1968 Shelby Green Hornet and 2020 Shelby GT500 0144-2092

Two green Shelby Mustangs side by side in a studio: the 1968 EXP 500 notchback known as the Green Hornet and a 2020 Shelby GT500 painted to match it.

What Is in This Photograph?

A high-key studio shot on a pale grey floor with a soft gradient wall, both cars angled toward the camera and reflected faintly in the floor. On the left the 1968 car: a notchback coupe in deep metallic green with a black vinyl roof, chrome bumpers, quad tail-adjacent side stripe lettered EXP 500 along the rocker, and ten-spoke wheels. On the right the modern car in the same green: a fastback GT500 with white twin stripes over the bonnet and roof, a large rear wing, red brake calipers behind black multi-spoke wheels, a deep front splitter with a gaping lower intake, and a white rocker stripe reading GT500. Nothing else is in the frame.

What Is the Green Hornet?

An experimental Shelby. Ford built the 1968 Mustang notchback coupe known as the Green Hornet at the Dearborn Assembly Plant in the autumn of 1967 as a prototype connected to the launch of the California Special, and it went on to Shelby American as a development car, one of only two notchback prototypes worked on there (Shelby Prototype Coupes, MotorTrend).

Why Is the New Car the Same Colour?

Because it was built as a deliberate tribute. Ford delivered the first 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500, VIN 001, in a one-off paint matched to the 1968 prototype's green, and that car went to Barrett-Jackson chairman Craig Jackson, who had bought the right to VIN 001 at auction for 1.1 million dollars (Motor Authority, Hagerty). Jackson also owns the restored prototype, which is why the pair can be photographed together at all.

Who Is This Print For?

This Shelby pairing print suits Mustang and Shelby collectors, GT500 owners, prototype and one-off enthusiasts, and rooms where a clean studio image on pale grey suits the wall better than a location shot. Fifty-two years of the same idea in one frame makes it an easy conversation piece. Choose framed print, stretched canvas, ChromaLuxe metal or Giclée.

Photograph Details

• Left: 1968 Shelby EXP 500 notchback, the Green Hornet
• Right: 2020 Shelby GT500, VIN 001, painted to match
• Green Hornet origin: Built at Dearborn Assembly in autumn 1967 as a California Special prototype
• Setting: Studio, pale grey floor and gradient wall
• Archive reference: 0144-2092

This archival photograph is made available through Fordimages.com, the official Ford archive imagery licensee operated by Richard Weedn LLC. Each image is digitally restored before printing and handcrafted to order.

Available as:

• Framed Print — museum-quality paper, archival inks, Acrylite glazing, hanging hardware included
• Stretched Canvas — hand-stretched over 1.25-inch pine bars, heavy cotton poly matte finish
• ChromaLuxe Metal Print — image infused directly onto sheets of alloy metal for maximum vibrancy and durability
• Giclée Art Print — 260gsm satin finish paper, finest archival inks, white border

Made in the USA or Europe depending on your location.

About the Artwork

Artwork in this collection comes from the Ford Motor Company Archives, The Henry Ford Museum, the Carroll Shelby Archives, and the collections of acclaimed photographers and painters from around the world. Reproduction rights are reserved by the respective copyright owners.

Our framed prints feature a black, hand-stained solid wood frame with a white mat, museum-quality paper, archival inks, Acrylite glazing, and hanging hardware. The frame features a slim 0.8-inch face and projects 1.3 inches from the wall, creating a clean, contemporary shadow-box effect. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

Our stretched canvas prints are produced on acid-free, pH-neutral, and fade-resistant canvas. Each canvas is hand-glued to solid wood stretcher bars and stretched over 1.25-inch-thick pine bars. Mounting brackets are included. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

Our Giclée prints are produced using premium 200gsm semi-gloss paper and high-quality archival inks. Each print includes a white border around the perimeter.

For the 40 x 60 size, we use 250gsm museum-quality archival paper with an off-white, uncoated finish.

The listed size refers to the overall paper dimensions. The image is printed proportionally within the selected paper size. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

ChromaLuxe prints use a state-of-the-art coating process that infuses the image directly onto sheets of alloy metal. The result is photography with an exceptional combination of vibrancy, clarity, and durability.

Each print arrives ready to hang. An alloy subframe on the back allows the artwork to float away from the wall for a sleek, modern appearance. This is the finest-quality print we offer. Made in the USA.

All images are digitally restored before printing. Production location varies by product and destination. Shipping is calculated at checkout.