Legacy Metrics

1965 Shelby GT350 R

SFM 5R096racingUnited States
Colour
White with green stripes (Comstock team livery)

Chassis 5R096 is a 1965 Shelby GT350 R completed in April of that year and originally supplied to Canada's Comstock Racing team via Ford Motor Company of Canada. Notable for winning the 500-mile race at Mosport outright in August 1965 — reportedly finishing the final two hours without brakes — the car subsequently passed through several American owners before undergoing a full restoration to Comstock specification, completed in 1996. It later participated in European classic rallies and historic circuit events, and has been Switzerland-based since 2003.

Ownership

  1. Auction sale
  2. 1965 → 1966Acquisition unknown
    Comstock Racing Team
    partial documentation

    Toronto-based race team that campaigned the car in Canadian competition; car was fitted with Weber carburetors permitted under local regulations.

  3. 1965-04-20 → 1965Factory delivery
    Ford Motor Company of Canada
    partial documentation

    Car was ordered by the Canadian Ford subsidiary specifically for use by the Comstock Racing team in Toronto; repainted in team colors upon arrival.

  4. 1966 →Private sale
    Stan Ward
    partial documentation

    Kept the car in Canada and raced it at multiple Eastern Canadian circuits; the engine suffered a failure at Harewood, damaging the aluminum sump. Car was repainted blue during his ownership.

  5. → 1982Private sale
    Texas-based owner
    none documentation

    Acquired the car mid-restoration; subsequently sold it back to Leuchner by 1982.

  6. 1982 → 1995Private sale
    Richard Leuchner
    partial documentation

    Re-acquired the car and held it until selling to Dave Mathews; restoration was completed after his second ownership ended.

  7. 1995 → 1996Private sale
    Dave Mathews
    partial documentation

    Based in Guilford; completed the restoration in 1996 and returned the car to its original Comstock team appearance.

  8. 1996 → 2003Private sale
    Prominent American collector
    partial documentation

    Well-known collector of high-caliber sports and competition cars who had the car converted for vintage racing and used it primarily on European long-distance rallies.

  9. 2003 →Private sale
    Current Swiss owner
    partial documentation

    Imported the car to Switzerland and continued vintage racing activity; had the engine returned to original specification in 2015 in preparation for further historic competition.

  10. Date unknownPrivate sale
    Brian Burgess
    partial documentation

    Toronto-based owner who subsequently moved the car across the border to the United States.

  11. Date unknownAcquisition unknown
    Mike Gaffney
    partial documentation

    Based in Bloomington, Illinois; car passed through his hands before being traded onward.

  12. Date unknownPrivate sale
    Richard Leuchner
    partial documentation

    Based in Noank, Connecticut; initiated a restoration that was sold partway through, but later reacquired the car in 1982 and retained it until 1995.

Competition

  1. 1965
    Mosport race
    Driver: Eppie Wietzes

    First competitive outing for the car; driven by Wietzes, exact result not stated.

  2. 1965-08-23
    Mosport 500-Mile Race
    Driver: Eppie Wietzes1st overall

    Co-driven by Craig Fisher; car completed the final two hours with no functioning brakes and still took the overall win.

  3. 1996-07-01
    SAAC-21

    Car was exhibited at this SAAC gathering held at Lime Rock Park prior to its sale to a prominent American collector.

  4. 1999
    Rallye du Maroc Classic

    One of several overseas long-distance rallies entered by the American collector owner.

  5. 2000
    Tour Auto
    18th overall, 2nd in class

    Competed under the American collector owner; strong class result in a highly competitive field.

  6. 2001
    Tour Auto
    2nd in class

    Second consecutive class runner-up finish at the same event.

  7. 2016
    Jarama Classic

    Competed under Swiss ownership following the 2015 engine rebuild.

  8. 2016
    Dix Mille Tours
  9. 2017
    Jarama Classic
  10. 2017
    Spa Classic
  11. 2017
    Hungaroring Classic
  12. Harewood Acres race
    Driver: Stan WardDNF — engine failure

    Engine failure during the race caused damage to the aluminum oil pan.

  13. Argentia race
    Driver: Stan Ward

    Event held at Argentia, St. Johns, Newfoundland, during Ward's ownership period.

  14. St. Jovite race
    Driver: Stan Ward

    Competed at the circuit later renamed Mont-Tremblant in Quebec.

Maintenance & restoration

  1. 1965
    Modification

    Car was repainted from original Wimbledon White into Comstock team livery of white with green stripes upon arrival in Canada; Weber carburettors were also fitted to comply with Canadian racing regulations.

  2. 1996
    Restoration

    Restoration brought to full completion under Dave Mathews, with the car returned to its original Comstock racing specification and period livery.

  3. 2015
    Engine rebuild

    Engine rebuilt and returned to its original factory specification in preparation for continued historic racing activity.

    Carried out under the current Swiss owner's tenure.

  4. Repair

    Engine failure during racing at Harewood Acres caused destruction of the aluminium oil pan; extent of subsequent repair work is not specified in the source.

    Occurred during Stan Ward's ownership.

  5. Restoration

    Restoration commenced by Richard Leuchner but was left incomplete when the car was sold; work was continued after the car's return to Leuchner in 1982.

    The restoration passed through at least two phases and was interrupted by a change of ownership.

  6. Modification

    Car was converted for vintage racing following its acquisition by the American collector after SAAC-21.

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Each chassis record is compiled from public auction archives and links to its source material. Ownership, competition and maintenance entries are extracted from those catalogue listings by an LLM, which can make mistakes — please contact us with any corrections. The summary is Legacy Metrics’ own writing; we do not reproduce catalogue text.

“Full” and “partial” documentation labels indicate how well each entry is corroborated in the underlying sources, not an audit of the car’s physical paperwork. Names of recent or living owners are withheld for privacy.