Mustang Unbridled & The Definitive Shelby Mustang Guide: 1965-1970 2 Book Set

Deep-dive into the full story behind Ford’s beloved pony car in this high-octane history.

Mustang Unbridled delivers the most comprehensive account of Ford’s Mustang ever published, a thrilling ride through six decades of continuous production that reveals one of history’s greatest automotive success stories.

Author Robert M. Kennedy begins before the beginning, outlining the evolution of Ford Motor Company from its founding through the early 1960s, delineating the key events that set the Blue Oval on a performance-car path.

From there, Kennedy steers the reins of Mustang’s story through each of its generations, detailing the impacts of internal and external politics, engineering decisions, advertising campaigns, competitive models, racing endeavors, pop culture, and world events, on its unprecedented success. Henry Ford II, Lee Iacocca, Don Frey, and other Ford staff set the stage, joined by a host of key outside influencers, including Carroll Shelby, Steve Saleen, Jack Roush, Vaughn Gittin, Jr., and many more.

From the V4-powered Mustang prototype of 1962 to the fire-breathing, world-beating Boss and Shelby versions of the late ’60s and early ’70s; and from the Mustang II and Fox body cars to today’s high-performance Dark Horse and GTD supercar, Mustang Unbridled offers an unequaled examination of Ford’s legendary pony car.

“Robert M. Kennedy’s dogged research and ability to uncover truths that have been vetted with Mustang notables gives Mustang Unbridled some eye-opening viewpoints that may leave fans re-thinking what they thought they knew about Ford’s steel steed.”

—John M. Clor, Enthusiast Communications Manager, Ford Racing

“In Mustang Unbridled Robert M. Kennedy weaves the waves of national and global change into his Mustang historical narrative. Kennedy brings a fresh perspective and ‘youthful’ enthusiasm to a car that has always been about the fun and joy of youth.”

—Donald Farr, Editor, Mustang Times

The Mustangs modified by Carroll Shelby were unlike anything else available when they launched in 1965. The subsequent years brought evolutionary change and myriad legends until their eventual demise in 1970. How these cars were conceptualized, designed, assembled, and ultimately delivered to the public has been a topic of debate among casual fans and diehard collectors alike. Author Greg Kolasa digs through the many layers of legend to find the answers, and this book is the result of his more than two decades of work.

Each year of Shelby Mustang production is isolated and examined in-depth, with explicit descriptions of how these great cars came to be. The various options, modifications, and upgrades are shared in full, with intriguing behind-the-scenes facts and documented issues on full display. The problems Shelby faced (and conquered) makes the final products all the more interesting and atypical of other limited-production automobiles. From the raucous 1965 models to the luxurious 1969/1970s, the story of Shelby's Mustangsis one of passion and business where a genuine performance enthusiast does his very best to create a world-class, high-performance American car within the boundaries of corporate limits. He succeeded, and although it wasn't easy or long-lasting, it's a fascinating story.

About the Author

Greg Kolasa is known to enthusiasts as a contributing registrar for the Ford GT40 and Shelby American Automobile Club (SAAC) Registry. Greg has been researching the subject of the Shelby Mustangs for well over a quarter of a century and has access to original factory documentation as well as personal insights from notable personalities of the day.

?Explains why, and how to tell a real Shelby from a clone or a fake.

? Provides immense detail about the engineering and specific upgrades each Shelby Mustang received, and uses factory documentation to verify the information.

? Clears up many of the questions and issues common in the Shelby Mustang world, and does so with firsthand interviews with the people who were there.