REAL GARAGE STORIES

This beautiful original ’67 Shelby GT350 – Production Number #1392

features an MDL 5-Speed Conversion Package
I wanted to maintain as much of the stock appearance throughout the car as possible while also enhancing the overall performance. It was very important that the car was modified with respect to the original and that EVERYTHING could be reversed back to stock configuration. As a result of this decision everything needed to bolt in.

 

 

 

 

  

Original Specs:
Exterior :	Lime Gold
Interior:	Black Deluxe
Engine:	289 Hipo- 306 HP
Trans:	4-speed top loader
Additional Equipment:	Front disc brakes Power steeringFunctional rear brake ductsInboard driving lights

 

 

 

Current Specs:
Exterior :	Red
Interior:	Black Deluxe
Engine:	427 Side Oiler stroked to 482ci – 700 HP – built by Survival Motorsports
Trans:	Tremec TKO600 5-speed – by Modern Driveline
Additional Equipment:	4 wheel 13” Wilwood disc brakes Rack and pinion steering Full coil over 3-link suspension by Street or Track Full floater Fab 9 rear-end

 

HORSEPOWER:

• 700hp

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SPECIAL FEATURES:

 

–          NOS Ford 427 Side Oiler block –          Dove aluminum tunnel wedge 2×4 intake –          Quick Fuel carburetors –          Blue Thunder competition valve covers –          Edelbrock aluminum heads –          Dove roller rockers with end stands –          Dove aluminum water pump –          Comp cams custom ground cam –          Forged and hardened 4.25 stroke crank –          Romac aluminum damper –          Venolia forged pistons –          Eagle H-beam connecting rods –          Robb MC billet fuel pump and pickup –          MSD billet distributor –          7 Quart aluminum “Cobra” T oil pan

–          Mark 7 anodized aluminum radiator –          Surge Friction aluminum driveshaft –          QuickTime bell housing –          Tremec TKO600 5-speed transmission –          FPA Headers –          Pypes Electric exhaust cutouts –          Magnaflow 3” Stainless exhaust –          TCP 1 1/8” front sway bar –          Street or Track front coil-over suspension –          Street or Track rear coil-over suspension –          Coys C-67 Aluminum 17” Wheels –          Python Restorations – seatbelt resto –          Flaming River steering –          Vacuum Orna-metal dash plating –          Lodestone billet fuel/brake line mounts

 

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CONCEPT

The car was purchased as a poorly modified 67 Shelby GT350 and included the original drivetrain. The original intention was to restore the car back to 100% stock configuration.
As you can see the project took a drastic turn when the idea was planted to build an over-the-top original Shelby.  The overall vision was to create a car that appeared to be stock at rest but is anything but underneath.
I wanted to maintain as much of the stock appearance throughout the car as possible while also enhancing the overall performance. It was very important that the car was modified with respect to the original and that EVERYTHING could be reversed back to stock configuration. As a result of this decision everything needed to bolt in. Every original piece removed from the car was retained and put into storage.
There would be no modifications that required cutting or welding of the original body or components to make them fit. The body and interior were to be restored to original specifications and retain an original appearance.
The drivetrain and suspension would be designed to provide far more power than the original 306 HP and much-improved handling, braking, and steering.
The result is what you see before you.

THE BUILD

 

The first thing we did was remove the original suspension and brakes and put them in storage for safekeeping with the original numbers matching the drivetrain.  The entire bottom side of the car was completely restored by Mustang Restorations to remove the last 47 years of sins and the engine compartment and floors were repainted to stock specs.

Then it was time for the motor. After extensive research, I acquired the various components to build a powerful pump gas motor that could be driven without worries.  The build was to be a 427 based 482 stroker with 650 HP. The motor was trusted to Barry Rabotnick at Survival Motorsports who built a perfect motor.  The build actually produced almost 700 HP with 608 pounds of torque, exceeding the goal and this was accomplished with only 10.9:1 compression on pump gas.  Even though the motor sounded fantastic and looked great, it still needed a little something more so I contacted Black Mountain Precision and we worked to produce a custom set of 2” billet cog belt blower-style pulleys which really set the motor apart.

Exhaust is vented thru a set of Ceramic coated FPA Headers and exits thru the Magnaflow 3” stainless exhaust which was extensively modified by Dominant Motorsports. To release the full potential of the motor a set of Pypes electric cutouts were added.

All of this is kept cool by the Mark 7 aluminum radiator designed to use factory mounts. To get it down the road I worked with Modern Driveline to put together a Tremec TKO600 with a hydraulic clutch residing behind a QuickTime bellhousing. 
The Tremec connects, via an aluminum driveshaft with 1350 ends, to a 3.89 ratio Nodular Detroit Locker center section.
The fully adjustable road course coil-over suspension, watts link, full floater 3-link rear end, and 13” disc brakes with parking brake were supplied by Shaun at Street or Track.
We worked to modify his existing well-performing suspension to be able to support 3” rear exit exhaust.  Steering is accomplished thru a Flaming River steering rack and stopping power is generated by 13” rotors with 4 piston Wilwood calipers at all 4 corners.  

The end result is a 67 Shelby GT350 that on the outside looks like an unassuming original ’67 Shelby but underneath lurks something far superior in handling with power and torque that no original Shelby ever had and just sounds like PURE EVIL

 

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Special Thanks to:

My understanding wife and  daughters:  Andrea, Shelby and Brooke

Matt O’Connell of A1 Precision Autowerks in Mokena – This project would not have been possible without his dedication and talent

Brian DeRoos , Chris Baltas, and Liam Foley for their late nights, creative thinking, and fire drills