Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang
Year:
1969
Manufacturer:
Ford Performance, Los Angeles, California, USA
Number Produced:
1,534
Specifications:
428 cu inch (7,000cc) V8 engine
C6 automatic transmission
0-160 kph - 14 seconds
Description:
The 1969 Shelby GT500 marked the final chapter of Carroll Shelby’s involvement in the Mustang program. For this year, the “Cobra” name was dropped, and the cars were marketed simply as the Shelby GT500. The redesign was bold and aggressive, with a lengthened fiberglass front end, functional hood scoops, and sequential rear lights borrowed from the Thunderbird, giving it a distinctive presence.
Under the hood, power came from a formidable 428 cubic inch (7.0L) Cobra Jet V8, paired in this example with a C6 automatic transmission, capable of launching the car from 0–160 km/h in just 14 seconds. By 1969, Ford had taken the lead in styling and production decisions, with Shelby’s input minimal. Carroll Shelby officially ended his partnership with Ford mid-year, making the ’69 GT500 one of the last Mustangs to bear his name during the original production era.
Although no 1970 models were actually built, unsold 1969 GT500s were later assigned 1970 VIN numbers under FBI supervision, adding a unique historical footnote to these already rare performance machines.
Kindly Donated by Peter Osborne, Nova Scotia, Canada
