1970 Shelby GT350 SportsRoof
Ford’s corporate strategy to deal with unsold 1969 inventory produced an unusual chapter in Shelby history.
After Carroll Shelby ended his contract with Ford in the summer of 1969, several hundred unsold 1969 Shelby Mustangs (including GT350s) were sent to Kar Kraft in Dearborn, Michigan, for updates.
Workers added a chin spoiler borrowed from the Boss Mustang line and revised hood striping, then re-serialized the cars as 1970 models under federal oversight to comply with new 1970 model year regulations, including the mandated locking steering column.
The 1969 redesign had already moved these cars far from the original GT350 formula. The body was nearly four inches longer, featured a new grille and hood design, and included prominent side scoops that were largely non-functional and primarily cosmetic.
Ford handled most of the styling and engineering with minimal input from Shelby American, marking a clear shift from the earlier, more competition-focused cars.
Power came from a 351 cubic inch Windsor V-8 rated at 290 horsepower, fed by an Autolite four-barrel carburetor. Most examples were equipped with a four-speed manual transmission, though a three-speed automatic was optional.
The 1970 models represent the final GT350s to carry the Shelby name during the original production run.
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