I like all things Shelby (and ford related)....just a FYI...for those that have Net Flix there is a documentary “The 24 Hour War” that tells the story, with the real folk...knew most of the story..but it did fill in some blanks...

I do not have Net-Flicks...

but I do know most of the story from Books..
all 3 sides.
Ferrari
Ford
Shelby

same with Corvette, Chevy Racing, Zora Arkus-Duntov
Mopar, Ram-Chargers.
Pontiac, Super-Duty,
Dodge/Plymouth in Nascar with the Daytona and the 426.

Shelby influenced more than just Ford in his history. That, of course is what the movie is about but in 1986 I owned a different Shelby that wasn't a Ford. That car was on rails! Not the fastest, although it was quick in it's day, but that car was on rails.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Charger_(L-body)

Yup, that's it. Mine was the silver on red color scheme. My buddy had a Shelby Daytona (same year). We both chipped the engines to stage 1 and got the extra 30hp with a boost upgrade. The Charger was always a bit quicker than his Daytona but the Daytona was better equipped. By today's standards, nothing was too special about these, but at the time, they were really fun cars to rip around in.

for the YOUNG,,,,'

oil embargo...
The OPEC oil embargo was a decision to stop exporting oil to the United States. On October 19, 1973, the 12 OPEC members agreed to the embargo. Over the next six months, oil prices quadrupled. Prices remained at higher levels even after the embargo ended in March 1974.
1970,, gas was $0.36 per gallon
1974,, gas was $2.53 per gallon

federal law for fuel mileage

federal law for cleaner exhaust from cars
leaded fuel outlawed. except for a few.
R12 Freon banned.

some engines lost over 50 percent of its horsepower.

think of it... a 454 Chevy went from 470 horsepower to 260 in one year.
soon after most V8's vanished

Cars got much smaller/lighter,,, plastic car body parts became common.
bumpers, dashboards, inner fenders.


1974 thru the 80's were painful...
.

Yes, that was a dark time for automotive performance. I will say that Chrysler did a lot in those days to drive forward turbocharging and made it reasonably commonplace for the time. Trying to get more from less.

My 1980 Corvette, 185hp. Speedo only went to 80 or 85 if memory serves. But it could still corner like a cheetah

in 1990, I restored my 1979 Corvette,, body and mechanics.
made it a 383 cu.in. 490 hp at the rear tires... 3,800 stall converter, 4:10 gears...

Silver Metal Flake ( not metallic )
Chrome headers and side pipes.. no mufflers.
for the street and car shows.


as you stated.. 185hp from a 350...

I say it was a joke. EPA killed many a good engine.


scanB447 by , on Flickr
scanB449 by , on Flickr


Aluminum heads, roller rockers... high lift camshaft.
custom made valve covers.

Well, the EPA was right about one thing. It did drive innovation. We now have 700 and 800 HP engines meeting emission and economy standards that 350 small block couldn't have touched in that time. IF, in the '80s, someone would have suggested 700+hp in a factory floor car, on pump gas, we would have laughed our arses off. We truly thought the pinnacle of the muscle car was past ... never to return.


The C2 and C3 Corvettes were the best looking 'Vettes until the C7 and now the C8. But the C2 and C3 will always remain the look of the classic 'Vette IMO.