Ford's Mustang 20th Anniversary
Edition GT350
Ford celebrated the 20th anniversary of its iconic pony car by bringing
back the GT350 name, which had been absent from its stable since 1970.
Reaction among hardcore Mustang fans, however, was decidedly mixed.
Available as a hatchback or convertible, the
all-white GT350 was limited to a 35-day production run, producing 5,261
cars that were sold to the public in the spring of 1984. Despite the name,
the GT350 was produced entirely by Ford without the participation of
Carroll Shelby or Shelby American.
20th Anniversary GT350 Mustang Specifications
The 20th Anniversary GT350 Mustang was not as well-received as its
namesake due to fact that it only contained cosmetic upgrades. In addition
to the distinctive Oxford White paint job, the GT350 featured a dark red
interior, fog lights, special badging and bumper striping, as well as a
front air dam. The only significant performance upgrade was the TRX
handling package, which further refined the GT’s stock suspension.
Engines
The GT350 20th anniversary package was available with either a V8 or a
2.3L four-cylinder engine. Two V8s were available to match the choice of
transmission — when paired with an automatic overdrive gearbox, the GT350
received a fuel-injected 165 horsepower 5.0L V8. With a five-speed Borg
Warner T5 transmission, a carbureted 5.0 was used, delivering an extra 10
horses.
Relationship to Past and Future GT350s
While the 20th Anniversary GT350 is not without its own merits, when
considered next to past and future bearers of the GT350 title, it’s easy
to see why the 1984 model does not have the same high profile. The
original GT350, first released in 1965, was built specifically for
performance on the track and featured a modified engine producing over 300
horsepower. The GT350 name was revived again in 2011, this time by Shelby
American. I was equipped with a supercharged 5.0L V8 capable of going from
zero to 60 in just 3.7 seconds.
Despite the more impressive features of other GT350-badged Mustangs, the
20th Anniversary model still has many admirers today.
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