Ford is gearing up to launch the 2020 Mustang Shelby
GT500, but the car’s legacy dates back more than 50 years. That’s clearly
visible at SEMA where a 1968 Shelby GT500 prototype named the Green Hornet is
on display. Recently restored by Barrett-Jackson, the car is one of only two
notchback coupes produced by Ford and Shelby. It was originally created as a
prototype for a California Special trimmed Mustang, but eventually became a
platform for “innovation in design, performance and handling.”
Among its features were an independent rear
suspension, four-wheel disc brakes and an experimental Conelec fuel injection
system. These were revolutionary ideas in the 1960’s and fuel injection didn’t
start to become common until nearly two decades later.
While Barrett-Jackson didn’t say much about the car,
Hemmings wrote extensively about it over a decade ago. After testing was
completed, the car was largely stripped of its innovative features and sent to
Ford’s Employee and Auction Resale Lot. It was purchased by Robert Zdanowski
and eventually sold to Don Darrow who owned a Ford dealership in Cheboygan,
Michigan. Darrow didn’t know about the car’s history, so he made a number of
changes to the model. However, in the 1980’s, his son read a book by Paul
Newitt and discovered his father owned a truly special Mustang.
The car was eventually restored in 1993 and now has
been given a second restoration. There’s no word on specifics at this point,
but the restoration and history of the car will be featured in an upcoming
documentary.
