Created to sanction Ford’s victorious Mustang for SCCA road racing, Carroll Shelby’s original GT350 epitomized the Total Performance initiative, bolstering the pony car’s allure. Clinching three consecutive SCCA B-Production National Championships from 1965 to 1967, the GT350 dominated tracks.
Shelby’s move to the former North American Aviation plant at LAX facilitated increased production capacity, prompting General Manager Peyton Cramer to target Hertz as a fleet buyer. Recognizing Hertz’s shift to Ford, Cramer proposed a black and gold GT350 akin to Hertz’s historical livery. The ensuing order of 1,000 units, 40% of 1966 GT350 production, sparked massive publicity and solidified the iconic status of Shelby “Rent-A-Racers.”
In a video from AutotopiaLA YouTube channel, we get the pleasure of seeing what it’s like to drive a ’66 Shelby GT350H equipped with the 289 CI V-8 engine that’s been modified to produce 400 to 500 horsepower.
