- First of the 428-cid Big-Block Power
- Getting as much power as possible
- Described as an "adult sports car"
All about performance
By the time 1967 had come, Carroll Shelby had been in the specialty car business for some five years, creating the original 1962 two-seater aluminum-bodied Cobras with 260 the 289-cid Ford V8engines, then on to the 1965 and 1966 Mustang GT 350 cars, fitted with high-performance 289-cid power, plus the move to 427-cid FE big block Cobras starting in 1966. The history and success of these cars are well documented, and the focus of this story is the introduction of the all-new "GT 500" Shelby Mustang that debuted for the 1967model year.
The production Mustang for 1967 was a new, slightly larger car that ran on the same 108-inch wheelbase but now two inches longer in overall length. An important change to the body structure was that it now was some 2.7-inches wider than the originals, and the reason for that revolved around the availability of an optional 390-cid big block engine. These were wider and heavier than the 289 small block that was the exclusive V8 in the past. The increase in body width provided for a much needed wider engine compartment, allowing room for the big block engine. With the upgraded engine came a weight penalty of about 130 pounds upfront, which did not help handling and as compared to the standard 289 small block cars. Spring rates on the front coils were uprated to handle the extra load.
Carroll Shelby was all about performance and early on when he learned the 390 was going to be factory offered in the the1967 Mustang line, he knew it would be a natural to build a 1967 Shelby Mustang with a big block as well, however, the 390 wasn't considered in the plans. It was all about getting as much power as possible, so the move to the 428-cid engine was made, and that caused no fitment problems as the 390 and 428 were both from the same engine family, it would bolt right up and the extra 38 cubic inches would be beneficial in getting as more power to the ground.
While the Shelby Mustangs were named "GT 350" this all-new big block car for 1967 was labeled "GT500" and it was an exciting way of adding a higher horsepower version to the Shelby line, which for '67 still included a 306-horsepower 289-cid in the GT350. The details of the 428-cid engine used in the GT 500 were that it was actually a "Police Interceptor" powerplant that had;
- 10.5:1compression ratio
- hydraulic lifters
- dual Holley 600-cfm four-barrel carburetors
- progressive throttle linkage
- Autolite dual-point distributor
- dual exhausts
- finned aluminum valve covers
Two transmissions were available, a Top Loader four-speed manual and the heavy-duty C6 Cruise-O-Matic three-speed automatic. 3.50:1 rear gears on manual cars, 3.25:1 on automatics. The limited-slip was optional.
A mandatory option on the GT 500 was power steering with 16:1 steering ratio, and power brakes. The spring rates for the front were 360 pounds and 135 for the rear, and the leaf springs are a four-leaf design. Adjustable Gabriel shock absorbers are used and stopping power came by the way of 11.3-inch front discs with 10 x 2.5-inch rear drums.6.5-inch wheels were used and wrapped with Goodyear "Speedway 350"E70-15 rubber.
The revised front-end treatment was somewhat of a "fish mouth" of sorts in the design, with new headlight caps, a new, longer hood, and a revised valance panel, all made from fiberglass. It added three inches to the length of the car. A standard Mustang front bumper was used, without the bumperettes. The side scoops were a direct take-off of the scoops used on the Ford GT MK II race cars.
Curb weight was 3286 pounds (non-A/C) and the front to rear weight bias was listed as being 56.4-percent front,43.6-percent rear. The Paint on this car is the Code 8 Brittany Blue hue.
A three-piece rear spoiler package was used, made from fiberglass, and the taillight assemblies on these cars were 1967 Mercury Cougar units non-sequential, without the chrome trim. All Shelby cars came with side rocker stripes, and optional were wide over-the-top stripes. All Shelby cars came with side rocker stripes, and optional were wide over-the-top stripes.
When Motor Trend tested a 1967 GT 500, they ran it down the quarter-mile drag strip in 14.52-seconds at 101.35 miles per hour, as equipped with 3.50:1 rear gears and manual transmission. They obtained a 0-60 mph time of 6.2 seconds. Sports Car Graphic magazine tested a GT 500 and they averaged 9.4 miles per gallon with it. Car & Driver's February 1967issue saw a test of the GT 500 and they described it as an "adult sportscar" and that it wasn't as loud as the previous GT 350 cars.
1967 Shelby Mustangs were assembled at Shelby American, Inc., in Los Angeles, CA. Records indicate that 2,048 GT 500s were built, and it is believed that at least one was fitted with a 427 competition engine and another was a 427 Shelby GT 500 tire test car for Goodyear. Carroll Shelby was also a Goodyear distributor.
From every angle the car has aggressive body enhancements, the upper scoops are interior air extractors with the lower scoops simulated rear brake cooling vents.
This GT 500 came from Texas, and because of the high heat that is part of the southern Texas climate, this car was fitted with a dealer-installed air conditioning system. The car rolled out of the Shelby assembly facility with an automatic transmission, power brakes, power steering, AM radio. The total cost as it arrived at the dealer was $4876.26
Just as Carroll Shelby was gearing up for the run of 1968 Shelby Mustangs, he lost his lease on the LA facility, and at the same time bigwigs at Ford realized that the modifications done to a production Mustang to convert to a Shelby could be done in Michigan, close to the Ford factory, and at a greatly reduced cost per car.
It was the end of an era when the last of the 1967 Shelby cars were sent off to dealers. The 1968 Shelby cars were no longer constructed by Carroll Shelby, but rather at the A.O. Smith Inland, Inc. facility located in Ionia, Michigan.
