The Flying Mustang
Recognised as the ‘Flying Mustang’, the first Shelby GT350 ‘R-Model’ ranks not only as the most historically important Shelby Mustang in the world, but it is also arguably the most important Mustang in the history of the marque.
This was Shelby’s answer to Ford’s desire to create a high-performance image for the Mustang, and it would transform the public’s perception of the Mustang. In typical Shelby fashion, the creator of the all-conquering Cobra produced a machine designed not only to qualify for SCCA Production Sports Car competition, but also to thoroughly dominate it. In doing so, Shelby and his crew created a blueprint for Mustang performance, which is followed to this day by Mustang enthusiasts around the world.
The first competition Shelby Mustang to be raced and the first to win, 5R002, this very car, simultaneously served as Shelby American’s factory engineering mule, a rolling test bed for ideas and components, including those that would constitute both the second team car and all 34 customer R-models. It was presented to the FIA for homologation for SCCA B Production class racing in 1965 and was illustrated in the official homologation papers. Ken Miles, Bob Bondurant, Chuck Cantwell, Peter Brock, Jerry Titus and several other world-class drivers drove it extensively in testing and development. Simultaneously, it also served as a demonstrator, being used to convince prospective R-Model buyers of the car’s tremendous potential. Physically, it’s completely unique; the only car built to its specific configuration, it features numerous parts and design attributes not found on any of the R-models that followed it.
It made its racing debut in February 1965 at Green Valley Raceway in Texas, where it made history as America’s first Mustang in space.
The image leapt from the pages of practically every enthusiast magazine across the States and spread through the motoring world like a stampede: a Wimbledon White Ford Mustang fastback, soaring over a rise at full song and clearing the ground by a foot, a grinning Ken Miles at the reins. Frozen in mid-flight, the first competition GT350 was on its way to sweeping the B Production races that day, proving to one and all the Mustang’s transformation.
The marketing campaign that followed built on the media sensation created by the so-called ‘Flying Mustang’ photo, which branded the GT350 as an exciting winner right out of the gate. It was the first win by a GT350, on its first outing, and the first of three straight class wins that day for Miles in his new Mustang racer. A post-race Shelby press release touted the GT350 as “a true dual purpose sports car that is a top performer on and off the track.” Images of the Flying Mustang soon appeared in Shelby marketing materials with the claim, “See, our Mustangs really fly!”
Mecum Auctions will be offering this very special 1965 Shelby GT350R Prototype at their upcoming Indy Auction held between on the 12-17th May. For more information on this and other vehicles at the sale, click on the link below.
Photos © Courtesy of Mecum.