1965 Shelby GT350

Ownership

1. —Auction sale
   Sold US$412,500

   RM Sotheby's catalogue lot →

2. 1965-05-23 → 1966-12-09Factory delivery
   Shelby American (development/company car use)

   full documentation

   Received from Ford's San Jose plant and converted to GT350; retained as a development vehicle for the 1966 model year, then assigned as a company car to Ford designer Charles McHose during summer 1966. After a collision, stored at a nearby facility and later advertised for sale in December 1966.

3. 1966 → 1966Acquisition unknown
   Charles McHose

   full documentation

   Assigned the car by Shelby American as a personal company vehicle during his summer 1966 collaboration on the 1967 Shelby Mustang redesign. A period photo showing McHose with the car is included in the vehicle file, along with a letter authored by him.

4. 1967 →Private sale
   Larry Rodkey

   partial documentation

   San Luis Obispo, California resident who reportedly held the car for only a brief period before it changed hands again.

5. 1967-05-01 → 1967Private sale
   Shelby High-Performance Motors

   partial documentation

   El Segundo-based Shelby dealership that acquired the car from inventory and subsequently sold it to a private buyer.

6. 1979-08-01 → 1980-09-01Acquisition unknown
   Donald Valley

   partial documentation

   Also from San Luis Obispo; made several modifications including removing the side brake scoops and quarter windows, substituting 1965-style louvered rear quarter panels, replacing interior carpeting, and having the body repainted.

7. 1980-09-01 → 2010-08-01Private sale
   Jeff Childs

   partial documentation

   Costa Mesa, California resident who placed the car in long-term storage within his personal collection for roughly three decades. In spring 2010 he removed it from storage, had a period-correct engine sourced and some restoration work done to return it closer to prototype specification, then sold it in August 2010.

8. 2010-08-01 →Private sale
   Current consignor

   full documentation

   Described as a prominent collector of Shelby vehicles and related memorabilia; added the car to an existing Shelby Mustang and Cobra collection and undertook minor authenticity improvements including a detailed preparation.

Competition

No competition history extracted from the catalogue.

Maintenance & restoration

1. 1965Modification
   Shelby American

   Underwent standard Shelby American GT350 conversion at the Los Angeles airport factory; additionally equipped with prototype 1966-style features including a spoilered trunk lid, side scoops, and revised stripes.

   Assembly completed on 25 May 1965. The spoilered deck lid is believed to be an early Berry Plastiglass component.

2. 1966
   Modification

   Following collision damage, a four-speed gearbox was reinstalled in place of the automatic unit, and a 1967-style wood-rimmed steering wheel plus a 1966 AM radio with eight-track player and door speakers were fitted prior to sale.

   Car had been stored at Chaffee Motors in Hawthorne after being rear-ended; these changes preceded the December 1966 sale advertisement.

3. 1979
   Modification

   Side brake scoops and quarter windows were removed and replaced with 1965-style louvered rear quarter panels; interior carpeting was renewed and the entire body was repainted.

   Work carried out by or at the direction of owner Donald Valley shortly after his August 1979 acquisition.

4. 2010
   Mechanical

   A correct 289 cubic-inch engine with all-new cylinder heads, connecting rods, and crankshaft was sourced and installed; rear quarter panels and side scoops were returned to their original prototype appearance.

   Replacement engine obtained from Craig Conley of San Diego in preparation for the August 2010 sale by Jeff Childs.

5. 2010
   Service

   Thorough cosmetic detailing carried out to improve overall factory authenticity.

   Undertaken by or on behalf of the consignor following acquisition in August 2010.