Power Profile: Brian Glover’s Shelby Dream Came True With This GT350

Power Profile: Brian Glover’s Shelby Dream Came True With This GT350

Brian Glover spent a lifetime bringing smiles to others as a dentist in his Chapel Hill, North Carolina, hometown. Born and raised in Long Island, New York, he was like many young adults. His dreams were a bit larger than his wallet at the time, Brian accepted that his wish would have to wait as bit longer. Some things are worth waiting for.

These cars were meant to be driven, and if you are patient, you just might get a glimpse of this rare example… — Brian Glover, owner

“After one too many years in college, followed by dental school, a hospital-based residency, and then a decade in private practice, I realized that it was time to bring a long awaited smile to myself in the form of a classic muscle car,” he said. “I had always been drawn to cars of the Blue Oval persuasion, having owned five different first-generation Mustangs during my late teens and early 20s.”

After years of successful practice, Dr. Glover decided the time was right to jump back in with both feet and purchase something fun. “I thought how cool it might be to own a car from the same year that I was born, 1967,” he said.“It was a banner year for domestic muscle cars, and the car would be as old as I am, but what to get?” For him, the decision came quickly.

Originally a display car at JD Ball Ford in Miami, Florida, car number 26 now calls the Tar Heel state home. (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Brian Glover)

“I remembered the first time I saw a 1967 Shelby Mustang. It was parked in front of a local repair garage in the town I grew up in. I honestly didn’t know what it was when I first saw it,” Brian said. “The upper scoops and extra set of headlights in the front grill, followed by a set of taillights that resembled nothing I had ever seen before.”

He was dreaming bigger, however. “I thought, ‘How cool would it be to not only have a car from the year I was born, but also, find one that shares my exact birthday, April 6, 1967?’” This was his Shelby dream.

There aren’t many automobile marques that retain such accurate documentation that you could even attempt such a search. Shelby automobiles may be an exception. The Shelby American Automobile Club formed as the keeper of the knowledge relating to all things produced by Shelby American from 1962-1970. This information covers all factory records pertaining to the cars, including when they were produced, and who currently owns the vehicles. As it turned out, there were 35 cars produced on Brian’s birthday — 18 GT500s and 17 GT350s.

Armed with a list of the Shelby numbers of each of the cars on his list, Brian started searching every online automobile and classic car venue looking for 1967 Shelbys currently for sale. He also joined SAAC as a member and began participating in the online forum. After searching for many months and meeting many really interesting folks, an early 1967 Shelby GT350 popped up on his radar screen.

Sporting the outlawed red marker lights, roll bar, and fiberglass hood, this ’67 Shelby is a rare sight.

“It wasn’t one of my ‘Birthday Cars,’ but there was something about it that really intrigued me,” Brian explained. “It was a double-digit car — number 83 in fact. This car began my fascination with the so called ‘Red Light’ cars of 1967. Eight three was a nice, solid Nightmist Blue,  four-speed GT350. It was a solid driver that had a history, including being the showroom car for Republic Ford in Houston, Texas.”

These first 100 cars are truly unique vehicles with noticeable differences that are immediately obvious to most. For starters, they all have upper red scoop lights that are activated by the car’s brakes and turn signals. All 1967 Shelby were supposed to receive them, but the state of California made such a big fuss about them and other features of the car that they threatened to deem all ’67 Shelbys illegal to operate in the state.

After about 180 cars were fitted with these ‘red lights,’ the executive order to discontinue their production was given, and the rest is history. Other unique early features that these cars have include are one-piece, slanted front grilles; a flat-emblemed gas caps; ducted rear brakes;  six-point roll bars, metal-backed trunk lids, and smooth seats.

Currently sporting a hot 302, Brian’s original small-block, transmission and internals will once again find their home between the shock towers after a thorough rebuild this winter.

Following two years of owning number 83, Brian sold the car and began an honest search for another car, but this time he knew that he desired a ‘Red Light’ car from the outset.

“It was then that I was approached by my good friend JD Kaltenbach,” he said.“After almost 25 years of owning car number 26, another double-digit 1967 GT350, JD was ready for something new.”

“Number 26 is a very well-known car in the Shelby community,” Brian explained. “It is Dark Moss Green and a sister car to number 001.  It was the original display show car at JD Ball in Miami, Florida, on the 1967 Shelby release date. JD was the seventh owner and he managed to document and interview every previous owner of the car including the original owner, Tom Towle.”

Wife Angela, son Dean and the Glover’s four-legged family members remind Brian daily to appreciate the little things life offers, as well as their ’67 Shelby.

“I purchased her in 2017 and have been slowly trying to return her to her factory configuration. Although JD had performed a full rotisserie restoration some 10 years previous, there were and are a few details that still need to be addressed,” Brian said. “First and foremost was the fact that the car had a history of being in a minor front end collision back in 1969. Rather than repair the early metal backed hood fiberglass hood that all cars came with back then, the service technicians at JD Ball opted to change it to a service replacement full fiberglass louvered hood.”

Brian says this hood stayed with the car until just a few months ago when he  located and installed what he calls “a unicorn in my mind in terms of scarcity.”

“They don’t reproduce the early-style fiberglass/metal backed hood configuration currently, so you either need to fabricated one from scratch or you need to find one from a wrecked 1967 Shelby,” he said. “The supply of these hoods sure seems to have dried up over the past few years, but I was able to source one from my friend, Hunter Willaird, one of the best Ford/Shelby restorers around.”

Built to be driven, Brian Glover’s GT350 stretches its legs on a regular basis.

Currently car number 26 runs a warmed-up 302 block with AFR aluminum heads and long-tube headers. “It has an aggressive cam which provides more than enough power to get you in trouble, but the plan is to restore its original engine block, heads, and four-speed transmission, and get them installed during this winter’s off-season,” Brian said.

He says his future plans include installing all new date-correct reproduction glass from ECS and reinstalling the soon-to-be-completed original seat belts from Stewart Nolan at Python restorations.

“These cars were meant to be driven, and if you are patient, you just might get a glimpse of this rare example,” Brian added.

Just as the doctor ordered.

About the author

JP Emerson

My affliction with vintage iron is matched only by my knowledge of classic Rock ’N Roll. Although a heavy lean to all things Ford blue, I have a sharp appreciation for all makes and models, especially those that gulp gas and drop oil to mark their territory. Having provided work for multiple magazines, manufacturers, SEMA, and a top secret list of celebrity and auto insiders, I understand the bond between cars and owners.
Read My Articles

Blue Oval Muscle in your inbox.

Build your own custom newsletter with the content you love from FordMuscle, directly to your inbox, absolutely FREE!

Free WordPress Themes
FordMuscle NEWSLETTER - SIGN UP FREE!

We will safeguard your e-mail and only send content you request.

Ford Muscle - The Ultimate Ford Mustang Magazine

FordMuscle

We'll send you the most interesting FordMuscle articles, news, car features, and videos every week.

Ford Muscle - The Ultimate Ford Mustang Magazine

FordMuscle NEWSLETTER - SIGN UP FREE!

We will safeguard your e-mail and only send content you request.

Ford Muscle - The Ultimate Ford Mustang Magazine

Ford Muscle

Thank you for your subscription.

Subscribe to more FREE Online Magazines!

We think you might like...


Muscle Car & Hot Rods
Muscle Car & Hot Rods
Drag Racing
Drag Racing

Ford Muscle - The Ultimate Ford Mustang Magazine

Thank you for your subscription.

Subscribe to more FREE Online Magazines!

We think you might like...

  • Muscle Car & Hot Rods Muscle Car & Hot Rods
  • Drag Racing Drag Racing

Ford Muscle - The Ultimate Ford Mustang Magazine

Ford Muscle

Thank you for your subscription.

Thank you for your subscription.

Ford Muscle - The Ultimate Ford Mustang Magazine

Thank you for your subscription.

Thank you for your subscription.

Loading