1968 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350

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 GT350 in Acapulco Blue. The beneficiary of a top-notch older restoration with a numbers matching engine, a copy of the window sticker from the Emminger report, a Deluxe Marti report, 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 full blown, no expense spared, top of the line restoration using only high-quality parts.  Laser straight steel and fiberglass panels with almost flawlessly minded gaps are bathed in a respray of the factory correct Acapulco Blue, and folks it's miles deep.  A few chips are noted in the finish, but those are about the only flaws.  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 correct Lucas fog lights.  These lights were used to replace the early run Marchal fog lighting that didn't meet Federal standards.  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 GT350 decal runs the length of the rockers and reminds you who you're messing with.  More scoops are seen covering the rear quarter windows of the sloping fastback roof line.  A rear spoiler brings up the tail end and hovers over a pair of correct, (non-pointed), tail lights within a silver filler panel.  Correct Shelby wheels adorn all 4 corners and are wrapped in raised white letter Goodyear Eagle ST radials.

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 a crack free 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 SW gauges that monitor amps and oil pressure. An original AM radio sits dead center in the dash for your listening pleasure and 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 seat belts 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 C80A-6015-A casting numbered and VIN number stamped 302ci V8 capable of 250hp sits in the flawless satin black engine bay. This mill is bathed in Ford blue paint and has been treated to a Ford service part upgrade in the form of a dual 4-barrel Holley carburetor set up. All hoses are supple, and all clamps and attachments appear to be factory correct. Attached to the back of the engine is a correct and original C4 3-speed automatic trans. This sends power back to a Ford 9" conventional rear axle that holds 3.50 gears within.

Undercarriage
Miles of black painted steel with the factory red oxide primer is showing underneath. All buttoned up and presenting very nicely from stem to stern, it doesn't get much better than this. The only flaw to be noted is some invasive rust in the rear unibody rails in the area of the leaf spring hangers. 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 its way rearward and ends with a pair of chrome tips after passing through a pair of Flowmaster mufflers.

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 save for the fog lights, reverse lights, and left turn signals were operational and many a thumbs up were given during our drive.

This car has all the right boxes checked, Acapulco Blue paint, black interior, ironclad documentation, and after all...it's a Shelby. With that documentation included a deluxe Marti report and the Emminger copy of the window 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!

8T02J179565 2678

8-1968
T-Metuchen, NJ Assy Plant
02-Mustang Fastback
J-302ci V8 230hp 4bbl
179565-Sequential Unit Number

WARRANTY TAG

BODY 63B-Shelby 2 Door Fastback
PAINT D-Acapulco Blue
TRIM 5A-Black Knit Vinyl Buckets
DATE 08C-March 8th
DSO 8D2752-Home Office Ordering District, Domestic Special Order 2752
AXLE 8-Ford 9" 3.50 Conventional
TRANS W-C4 Automatic

BUCK TAG

159-Paint & Body Line #
34-Welding Bay #
01C-Date Bucked, March 1st
63B-Fastback Decor Interior
FDS-Folding Rear Seat
5A-Black Decor Interior
8T02J179565-Serial Number
D ACA MT-Acapulco Blue Metallic
PS-Power Steering
SHELBY-Shelby Automotive
PB-Power Brakes
DE-Dual Exhaust
IT-Intermittent Tail Lights (Sequential Tail Lights)
TC-Tilt Column
FD-Front Disc Brakes

Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special interest automobile showroom, featuring over 850 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.