1968 Shelby GT500 Coupe

The Ford Mustang was a huge sales success when introduced in the spring of 1964. However, Lee Iacocca, Ford Division General Manager, was concerned that the Mustang, while selling well, lacked a performance image and did not fit into the Ford Division Total Performance marketing program...enter Carroll Shelby. The Shelby Mustang is a high-performance variant of the Ford Mustang, which was built by Shelby American from 1965 to 1967, and from 1968 to 1970 by Ford Motor Company. When Ford assumed production of the Shelby automobiles in 1968, the vehicles moved further away from the sports car Shelby American envisioned. This didn't mean that Ford moved away from performance.

In 1968 things changed a little bit from prior years in regards to Shelby production. Cars were no longer supplied from the San Jose, California facility, instead, as to not disrupt production, the cars were allotted from the Metuchen, New Jersey plant. AO Smith handled the fiberglass work to give the Shelby it's WOW factor. For consignment we present to you a 1968 Shelby GT500 in Lime Gold. The beneficiary of a top-notch rotisserie restoration and the winner of AACA Jr, Sr, Grand National, Grand National Sr, and the John Melton Memorial award and is now gracing our main showroom in the ever growing, ever changing hallowed halls of the Classic Auto Mall.

Exterior
This consignment has undergone a concours, full blown, no expense spared, top of the line restoration using only NOS and high-quality reproduction parts. Laser straight steel and fiberglass panels with almost flawlessly minded gaps are bathed in a respray of Lime Gold, and folks it's miles deep. A menacing twin scooped hood sits between flawless fenders sporting both the Shelby Cobra snake and COBRA emblem. Up front, single headlights in their correct fiberglass bucket assemblies flank the large grill opening which contains a pair of early run Marchal fog lights. These lights were later recalled due to not meeting Federal standards and were replaced with Lucas lighting. The standard fare hockey stick coves move down the sides of the car and end in a faux brake cooling scoop mounted on the rear quarters. A white GT500 decal runs the length of the rockers and reminds you who you're messing with. A rear spoiler brings up the tail end and hovers over a pair of correct, (non-pointed), taillights. Correct Shelby wheels adorn all 4 corners and are wrapped in BF Goodrich Radial TA tires, (another set of Shelby wheels are included that wear F-70 bias ply tires).

Interior
A swing of the door and we are greeted by a black steel textured with a black vinyl insert in the center. A black vinyl armrest is just below a door pull while a chrome door handle and window crank float toward the front of the panel. A faux woodgrain strip separates the vertically ribbed section of the panel from the smooth lower. Down low a shiny ribbed chrome panel houses a courtesy light. Large round gauges flank the steering column and other smaller round gauges are scattered about in a field of woodgrain. All gauges are black faced with white type and numbers surrounded by shiny round bezels. This dash assembly is topped with its original dash pad and shows wonderfully. Black comfort weave vinyl upholstery wraps the bomber style bucket seats that sit outboard of a long black and faux woodgrain console. This console houses a padded top storage compartment then swoops down to the chrome T handle automatic shifter which sits just behind a pair of Shelby gauges that monitor amps and oil pressure. An original AM radio sits dead center in the dash for your listening pleasure. A fold down rear 2 plus 2 bench seat brings up the rear and can be a bit difficult to get into due to the roll bar and seatbelts attached to said bar. With the seat folded down you have plenty of storage space, but who does hauling in a Shelby unless you're hauling ass!

Drivetrain
Restored to perfection is the term that comes to mind once the hood is open. An original and correct C7ME-A casting numbered 428ci Police Interceptor V8 capable of 360hp sits in the flawless satin black engine bay. This mill is bathed in Ford blue paint and has the correct 4bbl intake and carburetor on top. All hoses are supple, and all clamps and attachments appear to be factory correct. Our consignor states that the left cylinder head was replaced early in the car's life due to a failing intake valve guide. Attached to the back of the engine is a correct and original C6 3-speed automatic trans. This sends power back to a Ford 9" TracLok rear axle that holds 3.50 gears within.

Undercarriage
Nary a hint of rust or corrosion is showing underneath. All buttoned up and presenting in red oxide primer with correct paint dabs and chalk marks from stem to stern, it doesn't get any better than this. Independent coil spring suspension provides the ride for the front while leaf springs give the rear its ride. We also note power steering, power disc brakes up front and power drum brakes for the rear. Dual exhaust snakes it way rearward and ends with a pair of chrome tips after passing by a NOS FoMoCo transverse mounted muffler.

Drivability
My crack decoder and I flipped a coin to see who would get to wheel this muscle machine first, naturally I won, (a double headed coin will do that). With a twist of the key and a little bit of warm up time we were off to the test track. This car handled the track with ease and took everything we could throw at it. Respectable handling, (thanks in part to the radial tires), bias free braking, and endless straight-line acceleration sums this car up nicely. All functions were operational and many a thumbs up were given during our drive.

This car has all the right boxes checked, Lime Gold, black interior, concours rotisserie restoration, and after all...it's a Shelby. With documentation included a build sheet, deluxe Marti report and the windows sticker there is no question about this car's pedigree. A true piece of history here for the taking that will bring many miles of pure smiles whether on the show circuit or out for a leisurely cruise. Come see this show winner right here at the Classic Auto Mall!

VIN DECODE
8T02S14960001912
8-1968
T-Metuchen, NJ Assy Plant
02-2 Door Fastback
S-428ci V8 4bbl 360hp, Police Interceptor
149600-Ford Sequential Unit Number
01912-Shelby Sequential Unit Number

WARRANTY TAG
BODY 63B-Fastback, Luxury Bucket Seats
COLOR I-Lime Gold
TRIM 5A-Black Luxury Comfortweave Vinyl Buckets
DATE 18A-January 18th Scheduled Build Date
DSO 8D2661
AXLE 8-Ford 9" 3.50 Locker
TRANS U-C6 3 Speed Automatic

Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special interest automobile showroom, featuring over 600 vehicles for sale with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle barn find collection is on display.
This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914. Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.