In the distance, a small-block sings its beautiful song through an open exhaust. As the sound gets nearer, we catch a glimpse of those familiar twin blue stripes climbing from the hood across the roof and down the trunk lid. The rev of a downshift announces its arrival in the turn, and in a blur, the classic pony car is gone. From a distance, it looked like another 1966 Shelby GT350 just raced by, but that’s not the full story.

The car has the power, speed, and sound you would expect, so it not only looks the part but also sounds and plays the part as well… — SLO SNK

This is a 1965 Mustang imbued with the spirit and performance of a wrecked 1966 Shelby GT350. It’s not one of Carroll’s direct progeny, but it is a legit performer infused with a generous dose of legit snake venom. Its owner prefers to keep a low profile and let his car, which goes by the name SLO SNK, do the talking.

No mere 1965 Mustang fastback, this car was remade with most of the parts that made a Hertz 1966 Shelby GT350 special. That Shelby was crashed and unsalvageable, but its spirit lives on in this Mustang. “I drive the car as much as possible, but in the future I might add aluminum heads with a period-correct supercharger, and eventually go from novice to advanced racing capability,” SLO SNK said.

“The car started as a 1965 2+2 C-code from Tasca Ford. It was Wimbledon White with a black interior, a four-speed manual transmission, all manual accessories, and a V8 from the factory,” SNK said. “ The car was infused with all the original Shelby parts in 1982 from a wrecked green-with-gold-stripes 1966 Hertz car (6S1053), which was considered not salvageable at the time.”

This transformation was a long time in the making. Growing up working on cars with his family and learning the virtues of the car culture at an early age, it was no surprise that he gravitated toward performance cars as a young man. However, his path to the Blue Oval began with a Brand X detour that left a lasting impression.

Don’t let the sticker on that air cleaner lid fool you. This is no 289 under the hood of the SLO SNK. Rather, this 1965 Mustang is powered by a 347 stroker based on a C5 block topped by World Products Windsor iron cylinder heads, an Edelbrock Victor Jr. intake manifold, and a 650-cfm Holley carburetor. A COMP cam controls the valve events, and an MSD ignition lights the fire. The engine is dressed with ’65 Shelby-style valve covers with spacers and Shelby T-style finned aluminum oil pan. A Fluidamper SFI crank damper keeps vibrations at bay, while a Be Cool large-tube aluminum radiator, equipped with a SPAL 16-inch electric fan, keeps engine temperatures under control.

Road To Redemption

“I was left on the side of the road by a Trans-Am at 19 years old. I bought a Mustang after walking across the feeder road to get help and was never let down again,” SLO SNK said. “I was drawn to this exact car due to my family history, as my uncle had a 1965 Shelby GT350 that I fondly remember from when I was a kid.”

While he didn’t score a “real” Shelby, he did acquire a Mustang that is as close as it gets. It already had a stout stroker small-block under the hood, and it checked all the right boxes for its incognito owner.

This ’65 Mustang benefited from a performance transfusion, courtesy of a fallen GT350, that includes the Shelby drop suspension augmented by Tokico shocks. Those parts set the stance of a set of American Racing Torq Thrust wheels with R-type stainless center caps. Behind those wheels are Stainless Steel Brakes Corporation front and rear discs with four-piston Shelby calipers.

“The car came to me as-is, and I prefer to keep it that way since it has all the power and reliability I require while looking the part under the hood,” SNK said.

The aforementioned 347 stroker is rounded out by a 650-cfm Holley carburetor bolted to an Edelbrock Victor Jr. intake that feeds those World Products Windsor iron cylinder heads with plenty of airflow that is controlled by the off-the-shelf, flat-tappet COMP camshaft. An MSD distributor and coil light the fire via Ford Performance blue wires modified to clear the heads and long-tube headers.

Transfer Of Power

“Every salvageable part from the car was used, including the tach, interior parts, quarter windows/interior panels, Shelby suspension parts, hood, gas cap, and the 3.89 9-inch locker rearend. The original Shelby engine/tranny was not available, so this original C-code engine was upgraded to its current 347 status over time and a five-speed was eventually swapped in for better drivability in today’s environment.”

That manual transmission is a TREMEC T-5 five-speed with conversion-style clutch that retains classic Z-bar actuation. When the needle nears the red, the driver changes gears with a Hurst shifter cloaked by an OEM Shelby shifter boot and floor trim. Banging through the gears in a car like this is a refreshing antidote to driving some of today’s soulless people movers.

“The car is very raw to drive, as expected from an all-manual car with no creature comforts outside of the original seats,” SNK said. “…The car has the power, speed, and sound you would expect, so it not only looks the part but also sounds and plays the part as well. It has a very distinct, racy sound with a full, but open exhaust, which gives you the complete experience as Shelby intended.”

“I plan to keep the car as close to the way it is now and drive it as often as possible while maintaining/improving anything as necessary to enjoy the car as it was meant to be driven/experienced,” he added.

Ready For Action

When the time comes to rein in this wild pony, the stoppers are manual too, but are upgraded with SSBC front and rear disc brakes with four-piston Shelby calipers doing most of the work up front.

“The car also has a slotted, three-spoke ’65  Moto-Lita steering wheel, as I prefer that one to the ’66 steering wheel,” SNK explained.

On SLO SNK’s flanks are Shelby Rotunda bullet-style mirrors on each side, as well as Shelby side scoops with brake cooling ducts. Around back, it wears the Shelby badge and gas cap. Under the hindquarters of the SLO SNK is a Shelby 9-inch rearend fitted with 3.89 gears and a locking rearend. (Photo Credit: SLO SNK)

That 15-inch wheel pivots the front wheels via the original manual steering with Shelby modifications, while Tokico shocks control the movement of the dropped Shelby suspension, which acquits itself well on the drag strip, road course, and street. It did all of those well during Mustang Week Texas presented by Ford and LMR.

“I live in Houston and had always wanted to go to Mustang Week in Myrtle Beach, so I was not going to miss it in my backyard,” SNK added.

Something Special

We spotted it right away at the first event, the Track Day, in the Lone Star State, and we weren’t alone in noticing there was something special about this ’Stang.

“The car was received with an overwhelming approval at Mustang Week and in general,” SNK said. “I made connections with new people in line, and at events over all four days. It even got an Outstanding Mustang Award from Mustang Week.”

It’s one thing to have a cool car, but it’s another to drive the wheels off of it. The SLO SNK stood out because it participated in multiple events throughout the week, from the Track Day presented by TREMEC and All-Ford Drag Day presented by HP Tuners to the Kickoff Party presented by Auto Addict and the Car Show presented by LMR.

Thanks to its unique combination of street and track cred, this special classic earned a spot in the Ford Muscle Texas 10, a single-eliminator contest voted for on the Ford Muscle Facebook and Instagram pages. So, keep an eye out for stories on the other Texas 10 contestants, and be sure to vote for your favorites.

The Mustang that emerges victorious will be crowned the Ford Muscle Texas 10 Champion and receive a custom piece of wall art featuring their winning ride — an epic badge of honor for any Mustang enthusiast.