1966 Mustang Fastback

Shelby R Model Replica Owned and restored by Robert A. Sobers of Indialantic, Florida.

This car is a replica of a 1965 Shelby R Model B production race car. It was a 6 year restoration process that included a Pro Bullet 306 DSS level 10 short block with GT40 ported heads, Comp Cam,1.6  Roller Rockers, with stud girdle. Forged Pistons. MSD distributor with a 6AL ignition control unit. AFCO aluminum racing radiatort, Edelbrock fuel and water pump. 7 Qt. Canton racing oil pan with windage tray Period correct Shelby R Model valve cover with vent stacks. 3/8 stainless fuel line, Spal electric fan, Total Control Products strut tower brace, monti-Carlo bar and sub-frame connectors. Headman Elite shortly headers with 2-1/2 Mac exhaust dumps. The transmission is a T5 5 speed with 2.95 first gears with a Hurst competition plus shifter. 8” Detroit Locker rear with 3.55 gears. The engine was balanced to racing tolerances. Rear mounted period correct Autolite Staful Battery with cut off switch, a 16 gallon Fuel Safe Fuel Cell.

The interior sports period correct options that included rear seat, radio and heater delete, 4 point roll bar with racing seat belt harness. Shelby gauge pod and R-Model Gauge panel. The exterior includes R-Model rear Plexiglas rear window, Plexiglas side pull up aluminum window frames, R-Model front air dam and deleted bumpers to save weight. The car weighs about 2135 lbs. The car was bracket raced for 3 years running consistently in the mid 12’s. The best time was 12.5 at 108 MPH. In 2007 the engine was totally rebuilt by Greg Coletti of Controlled Performances in Belvedere, NJ.

This vehicle will eventually be modified to compete in Exhibition SCCA vintage B-Production Road Racing. My original vision for the car was to restore it to be a close to an actual R-Model Shelby. I no way is this car ever passed off as an actual Shelby. My first car at the age of 16 was a new 1968 GT500KR Car # 3860, and I have too much respect for the real thing.

1965 Shelby GT350 R

Race cars have always been weapons for a battle, complex mechanisms that allowed talented humans to compete for pleasure and glory

"The competition model was the car the GT350 started out to be. Unlike any other production car, from which racing versions are made by modifying street versions, the street model GT350 was created by detuning the racing model."

There were only 36 R-models built, and they are the fire-breathing, Corvette-beating, heart and soul of the Shelby Mustang lineage. All were Wimbledon White with blue stripes and they all ran like Jack The Bear. They were immediately successful in achieving their intended purpose, dominating SCCA B/Production racing in their first season and nearly obliterating other marques and models from the annual SCCA runoffs, then known as the American Road Racing Championship, for the next three years.

The production cars and all the R-models were specially built in sequence at Ford's San Jose, California, factory in Wimbledon White with Black interiors and 271 hp K-code engines, aluminum-case Borg Warner T-l0M 4-speed transmissions, 9-inch rear axle with Fairlane station wagon drum brakes, "export" shock tower brace, and sintered metallic brake pads and linings. Left in San Jose were the hoods, rear seats, radios, and exhaust systems.

An additional 15 cars were even more special. These arrived at Shelby without side or rear windows, heaters, defrosters, upholstery, headliners, insulation, or sound deadening. They were the first R-models.

When complete, the Shelby Mustang GT350 R was a turn-key race car ready to go straight from the Ford dealer where it was bought to an SCCA race weekend and compete at the highest level. That's exactly what happened to S/N SFM5R102, the example offered here, Bob Johnson's 1965 SCCA B/Production Championship R-Model. One of the first group of 15 R-models built by Shelby, S/N 102 was completed in May 1965 and consigned, not sold, to Bob Johnson in Columbus, Ohio.

Johnson and his GT350 R finished the season, accumulating a total of 51 points in the division and being declared an SCCA B/Production National Champion. Even with the late start to their competition season, the record of both car and driver is only three points less than Jerry Titus accumulated in a full season racing the prototype, and is equivalent to Mark Donohue's Northeast Division total in Yale Kneeland's S/N SFM5R105. GT350 Rs swept the SCCA B/Production championships, taking five of the six divisions. Following the ARRC, Johnson returned SFM5R102 to Shelby American.