The end of the line for the first Shelby Mustangs coincided with Carroll Shelby’s disinterest in the program when the original intent shifted from race-bred sports cars to gussied-up Mustangs with snake badges on the fenders. Still, the 428 ci Cobra Jet V8 engine powering the G.T. 500 coupe and convertible was the real deal, making a claimed 355 hp but more like 400 hp, with 440 lb-ft of torque. Even though the cars’ underpinnings were identical to the Mustang Mach I, what the GT500 did do was look cool, with different front and rear ends and a NACA-ducted hood. Only 1,537 coupes and 304 convertibles were made. All were originally built for the 1969 model year, and updated after the fact with VIN tags dated 1970.
From the article by Robert Ross, Bryan Hood, Erik Shilling
