1967 Ford Mustang Shelby Terlingua Tribute

Description

There's almost too much history behind the story of how this 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby Terlingua tribute came to be to cover here. Short and sweet, Carroll Shelby and some buddies bought a town called Terlingua down on the Texas-Mexico border, went there to party, and when Ford needed a race team name, Shelby and friends offered up the Terlingua Racing Team, complete with its own special crest logo from the Terlingua Ranch. The Terlingua logo rode on the fenders of the first GT350R to race, and on many successful Mustangs after that.

This particular 1967 Mustang coupe is a tribute to the Jerry Titus car used in the 1967 Trans-Am series, which won a title for Ford. They wanted a color that would stand out on the grid, so they chose something that automotive artist Bill Neale called "Gawd-awful Yellow." So here it is, rendered in modern urethanes, a great example of the past come back to life. Workmanship is far better than any race car of the 1960s and Shelby himself would probably think it's just too pretty, but if you are building something special like this, why not make it look like art? All the correct graphics were reproduced, from the satin black hood and nose to the racing stripe that runs through the whole car, even down the chin, and, of course, all the proper racing graphics; that's the Terlingua Ranch logo there just ahead of the doors, in bright yellow and black. And the big number 17 gumball on the doors clearly identifies this as Jerry Titus's car. You could race it, sure, but you'd risk scratching up one heck of a nice Mustang, and that just wouldn't do.

The interior is clearly oriented towards the street, so there's no cage, no racing seats, just comfortable buckets, a wood-rimmed wheel that's just gorgeous, and a more comfortable environment than you'd get on the track. Factory gauges are nicely restored and fully operational and there are carpets, full door panels, and a padded dash to add to the comfort level. On the other hand, there's no radio and no console, although there is an aftermarket armrest with built-in cup holders, about which Shelby himself would probably have a few choice words. The shifter is linked to a 5-speed manual gearbox, a nice upgrade, and the SCCA Terlingua racing seat belts look right. There's a fully finished trunk with a correct mat, but obviously no spare.

The engine is a 351 cubic inch V8, perfect for performance and handling together. It's built for power, but not over-done, so it starts easily an idles well, and you sure won't mind driving it on the street. Ford Blue paint, an aluminum intake with a Holley 4-barrel carb, chrome dress-up, and even Terlingua Ranch emblems on the valve covers make it look quite right. They did go the extra mile and used FoMoCo reproduction hoses although the radiator is aluminum. The 5-speed is freshly rebuilt with carbon fiber blocking rings, so shifts are smooth and positive, and it has a GT-spec suspension with Koni shocks that really tighten up the Mustang's handling. The undercarriage is detailed for show, with red oxide primer on the floors, a correctly painted 9-inch rear with 3.70 gears inside, and even front suspension control arms that have been partially dipped in black paint. Front disc brakes give it plenty of bite and 5-leaf rear springs keep the tires planted. Cool 16-inch Torque Thrust wheels look period-correct and carry 225/50/16 performance rubber.

A cool tribute to a well-known piece of Ford/Shelby history. It's also a pretty cool car in its own right and it's simply a blast to drive. Call today!