1966 Shelby GT 350H - The H is for Hertz

by Mike - 

Was the GT 350H really a good idea for Hertz? They bought 1,002 Shelby GT 350H cars for use in the Hertz rental fleet. As you can see in the advertisement below from July 1966 they were eager to rent them. They also pointed out the performance features of the GT350. Look at this picture from the ad!

However, many came back wrecked or with the high performance engine replaced with a standard Mustang engine. In the end Shelby bought the entire Hertz lot of GT350s back at a reduced price according to Mike Mueller's book on the Mustang.

This does not seem like a good strategy for a rental car company. The rental cost was $17 per day or $70 per week plus $0.17 per mile. What a bargain for a race car!

Most GT350Hs were black with gold stripes but some were other colors like this beautiful white with gold stripe car that was at the Marin Sonoma Concours d'Elegance on May 15, 2011.

Click on the images for a larger view.

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