Track Attack: Ford, Shelby Team Up to Build 37 Shelby GT "R-Model" Race Cars

Posted January 29 2009 04:06 PM by Scott_Evans
Category: Motorsports, Ford, Ford Mustang, Coupes, Sports



Forty-four years ago, Ford got together with a guy named Carroll Shelby to build 37 track-only Mustang GT350Rs. In honor of that car and driver Jerry Titus, Ford and Shelby are again working together to build 37 550-hp track-only Shelby "R-Model" Jerry Titus Edition race cars available to the public for just $134,995.

"In 1965, my team built 37 small block 'R Model' race-only versions of the Shelby GT350 Mustang that kicked tails on circuits worldwide," said Carroll Shelby, founder of Shelby Automobiles. "Working with Ford Racing, we're going to build a new track day 'R Model' version of the Ford Shelby GT. It'll be lots of fun to drive and ready to rip up the pavement right out of the box."

In 1965, driver Jerry Titus drove one of the R-Models to an SCCA "B Production" class championship, the first national-level victory for a Shelby race car. He was also a key part of the car's development and helped introduce it to the world. To properly pay tribute to his work, Ford and Shelby needed an all-out track car, and what better place to start than the Ford Shelby Mustang GT?

Each Shelby "R-Model" Jerry Titus Edition track car will be built from a 2007-2008 model Shelby GT and feature a 550-hp 4.6L V-8 topped with a Ford Racing/Whipple Twin Screw supercharger. The monster motor will be backed up by a GT500-based T6060 six-speed manual transmission, short-throw shifter and a 3.73 rear-end. The drivetrain will be slipped into a race-prepped chassis with a specially tuned suspension, a Grand Am-spec full roll-cage, a performance side exhaust, an upgraded cooling system including transmission and differential coolers, Shelby 18-in. wheels and racing brakes with brake-cooling ducts. On the outside, the car will also get a carbon-fiber wing and front splitter, as well as a special grille, Shelby badging and racing mirrors. Each car will be painted white with silver stripes and receive an official Shelby "R-Model" dash plate signed by Carroll Shelby and documentation from the Shelby Registry.

"The Shelby name has stood for performance since Carroll began building cars for the track in 1962," said Brian Wolfe, director of Ford North America Motorsports. "Track Day enthusiasts have been asking for a contemporary Shelby and Ford Track Car for some time, so we at Ford Racing are pleased to team up with Shelby Automobiles to build a handful of very special cars. We look forward to watching them roar past Camaros and Challengers when they show up at the track."

The car is qualified to run in NASA's "American Iron Extreme" class and cannot be registered for street use. If you've been waiting for a factory Shelby race car, get your $135,000 together and get on the phone to Shelby quick before all 37 care gone. The car goes on sale today.

Source: Ford