The “Flying Mustang “ In The Market Again

The example that will be put on the block at Mecum’s first 2022 auction is none other than THE “Flying Mustang” itself. This example is arguably the most important Mustang in the marque’s history. It is the first Shelby GT350 “R-Model” produced, and that’s not the only first it can boast of. It is the first competition Shelby Mustang, the first model to be raced, and it was also the first to claim victory.

At the time, Ford wanted a high-performance image for the Mustang to change the public’s perception of the Mustang as a ‘secretary’s car’. The creator of the powerful Cobra, in true Shelby fashion, decided to create a machine that did not only qualify for SCCA Production Sports Car competition, but one that would completely dominate it.