1966 Shelby Mustang parked up for 40 years had to be dug up out of backyard

This 1966 Shelby GT350-H had to be pulled out of the mud after it was left to sit parked up in a backyard in Ohio for four decades. 

During its many years in the yard, the Shelby had sunk right down into the mud and there was a tree trunk growing underneath. 

Not only that, but its years exposed to the elements hadn’t been kind to the classic car. 

However, none of that was enough to put off Rick Parker and his team from Signature Auto Classics, who hatched a plan to get it out of the dirt and into their shop. 

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The Shelby Mustang had spent decades parked up

Launched back in 1965, Shelby Mustangs were an instant hit with gearheads and the popularity of the car means they pop up as barn finds every now and again, like this stunning example in West Virginia or this 1967 Shelby GT500 found in Iowa.

And in 2015, Parker’s pal came into his auto shop and told him he had discovered a ‘Shelby in the woods’. 

The car in question turned out to be this 1966 GT350-H and Parker wasted no time in reaching out to the owner.

But it wasn’t until five years later that the owner’s son finally got in touch with the team to find out how much it would cost to repair. 

Speaking in a video shared by Jerry Heasley, Parker shared his fears about trying to move it out of the mud. 

A photo taken by Parker on a visit to the car showed rust breaks in the unibody of the Shelby.

“Here’s one of the things we’re concerned about tomorrow. This is where the steering box bolts,” he said. 

“We are worried about the car splitting apart.”

Removing the stuck car was a delicate task

Deciding he needed help from the experts, Parker called in Cal’s Towing and every member of his own team to try and rescue the car.

Parker even got a waiver made to say that neither he nor the towing team would be held liable if the car did break in half.

Before the towing could begin, Parker and his staff still needed to use shovels and picks to remove much of the mud – they even found mud inside the interior of the car, despite it having a floor.

With much of the mud surrounding the car removed, and the car was finally – safely – hoisted out of the ground and onto a rollback. 

Thankfully, the car made it in one piece – and was taken to Parker’s shop where its restoration could begin. 

“As rusty as it is, and as ugly as it is, there is so much good here,” Parker said.