The History of Mustang Shelby GT (1965-2011)

Driving is usually a passion of all speed enthusiasts. For some people, driving is the height of their craziness. These crazy guys need extra performance from their vehicles. Not every cars and SUV's can deliver the best in terms of speed, control, reliability along with security of person on driving seat. There are a few names of Muscle Cars in the series of heavy duty cars, and one of them is Mustang Shelby GT. The Mustang Shelby GT series are heavy duty roaring cars known for the ultimate in performance and speed. And here is the history of Mustang Shelby GT.

1965-1966 

The first GTs were Shelby modified K-Code 289 cubic [4.7 liter] V8 Fastbacks that had their power increased from 271 HP up to 306 HP. Shelby ordered 252 units of 1965 Fastbacks for his conversion into 1966 Shelby GT350. The project itself began in August of 1964 and in September the first Shelby GT350s were born. The public unveil was done on January 27 of 1965. Shelby GT350 also featured Hooly carburetor, Cobra valve covers, special Cobra hi-rise intake manifold, 4-speed manual transmission, side exhaust pipes, Wimbledon white body color with 2 stripes and no back seats, because of SCCA's requirements [2-door coupes only]. All in all, there were 562 Shelby GT350 street legal and 37 GT360R units built in 1965. The Shelby GT350R were built for races only.

Aston Martin DB4 - The Legendary Sports Car

The Aston Martin DB4 arrived in 1958 and represented the finest contemporary interpretation of the Gran Turismo theme. A magnificent synthesis of the talents at the firm's Feltham works and the Italian Touring styling house, the DB4 was, during its five years of production, the best selling model which paved the way for the even more successful Aston Martin DB5 & DB6 succeeding models.

The story of the DB4's development really began in 1950 when John Wyer started at the Feltham works as competitions manager moving from his post as managing director of sports-car specialists Monaco Engineering. Another 1950 recruit was design draftsmen Harold Beach, whose previous career had included spells at the Barker Coach building Company and Garner Strausler Mechanization, who built commercial vehicles as well as ancillary equipment.
It was in 1964 that Beach began working on a DB2 series replacement, which was to be titled "DB4", the DB3 being one of the firm's sports racers. Known as Project 114 it had a perimeter chassis frame with a sophisticated (for its time) de Dion rear axle employing parallel trailing links, the lower ones connected to laminated torsion bars. At the front end of the car Beach introduced wishbone and coil independent front suspension where the DB2 by contrast had a trailing arm system. A 3-Liter version of the then current twin-cam six was employed and Frank Feely designed a traditional suitable closed body, not dissimilar to that of the DB2.

The Top Three Best Bentleys Ever Made

With its impeccable styling and beautiful interiors crafted from the finest materials of the earth, Bentley are in a league of their own. They are considered to be the ultimate driving machine, each vehicle oozing class and prestige. Over the years they have pushed the boundaries of luxury, with models complete with telephones, televisions and even a fridge to keep that bottle of expensive champagne crisp and cold. Here is a list of some of the greatest vehicles the company has graced the earth with.

The Bentley Speed Six

First rolling off the production line in 1926, the company took the original 6½ litre model and gave it a bit more firepower. This supercharged version became the Bentley's most successful racing ever, driven by legendary driver Woolf Barnato dominating nearly all the podium spots at the 24 hour Le Mans race in 1929 and 1930. In March of 1930, the car was also tested in a more challenging scenario. While at dinner in Cannes, Barnato bet £100 that his speed six could get to his London club before the famous blue train could reach Calais. The car kept up its part of the bargain, reaching the finish line just four minutes before the train got to the French Port. Barnato collected his winnings; however the fines he received for illegally racing on French roads were substantially more than £100.

A Brief History of the Classic Porsche 911

The Porsche 911 has always been up there with the best when it comes to ferociously fast, 2-door sports coupe. Over the years while the exquisite styling has remained, the engine and interior have adapted and transformed into the digital age. Here is a quick look at how the car has become such a success.

The first 911 was built back in 1963, it was aimed to be more powerful, bigger and more comfortable than the Porsche 356. The layout was revolutionary, with a new air-cooled engine in the back instead of the front of the car. Three years later saw the introduction of the "911S". The engines power was booted from 128bhp to 160bhp, together with adding a rear spoiler for extra grip. This was also the first model where the infamous 5 spoke alloy wheels were made available, a design that would become a symbol of the 911 legacy. The 911ST was produced for racing, with a 2.4 litre engine producing 8000rpm. These vehicles exploded out of the blocks, and experienced success at the Daytona 6 hours, the Sebring 12 hours and the 1000km Nürburgring races.

The Mythical 1955 Ford Thunderbird's Origins

When America fell in love with the Thunderbird back in 1954 it was a lively two seater. Yet the Ford Thunderbird has continued to evolve into many different auto market segments over its lifespan and miles of the product. Yet nothing seems to hold T-Bird fans attention and rapt attention at the original 1955 "bird"."Thunderbird" is undoubtedly a fine name for a motor car, with its connotations of power, flight with just a hint of mystery. Yet Ford Thunderbirds is also a truly American car badge and label, the icon being a magical one for the Pueblo Indians of the South-West United States. That is more than appropriate because the "T-bird" was and still remains the essence itself of the American car illustrating over it more than 50 year most of the foibles as well as many of the strengths of that particular breed. Every story on the Thunderbird begins with the idea that the car was conceived as an "answer" to the Chevrolet Corvette. This is not entirely true, for both designs evolved in response to the growing demand in the post-war American market for cars with more style and performance, cars best typified by the stunning Jaguar XK120.

The Story of 1958 Pontiac Bonneville

The 1957 had been a difficult year for Pontiac as it had lost of number of sales. To try and win back some of those lost sales, Pontiac introduced the '58 Pontiac Bonneville with some major changes. Prior, the Pontiac Bonneville was billed as a limited-production vehicle. This was no more as it hit full production. Also, in addition to a '58 Bonneville convertible, a hardtop Sport Coupe was added to make the Pontiac Bonneville a complete top-line series. In essence, the 1958 Pontiac Bonneville was a new automobile from the ground up, even the bodyshell was restyled; inspired from the X-member frame used on the Cadillac.

Much Improved
The 1958 Pontiac Bonneville had a number of improvements made to peek the interest of buyers. The trim was top grade and the price of the Bonneville was reduced by $2,300 by making much of the lavish equipment "optional". The '58 Bonneville was also put on a shorter platform, the "Chieftain", which gave the car better handling. Probably the most interesting feature that was added to the '58 Bonneville was the "Ever-Level" air suspension that was optional for an extra $175. Although a fascinating feature, the feature's setup and price proved hard to overcome and not many customer opted for it.