Classic Recreations offers first-ever carbon-fiber-bodied 1967 Shelby GT500CR
Classic Recreations just expanded its Shelby offerings with a carbon-fiber version of its 1967 GT500CR. That makes the carbon-bodied GT500CR the first officially licensed Shelby Mustang made from the lightweight composite. While it retains its historically evocative lines, Classic Recreations claims that its carbon-weave 1967 Shelby is both lighter and stronger than the original.
Like its traditional steel-bodied offerings, each of the carbon-fiber cars will start with a Mustang donor—in this case, a 1967 or 1968 model. Once the steel shell has been restored, technicians graft on carbon-fiber panels. Classic Recreations chose Speedkore for the difficult task of molding carbon-fiber panels to the Mustang’s structure, as the custom car builder has plenty of experience making beautiful Mopars clothed in flawless prepreg carbon-fiber. (“Prepreg” carbon-fiber has already been reinforced with thermally-activated resin and is thus fully prepped for molding.)
If you’d like to see how Speedkore cuts, forms, and cures its carbon-fiber bodywork, take a tour through its facility in this article.
Instead of the original GT500’s 427 or 428 FE, Classic Recreations offers a late-model 5.0-liter Coyote V-8 packing 490 hp. If you want a more ’60s-appropriate engine that still boasts modern conveniences and absurd power, you can opt for a fuel-injected, Windsor-based small-block. This 427-cu-in mill is based on a Dart aluminum block that’s topped with AFR aluminum cylinder heads, so it’s got the displacement you’d expect from a GT500 while still staying trim by ditching the factory Ford iron castings. This engine is essentially the best of both worlds when it comes to Shelby V-8s, because it also packs a centrifugal supercharger, which was optional on the ’67–67 Shelby GT350. That forced induction brings the 427 V-8’s output to 900 hp!
Standard features on the GT500CR include power rack-and-pinion steering, Wilwood brakes, and forged American Racing wheels. Like all of Classic Recreations’ builds, a customer can choose plenty of options, from a Detroit Speed Pro-Touring suspension to an array of exterior color options. A five-speed manual is standard but a six-speed manual is an option, as is an automatic.
While this coupe is the first carbon-fiber Shelby for Classic Recreations, it won’t be the company’s last; the shop in Yukon, Oklahoma, already has plans for a Shelby-licensed Cobra with a body made entirely of carbon fiber. Of course, these hand-built customs—and especially the carbon-fiber versions—come with an appropriate price tag as well. The GT500CR starts at $284,900 and the labor-intensive carbon-fiber body adds another $60,000. That price could net an original GT500, but with significantly less power and likely a lot more anxiety about hitting the track.
