In 1967, Carroll Shelby added fiberglass panels to a Mustang to save weight. Nearly six decades later, Classic Recreations has taken that idea to its logical end. Its 1967 Shelby GT500 wears a body made entirely of woven carbon fiber, making this carbon fiber shelby gt500 one of the most radical restomods yet, and the weave is left exposed on every exterior panel.
The reveal car also carries a supercharged Coyote V8 rated at 1,000 horsepower. The original 428 Police Interceptor V8 was rated at 355, so the new car makes nearly three times that output. Shelby has officially licensed the build, and each car is recorded in the Shelby Worldwide Registry.
The car debuted at the Concours at Wynn Las Vegas. It now sits at the FuelTech booth (#24431) in the Las Vegas Convention Center’s Central Hall during SEMA 2026. The display marks the brand’s first SEMA appearance since Velocity Restorations bought the company, which now builds cars in a 135,000-square-foot facility in Pensacola, Florida.
Classic Recreations is not the only builder reinterpreting a legendary sports car for a new era. Porsche and Hedley’s Electric 550 Spyder Tribute shows how a faithful homage can be rebuilt around modern technology.
Carbon over steel: how the carbon fiber shelby gt500 was shaped to match 1967
The carbon fiber shelby gt500 body first appeared in 2021. Classic Recreations says it is about 600 pounds lighter than a steel GT500CR. The company developed it with SpeedKore Performance Group, which blue-light scanned a steel GT500CR and rebuilt every surface in CAD software.
Those digital files became molds. The panels were then cured in an autoclave, a pressurized oven that race teams use to bake composite parts. The carbon skin covers a steel substructure rather than a full carbon chassis. Founder Jason Engel said the method let the team get panels, seams and body lines right. The shut lines around the ducktail and hood scoops show that precision.
The key 1967 features all carried over. The fastback roof, twin-nostril hood scoop, side intakes ahead of the rear wheels and full-width taillight bar sit where Shelby American placed them. The racing stripes are red-tinted carbon, so the weave shows through the red like a pattern under cellophane.
The dark finish on this carbon fiber shelby gt500 hides some of the car’s sculpted rear hips, which a white car would show off more clearly. Under studio lighting, those curves still catch highlights. Up front, LED driving lights fill the two center grille positions, updating the original’s center high beams.
1,000 horsepower with electronics in charge
The power comes from a Wegner-built Gen 4X Coyote 5.0-liter V8 fitted with a Whipple 3.0-liter inverted supercharger. A Suncoast-built 10R80 10-speed automatic sends power through a Panhandle Driveline carbon-fiber driveshaft to a Ford 9-inch rear housing with a Gear FX 8.8 center section.
A FuelTech FT700 standalone engine control unit manages the engine and traction control. A Vaporworx fuel controller works alongside it. Cody Dabney, director of production at Velocity and Classic Recreations, said the electronics matter as much as the output. “A thousand horsepower only means something if the driver can use it,” he said.
The chassis is as modern as the engine. Detroit Speed’s Aluma-Frame front suspension and QuadraLink rear suspension replace the original’s leaf-sprung rear end. Nitron Elec-Tron electronically controlled shocks adjust ride control. Brembo CCM-R carbon-ceramic brakes use about 380mm discs with six-piston calipers up front and about 380mm discs with four-piston calipers at the rear.
Forgeline Carbon Grudge wheels wear Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, a compound more often seen on track-focused supercars. A side-exit exhaust runs ahead of the rear wheels and nods to period racing Mustangs.
A cabin with 1967 roots and a modern spec sheet
The cabin keeps the 1967 dash layout with Dakota Digital instruments. A Vintage Air climate system fills out the interior. Red contrast stitching runs along the dash, and a Classic Recreations custom console with a carbon insert adds a modern touch. Crow Safety Gear harnesses anchor the seats to a roll bar.
Audio comes from a Focal K2 speaker system, a Mosconi amplifier and an Alpine head unit. Carroll Shelby’s signature appears on the dash, the gauges and both seats. One signature would have made the point just as well as four.
The GT500CR Carbon, which is the carbon fiber shelby gt500 model, has three orderable tiers. The 500-horsepower version starts at $549,900. The supercharged 700-horsepower car costs $624,900, and the 900-horsepower model lists at $724,900. Classic Recreations has not priced the 1,000-horsepower reveal spec. The company’s website lists an engine range of 480 to 825 horsepower, which does not match those three tiers, so buyers should confirm specs before ordering.
At the base price, the car costs about as much as 131 original GT500s at their 1967 sticker prices. Classic Recreations says its 2026 build slots are nearly full, and 2027 reservations are open. Each car receives a Shelby serial number and a registry entry.
If the blend of vintage bodywork and modern performance appeals to you, Chicago Studio’s Off-Road Porsche 911 Transformation takes a similar restomod approach to a different icon, adding a three-inch lift and rugged upgrades.
Shelby American swapped steel for fiberglass in 1967 to make its cars lighter and quicker. Classic Recreations has taken the same logic to the next material on the list, turning a carbon fiber mustang into a 1,000-horsepower machine.
Source: yankodesign.com
Frequently asked questions
How much horsepower does the carbon fiber Shelby GT500 make?
The reveal car uses a supercharged Coyote V8 rated at 1,000 horsepower. The original 428 Police Interceptor V8 was rated at 355 horsepower, so the new car makes nearly three times that output.
How much lighter is the carbon fiber Shelby GT500 body?
Classic Recreations says the carbon fiber body is about 600 pounds lighter than a steel GT500CR. The body is a carbon skin that covers a steel substructure rather than a full carbon chassis.
How is the carbon fiber Shelby GT500 body made?
SpeedKore Performance Group blue-light scanned a steel GT500CR and rebuilt every surface in CAD software, and those digital files became molds. The panels were then cured in an autoclave, a pressurized oven that race teams use to bake composite parts.
How much does the GT500CR Carbon cost?
The GT500CR Carbon has three orderable tiers: the 500-horsepower version starts at $549,900, the supercharged 700-horsepower car costs $624,900, and the 900-horsepower model lists at $724,900. Classic Recreations has not priced the 1,000-horsepower reveal spec.
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