1969 Ford Shelby Mustang G.T.500 - Stairway To Heaven

Even More Fun to Drive Than Look At

In 1969, checking the "Shelby G.T. 500" block on your Ford dealer's order form got you a 428-powered missile that differed from a stock Mustang more than any other variation on the Ford pony car theme before or since. The car's unique fiberglass front end was actually the prototype created for a new Mustang that wouldn't even be introduced for two more years. A total of five NACA air ducts adorned the '69's composite hood, making the car look as outrageous as its designers envisioned. Granted, this particular model year had deeper roots to Ford than to Carroll Shelby, but 40 years after it was produced, its place in muscle car history is still firmly entrenched.

This particular snake was originally sold through Bill Watkins Ford/Shelby in Phoenix to a gentleman named David Radius Hudson. His dad was a successful rancher in the area with lots of land, so he knew plenty about horses and snakes. That might explain, at least in part, why he bought both of his sons new Shelby Mustangs. The other son got a convertible.

2/6 Here’s the view many people saw of Shelby Mustangs in general. But it looked particularly good in 1969. In fact, most street and track competitors probably enjoyed getting trumped by these cars so they’d have something attractive to look at while they tried to sooth their egos.

This gorgeous fastback is the 873rd 1969 Ford Shelby Mustang G.T. 500 of 1,534 and was built on February 10, 1969. Number-one son had the dealer install a Detroit Locker and rear window slats. The Shelby cost his dad $5,700. The young Mr. Hudson kept this machine for many years with the intent of giving it to his son when he turned 16. How lucky can a kid get? But to the relief of Shelby lovers everywhere, Junior told Pop he wanted a brand-new Mustang instead. Good thing too, because he promptly wrecked the newer 'Stang.

About that time, a neighbor friend offered to buy the Shelby since he had been lusting after the 500 for years anyway. He paid $13,500 for it with 61,000 miles showing on the odometer. This new owner had the car repainted Candy apple Red over the original hue of Royal Maroon, then kept the Shelby for 10 years before deciding to increase Canada's property value by selling it to a guy who lived in Ontario. Eventually it was sold to its fourth owner, who lived in Naples, Florida, because that buyer just had to have it—until he found a '68 Shelby he had to have even more. That's when Rob Briggs of Atlanta stepped into the picture. By that time Rob had to have this Shelby, and he still does.
Rob has been a muscle car and sports car enthusiast all his life. He lived in London as a teen and became obsessed with the image and lifestyle that radiated from a neighbor's Aston Martin DB6. When he moved back to the states as a 15-year-old in 1968, he was punched squarely in the psyche by the American muscle car phenomenon. Naturally, he's been hooked ever since. As a high school senior he drove a '68 Camaro convertible. On his way to college at the University of Texas he orchestrated possession of a new twin-cam Lotus Europa. To this day Rob still has an affinity for English cars and drives a supercharged Jag XKR when not putting the whip to his Shelby Mustang.

His is a matching-numbers car, but since Rob loves to drive his Shelby even more than he loves to look at it parked in his garage, he contracted noted Ford racing specialist Gary Grimes to build a fresh 428 engine using a modern block, pistons, crank, and cam. The original heads were transplanted to the new engine along with the peripheral gear, while the original block slumbers peacefully waiting to be called back to active duty.

3/6 With 428 cubes, 335 hp, and Ram Air induction, the ’69 Shelby G.T. 500 generated sufficient forward motion to grab the attention of those already transfixed on the car’s exterior. Yes, the A/C still works just fine.

Everything works on this Shelby including the A/C, clock, and original eight-track tape player. OK, there is one fly in the ointment. It seems the Led Zeppelin IV tape is effectively stuck on "Stairway to Heaven." But how bad could that be?

Rob's Shelby was shown a number of times by previous owners and always placed well, including a Silver in SAAC's Division 2 Concours class. But showing and looking are not Rob's idea of fun. Driving is. Muscle car aficionados in Atlanta see this striking red machine cruising the streets often. To date, snake No. 873 has elegantly slithered a total of 79,000 miles.
This was essentially the last Shelby G.T. 500 of the "classic" era. It rounded out an ultra-high-performance Mustang product line for the '69 model year that will probably never be matched for sheer brute force. Consider the stablemates of the year: the G.T. 500 of course, the 428 Cobra Jet, and the highly touted and craved Boss 429.
Despite all the great Mustang variations over the years, the Shelby was a constant delight to their owners and a source of pride for the marketing folks at Ford. By 1969, we were so spoiled by Shelby Mustangs, with their thirst for speed and inherent agility, that many of us didn't appreciate them like we probably should have. Some enthusiasts actually considered the '69-'70 cars too big and plush for an honest Shelby. But four decades later we are beginning to realize these iterations were still very slick and impressive packages for such big, nasty engines. If you need a fresh reminder and happen to be showing off on the streets of Atlanta, you just might get one. MCR

At a Glance
1969 Shelby G.T. 500
Owned by: Rob Briggs, Atlanta, GA
Engine: 428ci/335hp Cobra Jet V-8
Transmission: C6 automatic
Rearend: Ford 9-inch with 3.50 gears and Detroit Locker
Interior: White vinyl bucket seat
Wheels: Original 15x7 Shelby five-spoke
Tires: P255/60R15 Goodyear Eagle GT