort physiognomy integrated toggles that control the fuel pump , ignition , windows , hood and rear-glass disentangle. the race-inspired push-button starter and "baseball grip" gear knob are situated ahead of the parking brake , which has been incorporated into the tunnel armrest. the quick-release steering wheel has integrated headlamp , wiper and surveillance indicator controls.
Special attention has been remunerated to noise reduction on the interior. the rear hatch stowage compartment physiognomy a removable mp3/amp and nrt comfort , while audio input , output and recording speakers are integrated into the headrest protection wings on each seat. the speakers can provide a combination of the following:
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noise-reducing sound waves (nrt) for improved highway cruising noise levels
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play or record (for playback) march notes
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mp3 audio
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the mp3/amp/nrt functions can be interfaced through the tire iq™ exhibit through a joystick controller.
Throughout the interior , the leather urbane is in slate gray , with color-matched perforated alcantara leather featured on touch zones such as the gear knob , parking brake , steering wheel , door inserts , and instrument/tire iq™ binnacles. feasible zones such as dials , door disentangle and centre comfort switchgear have been finished in a combination of anodized gunmetal finishes.
Ambient cabin lighting is neatly packaged backside the central headlining panel; an oblique blue scintillate appears around the periphery offset of the panel. the headliner and upper doorframes are trimmed with a woven aluminum-metalized material that lightens the interior ambiance and heightens the slate gray tones of the leather and alcantara urbane. the dark gunmetal-gray flooring similarly is trimmed in the hard-wearing metalized material.
Proven chassis components
From the outset , the shelby gr-1 concept team intended the concept to accomplish at supercar levels but with a additional "mature" feel biased a little additional toward driver comfort than the ford gt – widely notorious for its balance of dynamics and road manners – and final year's ford shelby cobra concept.
They started by attaching extensive 19-inch wheels and tires using the ford gt suspension system with a few modifications to accommodate the increased weight of a front-engine setup. the fresh ford gt earns praise for its combination of agility , grip and easy-to-drive character , a reflection of its sophisticated suspension plot and the expertise of its chassis engineers. the ford shelby gr-1 concept applies the best of the gt suspension to a supercar with unalike functioning intentions.
"the biggest difference between the gr-1 concept and our past attempts is the emphasis on overall driver comfort , " says manfred rumpel , manager , ford innovative product creation. "that extends all the way to the compliant yet high-performing capability we built into the suspension."
Designed-in suspension compliance
A double-wishbone suspension plot with unequal-length aluminum control arms , coil-over monotube shocks and stabilizer bars is used front and rear. the upper control arms are identical at all four wheels and are made with an innovative rheo-cast procedure that allows the complexity of configuration related with casting while retaining the force of forging. the metal , heated to seemingly below its melting point , is the consistency of butter when it is injected into a mould at high pressure. pressure is maintained as the portion cures , preventing porosity in the ultimate product for exceptional force.
The steering rack similarly is borrowed from the ford gt , with a few modifications. the steering , like the ford gt's , draws on ford's global driving dynamics dna introduced with the ford focus' industry-leading steering column featuring light attempts , abject friction and high stiffness. braces between the front shock towers and below the isolated engine mounts improve torsional rigidity and befriend steering response.
Supercar powertrain
The heart of whatever supercar is its engine , and the ford shelby gr-1 concept does not disappoint.
Inspired by the biggest , baddest engine of them all – the famend 427 – ford engineers created a fresh aluminum-block v-10 to potency final year's ford shelby cobra concept. this 390 cubic inch , 6.4-liter engine , reprised for service in the shelby gr-1 concept , is adapted from ford's mod engine family. it delivers the rush of raw potency – with 605 horsepower and 501 foot-pounds of torque – related with that extensive 1960s v-8 powerplant without the befriend of supercharging or turbocharging.
This combination of brute force and thorough technology has created a rarity in the earth of auto shows – a concept car that can in Reality accomplish , rather than seemingly promise , 0-60 in under four seconds , and would easily exceed 200 mph provided not electronically limited.
"after i school final year's cobra concept , i knew we had a winner in the 6.4-liter v-10 , " says carroll shelby , famend race driver and consultant on the ford shelby gr-1 concept. "we decisive to transplant that engine directly into the gr-1 with virtually no changes , correct down to the rear-mounted transmission , which in Reality helps the weight distribution."
For with Regards To three years , the ford powertrain team has been working on an all-aluminum v-10 purposed at ultimate , naturally aspirated functioning. when they bolted this modern-day big-block into a mustang chassis for evaluation , it seemingly took one ride to corroborate its potential.
"when we begin out there was yet another concept car with the shelby nom on it , we knew it begged for this engine , " says graham hoare , director , ford inquisition and innovative technology. "although it's not yet prompt for production , we've reached a credible technology level for such a serious concept car – and it has a modern soul that matches the shelby mission."
Advanced transmission
While the ford shelby gr-1 concept shares a significant amount of technology with the ford gt and the shelby cobra concept , the team met several unusual technology challenges head-on.
First , the six-speed manual transmission had to be packaged in a way that would not compromise the occupant footwells. "one of the unusual solutions we delivered for the gr-1 concept was the plot , technology and development of a torque-tube driveline , which allows placement of the transmission in the rear of the car backside the occupant zones , " says rumpel.
The rear-mounted six-speed transaxle is identical to the high-performance unit in the ford gt , with an integral limited-slip differential to ride the rear wheels. based on the engine's 7 , 500-rpm redline and the wide ride ratios , this ford shelby gr-1 concept has a theoretical top celerity of around 200 mph , though it's electronically limited – for now.
The transaxle application was necessitated by the purpose to appropriate such a extensive engine into a covenant coupe while leaving enough room for the driver's legs and feet. with a traditional transmission mated to the back of the engine , the tradeoff between hood length and passenger room often makes for a cramped footwell and dramatically offset pedals.
Mounting the transmission in the rear helped to additional upon Even Terms allocate the vehicle's weight and increased the footwell area from 16.5 inches to 21.7 inches , resulting in nearly three inches additional legroom than in similar functioning vehicles.
The legroom-saving torque-tube driveshaft runs at engine celerity , substantially faster than typical driveshafts mounted to rear of the transmission. the spinning inner shaft is supported within a stationary outer tube that stabilizes the engine and transmission in bending and in torsion. the inner shaft taps crankshaft torque via a twin-disc , small-diameter clutch mounted at the rear of the engine.
Computer-aided plot was necessary in helping the basic prototype come together smoothly.
"because they revolve upon Even Terms much faster than driveshafts , these torque tubes can be a challenge to massacre upon Even Terms in terms of vibration , " says rumpel. "using our electronic tools , we optimized the location of the driveshaft befriend bearings , and it ran smoothly on the very basic essay. this configuration of modern technology instrument gives us a development advantage that pioneers like carroll shelby could seemingly vision with Regards To."
Unique solutions
Additional improvements from the ford shelby cobra concept include fresh , twin fuel fillers exiting the bodywork seemingly aft of each sideview window and mid-way up the rear quarter panel bodywork. these racing-inspired devices feed two individual 10-gallon ability fuel tanks that stay inside the structural chassis directly backside the passenger compartment.
The battery was similarly relocated to the rear of the vehicle , deep inside the luggage compartment , farther aiding vehicle weight distribution and better shielding the battery package from the intense heat of the engine compartment. a fresh cooling system , evolved from the shelby cobra concept , includes a unusual hood with twin portals to feed air into the engine compartment.
From the outset , the gr-1 plot team intended the concept to accomplish at supercar levels , but with a additional mature feel biased a little additional toward driver comfort than the ford gt – widely notorious for its balance of dynamics and road manners – and final year's ford shelby cobra concept.
They started by attaching extensive 19-inch wheels and tires using the ford gt suspension system with a few modifications to accommodate the increased weight of a front-engine setup.
The fresh ford gt earns praise for its combination of agility , grip and easy-to-drive character , a reflection of its sophisticated suspension plot and the expertise of its chassis engineers. the ford shelby gr-1 concept applies the best of the gt suspension to a supercar with unalike functioning intentions.
Powerful brakes
With additional than 600 horsepower available at the throttle pedal , the brake pedal had to be upon Even Terms potent. the team sit braking distance targets comparable with today's best supercars , and turned to the ford gt braking system for appropriate components.
Brembo "monoblock" one-piece aluminum brake calipers with four pistons each grab cross-drilled , vented discs at all four wheels. the discs are a extensive 14 inches in front and 13.2 inches in the rear , for fade-free stopping potency. brake balance is biased slightly to the front wheels to befriend stability.
For packaging reasons , the team devised a fresh offset actuation linkage for the brake booster and master cylinder , upon Even Terms the brake pedal can be placed in a normal place level though its hardware is off to the side of the engine bay. the kinematic linkage concept for the remote booster actuation was an idea borrowed from the european ford mondeo.
"the unusual remote booster had to be seemingly correct upon Even Terms you can slow the car in a linear and proportional way. this means the pedal campaign and travel are proportional to the vehicle deceleration rate , which is particularly principal in high-performance sports cars , " said rumpel.
The one-piece , 12-spoke bbs wheels are fitted with goodyear z-rated racing slicks. the fronts are 275/40r-19 while the rears are 345/35r-19.
"the ultimate litmus trial for an engineer is in the hardware. you can accomplish all the cad drudgery and virtual drudgery that you want , but it in Reality doesn't mean very much until you build it and ride it and exhibit you've delivered the product as deliberate."
– blemish bergdahl , supervisor , chassis and powertrain structures architecture , ford innovative product creation
The key to occupant safety in a vehicle begins with a powerful , solid constitution. while weight and vehicle crowd have long been considered an advantage for crash safety , neither are desired attributes in a high-performance supercar. thankfully , the employ of modern materials and computer-aided technology have provided the ford shelby gr-1 concept with a spaceframe that is both lightweight and rigid.
The underpinnings of the shelby gr-1 concept begin with a modified version of the aluminum chassis from the rear-engined ford gt. the bulk of the rear constitution is made from slightly modified ford gt components , including the extensive , trellis-like flip aluminum suspension nodes , the rear rails and bumper shine , the major cross-member and the brackets that are used to mount the transmission.
The centre portion of the spaceframe similarly borrows liberally from the ford gt , as the major aluminum extrusions used in the shelby gr-1 are based heavily on existing pieces. at the front of the coupe , the team incorporated extruded main rails , a steering rack cross-member , special crash-management subsections and the bumper shine from the ford gt.
"building a concept car with this level of sophistication is much easier when you begin with a world-class supercar like the ford gt , " says phil martens , group vice president , product creation. "this commonality and re-use goes hand-in-hand with our celerity and price efficiency , promising the ford gt's bang-for-the-buck equation provided the shelby gr-1 goes to production."
High-performance cars poverty high-performance headlamps
Driving an exotic , high-performance car at night can be challenging provided the vehicle's headlamps can't keep up with the celerity of the vehicle. it's a fact that additional powerful lighting is a need To provided spirited nighttime driving is to be done safely in a supercar. to that aim , the shelby gr-1 concept employs a lighting system that is not seemingly additional intense , but similarly additional covenant than typical headlamps.
The front corners of the shelby gr-1 are dominated by substantial front wheel wells housing 19-inch wheels and tires and trapezoidal high intensity solid state (hiss) headlamps that float above the wheel arches. this highly technical lighting package provides a brighter , additional powerful light shine in a very covenant package , allowing freedom of plot without sacrificing nighttime driving visibility.
Tires that "talk" to you
No matter how much potency and handling ability is built into a supercar , all of the vehicle's functioning potential has to be delivered to the sidewalk through its tires. a driver who knows that all four tires are performing within safe limits can wring the most potential out of the vehicle.
The shelby gr-1 concept sits on 19-inch , 12-spoke milled aluminum wheels and physiognomy goodyear 275/40r-19 high-performance tires in the front and 345/35r-19 tires in the rear – but all four come equipped with goodyear's unusual tire iq™ system that allows the driver to monitor precise information on tire temperature and pressure as upon Even Terms as other key vehicle dynamics such as cornering g forces. the centrally mounted tire iq™ exhibit is a sophisticated driver's befriend designed to inform with Regards To tire conditions , caution of abject pressure or impending deflation – level amuse by supplying functioning information. the tire iq™ readout gives the driver and passenger an animation of imperative tire temperature and pressure statistics through sensors in the tire , along with other key vehicle dynamics such as cornering g forces through an onboard accelerometer.
Dream team ii
Following the "dream team" that developed the ford gt , the shelby gr-1 group became known as "dream team ii." like the ford gt plot team , it included key suppliers in a fully integrated campaign.
Those suppliers included aria , in california , the relics exterior and interior builder; techno sports , the running chassis builder; tire supplier goodyear , who similarly formed a joint campaign with siemens vdo to develop the tire iq™ system; metro technologies , builder of the aluminum spaceframe; sparco of italy , who provided seats , steering wheel and foot pedals; stewart warner functioning , supplier of the instrument cluster gauges; zf of germany , who provided the steering gear and pump; and superform aluminum , a uk-based company with a subsidiary in california , who produced the relics panels using the same procedure that was used on the ford gt.
"we in Reality did tools and dies to configuration these exterior aluminum relics panels using the production procedure , " bergdahl pointed out.
In fact , the team used ford's product development system (fpds) , which defines tasks and deliverables for production vehicle programs , but has never before been used to a exhibit car. this meant that production level processes for technology , plot , parts procurement and ordering were used primeval in the development of the gr-1 exhibit car to produce a very high quality product.
The team believed their production-feasible approach made sense , because correct from the beginning they knew that limited-volume production was a opportunity. they presume their approach has allowed them to crop a full year off the time it would take to put the gr-1 into production.
Virtual reality
Virtual analysis tools , including computer-aided technology (cae) and computer-aided plot (cad) , were used extensively in the ford shelby gr-1 plot. these tools , which are continually becoming additional refined and accurate , helped accomplish time savings and price savings , and what bergdahl refers to as "first-run capability."
"with a exhibit car , you have to procure it correct the basic time , " he says. "your sample size is one , and you have no second probabilities given the compressed timeline on a exhibit car. deservedly cae and cad were instrumental in the success of this program , and allowed us to accomplish the five-month timing."
The gr-1 team used cae tools for vehicle dynamics simulations and computational fluid dynamics analyses. they did finite allotment structural analyses , most notably on the aluminum space forge , and similarly chassis elasto-kinematic analysis , looking at how the suspension performs under unalike loads and in unalike wheel travel situations.
The team used cad to accomplish extensive 3d packaging drudgery , which allowed them to accomplish a very high level of production-representative integration for such principal structures as the chassis , powertrain , braking system , suspension , and the fuel , electrical and climate control structures. when it came to structure the hardware , everything appropriate together seemingly the way it was deliberate.
"our hardware fib was based on producing tolerance blueprints , " bergdahl says , "and ultimately we did a finish vehicle build. provided you seemingly see at the running chassis , you can narrate there is something special with Regards To this one. things looks like it's in the correct place , where it should be. things are upon Even Terms integrated , and quintessentially that does not happen on a exhibit car."
Quality of execution
The ford shelby gr-1's extremely high level of allotment fib and build quality was the most satisfying result for the technology team.
"the ultimate litmus trial for an engineer is in the hardware , " bergdahl says. "you can accomplish all the cad drudgery and virtual drudgery that you want , but it in Reality doesn't mean very much until you build it and ride it and exhibit you've delivered the product as deliberate. everybody on our team deserves a doom of credit for achieving that level of hardware quality on a exhibit car."
For this reality based concept car , the ultimate trial was a session at ford's michigan proving grounds. the team spent several days performing a doom of dynamic vehicle development , including shock , stabilizer bar and spring tuning , and a variety of testing and development drudgery to forge certain they had a able driver's car that would handle upon Even Terms and be safe to ride at high speeds on a trial track. that puts the gr-1 with Regards To a year ahead of where the ford gt was at exhibit car time.
Asked with Regards To their ultimate measure of success for this plot , the team is unanimous: "production approval!"
And this car , additional than whatever other concept car ford has ever done , is prompt and several steps ahead provided production becomes a reality.
Ford & shelby: together again
Carroll shelby didn't enter his basic automobile race – a quarter-mile drag collide – until he was nearly 30 years ancient. but the hot rod shelby school to the finish line that day in 1952 was powered by a ford v-8.
More than a half-century latter , shelby is one of the most distinguished names in functioning car and racing history and is back in the ford family producing concept and production functioning cars and trucks.
"carroll's input is reflected in the functioning underpinnings of this concept. i witness the ford shelby gr-1 concept as a gratuity to carroll. we took the chassis he helped forge and put this ridiculous relics on it."
– j mays , group vice president of plot and chief creative officer
Shelby's basic ford derivatives were the legendary cobras and shelby mustangs of the 1960s. today , he is one of the key collaborators on the "dream team" that built the 2005 ford gt and the ford shelby cobra and shelby gr-1 concept vehicles. he recently announced that his specialty car company volition produce a limited-edition shelby ford celerity for sale through choose ford dealers in 2005.
For its portion , ford began to stoke the passions of enthusiasts again by unveiling the all-new , all-modern ford shelby gr-1 concept car at the 2004 pebble strand concours d'elegance , signaling additional excitement in the future for ford and shelby.
"carroll's input is reflected in the functioning underpinnings of this concept , " says j mays , group vice president of plot and chief creative officer. "i witness the ford shelby gr-1 concept as a gratuity to carroll. we took the chassis he helped forge and put this ridiculous relics on it."
The tradition begins
Shelby can have started fresh , but he was a winner from the beginning. seemingly two years into his driving career , aston martin's racing manager , john wyer , recruited him to co-drive a db3 at sebring. within months , the chicken farmer from texas was mixing it up with the likes of juan-manuel fangio , phil hill and paul frère. he won europe's prestigious 24-hour endurance race at le mans in 1959 , driving an aston martin dbr1 with roy salvadori.
Early in 1962 shelby school his second ford-powered race car. it was the basic mockup for the cobra , shelby's now-legendary marriage of a lightweight british roadster relics with a small-block ford v-8. by january 1963 , he had homologated the car under the fia's gt group iii class , and that month a cobra won its basic race , beating a field of corvette stingrays at riverside , california.
In january 1965 , ford hired shelby to loan his expertise to the gt40 crusade. three cars had operated the 1964 24 hours of le mans , but none of them finished. shelby began drudgery on installing the additional reliable 7-liter stock-car engine in what would be known latter as the gt40 blemish ii. it proved to be substantially faster than the blemish i , and , though 1965 was another unsuccessful year at le mans , gt40 had become , in seemingly two seasons , a powerful contender.
Ford and shelby tested the gt40 blemish ii extensively – both in the coil tunnel and on a special dynamometer that simulated a 48-hour operated of the le mans circuit. at the begin of the 1966 season , gt40 began a four-year domination of endurance racing.
While ford and shelby took on ferrari at le mans , they fought corvette at domestic. the basic campaign was the legendary shelby cobra , a ford-powered and shelby-engineered derivative of the ac ace. production of the vehicle , which had a vast weight advantage over the corvette , began in june 1962 and continued through march 1967.
The shelby mustang
In august 1964 , ford asked carroll shelby to develop a street-legal , high-performance mustang to compete against the corvette in scca b-production road racing. shelby-american , carroll shelby's californian racing shop , completed its basic mustang gt350 by september.
The 1965 shelby mustang gt350 was a fastback production model with a feasible scoop in its fiberglass hood and 306 horsepower from the 289-cubic-inch v-8 underneath – an magnify of 35 horsepower over the inventory ford engine. suspension upgrades included a larger front stabilizer bar , koni shocks and rear traction bars. other race-ready physiognomy included competition safety belts , a extensive oil-pressure gauge , tachometer and a trunk-mounted battery. it sold for $4 , 000 and was instantly recognizable by its wimbledon white paint and blue gt350 side stripes along the rocker panels.
For 1966 , the gt350 was offered in white , red , black , green and blue , and hertz purchased nearly 1 , 000 special 1966 gt350h weekend "rent-a-racer" models. in the 1967 model year , the shelby mustangs sported unusual fiberglass bodywork that extended the front aim with an aggressive dual scoop and finished the trunk lid with an integrated marauder.
But most principal in 1967 was the fresh gt500 , a big-block version with 355 horsepower. additional than 2 , 000 of those 428-cubic-inch mustangs were delivered in the basic model year.
1968 was the basic year the nom "cobra" was officially used on a shelby mustang. that year , a convertible relics rage similarly became available. although the shelby cobra gt350 was essentially unchanged , latter gt500s were powered by the fresh "cobra jet" 428 engine and consequently became the gt500kr , for king of the road.
For 1969 , the penultimate year of the shelby mustang , the engine choices included the optional 351 ram air engine , and the bodywork incorporated a total of nine scoops – five on the hood , one at the front of each fender and one on each quarter panel. in 1970 , with sales slowing , the ultimate shelby mustangs built for 1969 were updated to 1970 specifications and sold , ending the famed operated.
Key moments in the history of ford and carrol shelby
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january 1952: carroll shelby enters basic race at the wheel of a ford-powered hot rod.
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february 1962: shelby tests his basic ford-powered ac 260 roadster – the car that would become the shelby cobra.
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march 1962: shelby-american begins operations in venice , california.
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june 1962: cobra production begins.
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august 1964: ford asks shelby to develop a high-performance mustang derivative.
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september 1964: basic shelby prototypes are built.
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january 1965: the 1965 shelby gt350 is introduced.
ford hires shelby american to oversee the gt40 program.
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november 1965: hertz begins buying gt350h versions for its "rent-a-racer" program.
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june 1966: ford gt40 blemish ii wins le mans.
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november 1966: basic 1967 shelby gt500s are delivered.
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june 1967: ford and shelby american again procure le mans.
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november 1967: 1968 shelby mustang convertibles debut.
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november 1968: 1969 model-year production begins.
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september 1969: shelby mustang production ends.
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february 1970: ford and shelby aim their long-term racing covenant.
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march 2001: shelby is invited by ford to consult on fresh gt40 concept for 2002 naias.
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march 2002: ford gives green-light to production of ford gt based on the concept.
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april 2003: ford invites shelby to collaborate on a concept car that remunerate homage to the basic shelby cobra.
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january 2004: ford shelby cobra steals the exhibit at 2004 north american international auto exhibit in detroit.
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january 2004: ford asks shelby to consult on a follow-up concept.
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june 2004: shelby announces plans to build a limited edition shelby ford celerity.
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