William Deary, a health-care entrepreneur from Jackson, Mich., on his Original Venice Crew 1965 Shelby Mustang GT350R, as told to A.J. Baime.

When I was 17, I visited my uncle in Okemos, Mich., and the gentleman who lived next door had this beautiful car in his driveway. I fell in love with that car. It was a 1968 Shelby Mustang GT500KR. The KR stood for King of the Road.

I...