Widebody Shelby GT350 Has the Most Interesting History Ever
Don’t be fooled by the fender flares—this 1968 Shelby GT350 is actually 100% OEM, and the story just gets better from there.
What was your first car? If you’re Robert Bistagne, it was a 1968 Shelby GT350 he got when he was 14. That’s one lucky kid.
His family has run Bistagne Bros. Body Shop for the past 75 years. That’s a great place for a kid to grow up, learn the trade, and build a seriously cool street machine for his first car.
From there, the story just gets better and better. Bistagne says that “A lot of the history, we didn’t know when we first got the car.” He found it in the parts section of a copy of Hemmings Motor News. When he went to look at the car, it was a beat-up shell with wide fender flares grafted on, but no engine.
The seller let him pick one from a pile of engines, and years later, discovered that he picked correctly – it was the original motor for his Mustang. How lucky can one kid be?
The fender flares are actually Shelby-original, though. Bistagne explained that the original owner gave it to Shelby for a widebody modification. “They did front and rear flares, functional brake vents, lowered the car about a half an inch, used to have an aero package on the front.” However, the engine that’s in the car right now is not the original one. Luckily, Bistagne still has that engine in his shop. “So, if I ever wanted to, we could rebuild it, and put it back together…but, at this point, I have no desire to.”
To Bistagne, it was more important – and more fun – to have a fun hot rod. That included leaving the wide fender flares in place. Years later, Bistagne would have the chance to sit down with Carroll Shelby, and have the man himself confirm that the car was built that way by Shelby!
Apparently, the car was sold new at the world-famous Galpin Ford, then immediately taken to Shelby by the new owner, who had them do some work to the car, including adding the fender flares and functional brake cooling ducts. According to Carroll Shelby, he built just one – maybe two – that way.
Currently, the car is powered by an aluminum-headed roller 302 with a custom cam, and typical intake and exhaust upgrades. He thinks it’s making around 375 horsepower. It’s not a ton of horsepower, but it’s more than enough to make some incredible sounds, and have fun doing it. In a word, this car sounds rowdy.
Bistagne says it best: “For me, this is what owning a Shelby’s all about about. I don’t need a 600 cubic inch motor. I just need to be able to go out and have fun.”
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