Lot 428: 1967 Ford Mustang 'Eleanor'

The original pony car, Ford's Mustang soon established itself as one of the cult cars of the Sixties following its introduction in 1964. Available with either 2.8 litre six cylinder, 4.2 litre or 4.7 litre V8 engines, it was also to prove one of Ford's greatest sellers. It was with the largest engine, however, that the Mustang got the kick it really deserved in the form of the Shelby developed 350GT; Ford was keen to take on the Corvettes of rival Chevrolet in SCCA events and Carroll Shelby was commissioned to adapt his experiences with the AC Cobra and Ford GT40 to the Mustang. The result was a car transformed: power for the 4,727cc Hi-Po V8 rose from 271bhp to 306bhp at 5,000rpm, via a four barrel Holley carburettor, Shelby camshaft and a competition exhaust system exiting just forward of the rear wheels, enabling the GT350 to top 125mph and reach 0-60mph in around 7.0 seconds; the coil spring independent front suspension was uprated and a stiff anti-roll bar added, along with a heavy duty Galaxie rear axle with anti-tramp bars and ventilated front disc brakes. The combination ensured success on both road and track, while Hertz even discovered, due to tell-tale number imprints, that customers were secretly racing its GT350H hire cars! Ford then introduced a 6.4 litre big-block option for the Mustang in 1967 and, of course, Shelby did not wait long before bettering its 6,381cc offering with the 7,011cc Cobra Jet V8, thus inventing the mighty GT500. One of the most famous of all Mustangs is that known as 'Eleanor', the Shelby GT500 that starred in the 1974 B-film Gone in Sixty Seconds, which was remade in 2000 with Nicholas Cage starring as the car-stealing central character. Indeed, such is the continuing level of interest in this type of car that production of a GT500E has resumed in America with Carroll Shelby's blessing, using recycled original Mustang bodyshells.Needless to say, the film created a new wave of interest in the Mustang, with a number of enthusiasts fitting the latest modifications and performance products into original Mustang fastback bodies. What we have here is no exception - an Eleanor GT500 replica with all the latest components, to create a unique fusion of old and new.The body is an original Ford USA-made 1967 Mustang, which has been rebuilt to a very high standard. Rather than simply having a stick-on body kit attached to transform it into an Eleanor, the body was sandblasted back to the bare metal, before being shaped and formed into the distinctve Eleanor design. So comprehensive was the reworking that the side scoops on the car are not just props,, but are fully functional air vents blowing cool air onto the rear brakes - exactly as Shelby designed them to do! Meanwhile, chassis stiffness is increaded by the addition of Total Control Products sub-frame connectors.The engine is a fully built Ford 427 V8 with a Scat 4340 Crankshaft with 4" stroke, 6.2" H beam rods, KB forged flat top pistons, aluminium flywheel, Clevite bearings, Crower performance cam, CNC machined aluminium heads, aluminium roller rockers, a 140 Amp alternator, MSD spark plug wires, MSD billet electronic distributor and Ford Racing aluminium tall valve covers. Transmission is provided by a fiully uprated 5 speed Tremec T5 with a new Z-rated 2.95:1 gearset, while the suspension has been converted with Vari-Shock fully adjustable dampers fitted to the front coil, plus the latest G-bar Independent Rear End. In addition, a brand new high-performance Zoom 10.5" clutch has been fitted and fully set up with cabnle conversion, and a full Baer brake kit has been fitted, including front and rear 13" drilled and slotted rotors. Steering has been uprsated by the additon of a Flaming River power rack-and-pinion package, complete with brushed aluminium fully adjustable tilt column, powering a new Moto-Lita steering wheel with Mustang emblem taking pride of place. A new set of white face instruments have also been fitted, contained within an aluminium engine turned fascia dashboard - signed by none other than Carrol Shelby himself!The fuel injection system on the car is particualy noteworthy, as it has been fitted with a state-of-the-art Redline Weber fuel injection kit with an IDA throttle body-based kit running an 882 ECU. The latest software is supplied, meaning that tuning can even be done from a laptop whilst the car is being driven!As well as this complete overhaul, the car has also been fitted with a side-mounted fuel filler cap, Griffin aluminium radiator, Old Air Products reverse-cycle air conditioning and heater unit, remote alarm, Pioneer CD/tuner system and speakers, sequential indicators and PDIA driving lights.An incredible and utterly unique vehicle, this Mustang defies the laws of time and combines the latest cutting-edge racing technology to deliver a vehicle which drives like a modern sportscar with the classic lines of an original '60s Mustang. Not to be missed by anyone who appreciates high-performance motoring or has ever wanted an Eleanor of their own!