| Shelby American,
Inc. 4320 190th St.Torrance, Calif. |
| Engine |
250 hp, 302
cu. in. V-8 |
| Transmission |
4-speed manual |
| Steering |
Power-assisted |
| Suspension |
Standard |
| Brakes |
Disc F, Drum R |
Check
list |
| Engine |
| Throttle Response |
Excellent |
| Noise Insulation |
Poor |
| Drive
train |
| Shift Linkage |
Excellent |
| Synchro Action |
Excellent |
| Steering |
| Effort |
Very
Good |
| Response |
Excellent |
| Handling |
| Predictability |
Excellent |
| Evasive Maneuverability |
Excellent |
| Brakes |
| Directional Stability |
Very
Good |
| Fade Resistance |
Very
Good |
| Interior |
| Ease of Entry/Exit |
Good |
| Driving Position |
Excellent |
| Front Seating Comfort |
Very
Good |
| Rear Seating Comfort |
Poor |
| General |
| Vision |
Very
Good |
| Heater/ Defroster |
Excellent |
| Weather Sealing |
Good |
| Trunk Space |
Fair |
|
The Shelby GT 350
is the Mustang that all Mustangs should be. When Carroll Shelby
created the GT 350 in 1965, it was too much sports car and not
enough Gran Turismo. It was a rough, tough, masculine brute,
and you had to teach it who was boss. As a conversion of a sporty
car, the GT 350 had more sheer guts than America's only genuine
GT car, the Corvette, but it played sweet music to a fairly
small audience of hard-core enthusiasts. All
that is changed now. The Shelby Mustangs aren't exactly emasculated,
but they're toned down to the point where any little lady
from Pasadena could drive one.
Most of the difference between
the stock Mustangs and the Shelby versions is in the styling.
The engines are a bit souped up, but they're perfectly tractable,
the handling is more sure-footed, and the brakes are improved,
but it's done largely with pieces that are optional on regular
Mustangs.
One part that isn't optional
on any other car in America is a roll-over bar, which ought
to be mandatory in all convertibles. Shelby also offers racing-type
inertia-reel shoulder harnesses.
Any Mustang driver who calls
himself an enthusiast owes it to himself to try the GT 350
(or its bigger-engined brother, the GT 500); the styling and
beneath-the-skin modifications are a real pay raise. |
