1965 Shelby GT350 R (Competition Mustang)
- Engine
- 289 cu in (4.7L) V8, approximately 350 bhp
- Colour
- Wimbledon White
Shelby GT350 R competition Mustang, serial 5R213, built in 1965 and selected as the sole GT350 R participant in Shelby American's twelve-city Cobra Caravan promotional tour of 1965–66. Subsequently exported to Peru, where it competed in the inaugural Caminos del Inca rally in 1966, finishing sixth overall. After decades in Peruvian hands the car was repatriated to the United States in 1984, passing through several collections before undergoing an exhaustive concours-level restoration by specialist John Brown of Thoroughbred Restorations, earning the informal GT350 'Triple Crown' in 2017.
Ownership
- —Auction saleEstimate US$1,000,000 – US$1,200,000
- → 1966-06-28Factory deliveryShelby Americanfull documentation
Car was used as part of a promotional touring program visiting twelve cities before being exported.
- 1966-06-28 →Private saleJulio Martinettipartial documentation
Acquired through Peruvian importer Benito Lores as part of a five-car package; used for Alpine-style rally competition in Peru.
- → 1984Acquisition unknownBratzo Vicichpartial documentation
Lima-based Shelby Mustang racer and importer who also raced the car; possibly continued using it into the mid-1970s.
- 1984 →Private saleRichard Cohen and Gary Nuferpartial documentation
Arkansas-based collectors who purchased three of the five Peruvian GT350s; car arrived in substantially original condition though disassembled and requiring restoration.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownCorey Lawsonpartial documentation
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownLen and Linda Perhampartial documentation
Noted Shelby enthusiasts who held the car before it passed to the current owners.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownCurrent ownerspartial documentation
Commissioned a comprehensive restoration by specialist John Brown of Thoroughbred Restorations over roughly three years.
Competition
- 19661966 Caminos del Inca (Inca Rally)Driver: Julio Martinetti6th place, elapsed time 28 hours 5 minutes 22 seconds
Co-driven by Víctor 'Coco' Cárdenas over roughly 3,000 km of demanding South American terrain.
- 2017SAAC 42 Gold ConcoursGold Concours
Held in Indianapolis; first leg of what owners describe as the GT350 concours triple crown.
- 2017Mid-America Shelby Nationals Gold ConcoursGold Concours
Held in Tulsa; second event in the triple-crown sweep.
- 2017MCA Grand NationalsMCA Gold
Held in Kansas City; completing the triple crown of major GT350 concours recognition.
- —Cobra Caravan promotional tour
Car was one of six vehicles displayed across twelve U.S. cities in a Shelby-organized promotional tour running from mid-1965 into early 1966.
Maintenance & restoration
- 2017RestorationThoroughbred Restorations
Comprehensive multi-year concours restoration and refinement lasting approximately three years, prioritising authenticity throughout; brought the car to an immaculate standard across all systems and finishes.
Led by John Brown, a Pebble Beach Concours Best in Class-winning specialist; the result was validated by Triple Crown awards in 2017.
- —Restoration
A prior restoration of good overall quality was carried out at an undetermined point after the car's return to the United States; scope and workshop are unspecified in the documentation.
Described as sound but subsequently superseded by a more rigorous concours-standard restoration.
- —Engine rebuildValley Head Service
Cylinder heads completely rebuilt by Larry Ofria of Valley Head Service in Northridge, California — the same technician who originally prepared those heads for Carroll Shelby when the cars were new.
Carried out as part of the broader Thoroughbred Restorations refurbishment; precise date not stated but completed within the three-year project ending around 2017.
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