The first Shelby Mustang was born in 1965. Called the G.T.350, that car immediately cemented Ford’s reputation as a genuine sports car (or “sport car,” according to Carroll Shelby, who never used the plural term). It was replaced in 1967 with a model based on a whole new Ford Mustang that was larger, had more aggressive bodywork, and, in the G.T.500 version, was powered by a 428 ci V-8 called the Police Interceptor.
That model was a one-year wonder, with only 2,048 big-block examples made before 1968 model-year production went to A.O. Smith in Ionia, Mich., fully under Ford’s management. Recalling a conversation where Carroll Shelby called it the last true Shelby Mustang, it’s hard to disagree that the ’67 was a high point, as well as a last hurrah of sorts. Until this century, at least.
Hi-Tech Automotive recently announced a modern reproduction of the iconic 1967 original, sanctioned by Carroll Shelby Licensing. It’s called the GT500 and is, in essence, a brand-new car, built from a fresh-pressed, factory-manufactured steel body. Underpinning that unibody shell is a modern suspension and contemporary drivetrain. As with so many custom builds, it’s sold as a rolling chassis, coming fully assembled, painted, and complete, only to be fitted with the engine and transmission of the customer’s choice. The “restomod” concept is nothing new, with the aim of combining classic looks with the performance, handling, comfort, reliability, and refinement of a modern vehicle. Twenty years ago, restomods were something entirely novel, but they have never been more popular than today.
But while traditional restomods utilize a car’s original chassis and body, Hi-Tech Automotive’s machine features a new, reproduction body fabricated from steel panels fitted in purpose-built jigs and fixtures, then digitally aligned and welded together using modern techniques. According to Nick Price, the company’s director, “Our Shelby GT500 is not a restored original, but rather a modern-day reproduction built from the ground up in a factory-controlled environment, a term which we have coined ‘REPROmod’.”
Like the 1967 original, the hood, trunk, rear-quarter extensions, and side air-intake scoops are lightweight parts, but in this case, molded in-house from glass-reinforced epoxy resin. Each finished body is epoxy primed and goes through a 64-step paint process using Glasurit paint. Under that body, the GT500 is built with components that neither Ford nor Shelby could have envisioned nearly 60 years ago. For instance, the fully independent front and rear suspension use CNC-machined billet aluminum uprights, while six-piston-caliper disc brakes stop like no power brakes of the era.
The interior is a luxurious place to be, and while styled to resemble the original, is upholstered in high-quality Nappa leather with an Alcantara headliner. Anyone who has driven a 1967 Shelby Mustang knows that the original seats were no prize, so Hi-Tech Automotive engineers have specified Recaro Specialist M seats for optimum comfort.
Modern air conditioning and a custom sound system remind the driver that this is not a 1960s-era Mustang. And electric power steering and an electronic handbrake help make this a thoroughly contemporary—and trustworthy—driver.
The original GT500 delivered the power and torque of Ford’s biggest engine, which produced 355 hp and 420 ft lbs of torque. Things have gotten a whole lot more powerful since that time. Buyers of this GT500 will likely choose a naturally aspirated or supercharged 5.0-liter Ford Coyote V-8, or perhaps the latest Ford 5.2-liter Predator V-8 motor. Stick-shift fans will want a six-speed manual, while cruiser types will opt for Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission. It all depends on how you roll.
While the purchase and installation of the power train is up to the buyer, Hi-Tech Automotive will furnish a list of independent installers. With production limited to 20 examples for 2024, each rolling chassis will be priced less than $230,000, and owners should budget approximately $40,000 on top of that for completion.
Click here for more photos of Hi-Tech Automotive’s 1967 Shelby GT500 reproduction.
