Images: Mecum Auctions
Go to a rental car company and ask for a performance car and chances are you’ll be charged considerably after a lengthy line of questioning and insurance pitches. But it wasn’t always this way. Back in the mid 60s, you could walk into your local Hertz and get one of the highest performance Mustangs for cheap. While the special Shelby GT350H cars didn’t last long in the Hertz stables, they are one of the most talked about rental cars to have existed, and this weekend one of them could be yours as a rare red and gold version heads to the Mecum Anaheim Auction.
In 1965, the Mustang took the automotive world by storm, releasing the Shelby GT350 into the market. The car was so popular among enthusiasts that Shelby paired with Hertz to offer the cars as rentals for the company starting in 1966. The idea was to promote the new Shelby Mustang by renting them to race-minded enthusiasts.
With Cobra 289ci engines, the ‘66 Shelby GT350H rental cars were a budget-racer’s dream. For just $17 a day and 17 cents per mile, anyone over the age of 25 could rent one of these high-performance Mustangs. This particular GT350H has a Paxton supercharger attached to its original 289ci engine, producing 400hp. The car also features correct 14-inch Magnum 500 wheels with Hertz center caps, its original automatic transmission, Caltracs traction bars and power disc brakes.
One of only a few of the famous ’66 GT350Hs left today, this fully restored fastback will cross the auction block at Mecum’s Anaheim Auction at 2:55 p.m. this Saturday. And if previous auctions are any indication, you can expect to see this car sell for well into the six figures.
