Factory 427-powered '67 Shelby G.T. 500 cars
Brian Styles
Factory 427-powered Shelby G.T. 500 Cars
Depending on who you talk to, you might have heard that only a single G.T. 500 left Shelby American with a 427 lightweight Le Mans engine and that it was called the "Super Snake." That’s not true -- there were a total of three (3). All three are documented on the Shelby American Production Orders and/or Invoices. Combing through paperwork and photos, here is what we know.
The three G.T. 500 factory 427-equipped cars include:
General Notes:
Shelby American did not special-order these cars from Ford. All three were regular G.T. 500 units on regular orders (DSOs containing multiple units).
All three cars were originally fitted with the 428-8V ’Special Interceptor’ at Ford’s San Jose assembly plant -- just like all other ‘67 Shelby G.T. 500 units. Shelby American swapped the 428 engines out for the 427 'lightweight Le Mans engines.
The upcharge for the 427 lightweight engine was approximately $1,824.76, according to SAI Production Orders and Invoices.
#0289 and #0544 were most likely two of the first six cars to receive the updated “Air/Con” (louvered) hoods. They were completed in the month that followed the confidential memo making it priority #1 to solve the overheating problems affecting the GT500 Air/Con cars (#0100, #0131, #0139 and #0463). #0544 and #0463 both captured on photographs with 67-½ front ends (a/k/a/ ‘outboard’ high-beams) and the Air/Con (louvered) hoods while at the Texas test track March 21-27, 1967.
Built by: Ford Motor Co8-cylinder 1967 Ford. LeMans racing version
Iron block / aluminum intake, heads & pistons (a/k/a/ "lightweight")
Bore x stroke: 4.2346" x 3.784"
Displacement: 477 cu.in.Crankshaft: Ford 7000 rpm typeMain bearing support: none (cross-bolted block)Connecting rods: Ford 7000 rpm typePistons: Ford forged aluminumPiston rings: Ford chrome platedCompression ratio: 11.5:1Crankcase capacity: 8 qts.Oil pump pressure: 70 psiOil make and no.: Valvoline Racing SAE 30Valve operation- solid lifters and push rodsCamshaft: Ford SK series (.500" lift)Valve mechanism: single rocker shafts w/inclined parallel valvesValve size. in/ex: 2.195/1.733Cylinder head type: aluminum medium riserCylinder head modifications: noneCarburetion: Single Holley 4-bbl. w/center pivot floats (780 cfm): fuel pump 6-1/2 lb. Ford; throttle linkage, FordIgnition system: Ford high performanceSpark plugs: AutoliteDistributor modifications: Mel Burns FordTotal spark advance: 36 degrees at 4000 rpmHorsepower: 520 (dyno) 360+ (wheels)
Transmission type: Ford 4-speed (132 lowClutch: FordScatter shield: WedgeRear axle ratio: 4.1 l:lDifferential make: Detroit Locker No-SpinAxles, make and type: Ford 31 spilne
Car Specific Notes:
#0289
This car wasn’t completed by SAI until about two months after it was built by Ford. In April 1967, SAI attempted to bill Ford (Invoice # P 13289) for a variety of engine and/or transmission repairs for twelve (12) different cars. #00289 was on that invoice: Engine $422.79 and Labor to R&R $140.00. SAI received a call from a buyer by the name of Paul Nichter in Buffalo, NY that wanted a 427-powered G.T. 500. Nichter had previously owned a 427 Cobra. It is likely that this car was selected because it was sidelined with a failed 428 engine. According to the registry, “Nichter flew to California himself and picked up the car at the Shelby American factory 2/14/67 and drove it back to New York. Shelby American original factory invoice for this car lists Special 427 Light Weight Engine... $2,000." This car was special ordered by Nichter and, because of the VIN and completion date, is believed to be the first G.T. 500 to receive a Shelby-installed 427 engine. SAI Production Order form is marked “Special 427 engine.” Additional pictures are available on Kevin Suydam's website.
#0544 (company car number 066)
It is unknown at what date the 427 lightweight engine was swapped for the Ford-installed 428, though we know it must have taken place before the car was used for high-speed testing the new Goodyear Thunderbolt tires at Goodyear’s Texas test track, March 21-27, 1967. After the high-speed tire testing, #0544 was used as an example and pitched by Don McCain as a special order limited production car available exclusively from Mel Burns Ford. As the article cautioned, the approximate $7,500 retail price was expensive and as history teaches us, there just wasn’t the market. An August 1967 article in Drag Strip magazine referred to the 427-powered G.T. 500 as the “Super Snake package”. We are not aware of the term “Super Snake” or “Super Snake package” being officially coined by Shelby American. No documents have been uncovered that refer to this car specifically as “The Super Snake” or that a “Super Snake package” was officially being developed. #0544 is the only '67 Shelby G.T. known to have been sold to the public with Top Stripes and this isn't because of documentation, but rather because photographs were published in the Drag Strip magazine.
#1947
Documented as a Ford H.O.R. (Home Office Reserve) car. #1947 was first allocated for the Los Angeles district, on loan to Ford. After it was returned, it was fitted with the 427 lightweight engine and repurposed as a factory drag car. It has a Z stamped VIN. SAI Production Order form is marked “427 Modification. Sold to above party after modifications.” Shelby American invoice shows base price: $3,975.24; modifications $1,824.76; Invoice total $6,110.00. (Notation on the invoice: “subtract rear fenders $108.29; add power steering $64.75; total $43.54).”
michaelpflatley
Is there any documentation on how the exhaust was handled? I know the high speed test car had custom fabricated headers and would assume the other two have custom headers as well.
Last, it seems #289 has been way under the radar for years. Hopefully it resurfaces someday and can be seen by enthusiasts.
Brian Styles
