Roadside Sighting – 1966 Shelby GT350-H – is it real?

I’m not big on breaking traffic law, but when this black and gold Mustang caught the corner of my eye, doing a U-turn across four lanes of traffic for a better look didn’t seem like a problem. At first glance, one could understand why any gear head or auto historian might get excited here — just look at that letter and number combo behind the front tires. G.T. 350H. The stuff of legend. Could this dusty, rusty, Mustang, that my fiancée says has been there for years, be the real deal? Could it be one of 1,000 1966 Shelby GT350

sent to Hertz as part of the rent-a-racer program?

Unfortunately, no, I don’t think it is my dream barn find, so to speak. There’s a few key indicators that say this is a replica, if you can even call it that. The most damning evidence is the fact this is a notch back coupe, and not a fastback, as all first gen Shelbys were. Digging in further, the hood is incorrect, the front spoiler is not right, the badges are wrong and the fact the FORD lettering still crosses the hood all point to a wannabe Hertz Shelby.

Hertz Shelby Replica

While I wasn’t able to take the time to scope out what could be under the hood, a quick glance inside did reveal a four on the floor. That said, this could still be one fun Ford. Despite it apparently sitting for a while, it’s got air in the tires and a pretty solid stance. I didn’t notice the wet spot under the engine bay until reviewing photos, so I can’t tell you if its related to the car or not. This pony car sits quietly outside a gas station and service shop. I went in to see if anyone knew who owned it, but the only worker there didn’t have a clue. It may be worth revisiting just to hear the story on this interesting Shelby replica. Does anybody have any info?