This one claims that if you drive it, you’ll really be the King of the Road, like the name implies: 1968 Shelby (Mustang) GT500KR. You’ll find the car here on ebay currently bid up to just over $90K (short of reserve) but with a buy it now price not that much higher: $135K. The car resides in Waxhaw, NC, and the auction ends late Tuesday afternoon.
The GT500KR was the Cobra Jet version of the already-mighty GT500. The 428-CID Cobra Jet engine came out in the middle of the model year, and the KR model with it. (The former GT500 was thus no more.) Various adornments made it clear what you were driving, including COBRA JET 428 emblems added to the front fenders, a COBRA JET emblem on the dash, and a similar indication on the gas cap. The side stripes also included GT500KR on the bottom of the fenders.
That this was a wild child of a car was made more apparent by a functional ram air hood which brought in more cold outside air. Colder equals denser, so that you could atomize more fuel and thus get where you were going (down the dragstrip, in many cases) more quickly. The car in question has the requisite “R” engine code to substantiate its authenticity as having this power plant. That’s backed up by a manual transmission, and the car is further authenticated by being indicated as KR #2501. So it’s for real. Add to that the fact that the body and interior are original, and the mileage is just 68,000, and you’ve got a highly valued collectible, the more since you can actually drive it. That’s the quality indicated by the seller. It’s said to be of driver quality, having been restored in 2006. It is a little puzzling or unclear whether the paint is original, because the ad claims that the “body and chassis are original” despite the claim of the restoration. I guess he means that no body panels have been replaced due to accidents or corrosion.
But. There’s always a “but.” The ad says that the car “Is an original [good] with updates to the drivetrain [what?]” including the installation of a 5-speed Tremec tranny. He also says that the engine is bored .40 over and that it has non-original heads and intake. It is also called a “resto-mod.” To me, the value of the car is in its original configuration, and so I think I’d have to price in a return to original induction parts and a proper Ford 4-speed to be satisfied that I was driving something that had the original power and feel of the day it came off the dealer’s lot. Other people might not care about the exact specs of what’s under the hood and would be happy with a car that’s not one of those “too perfect to drive” princesses.
This Shelby was built with an automatic transmission. Would one put it back to stock, or keep it with the 5 speed? The fun quotient is super high with the manual. However, your left knee may appreciate the auto. If you have 100K to spend on this car, do you even care?
I think using the word ‘restomod’ hurts any blue chip muscle car. Visions of Camaros, Novas, and, of course, Eleanor, with their slick monotone paint, oversized gray wheels and modern FI power better define ‘restomod’ to the masses.
Love this car and right here in NC to boot. Unfortunately I find myself somewhat down on the requisite funding.
Happy tire smoking to the future owner.
A driver. The resto mods did make this car more of a performer that would be hard to give back for oem spec. Left leg and all. What about adding a 68 mustang tail light clip?
RESTOMOD not a good term to some, bringing to mind a late model powerplant installed in an older classic. “Best of both worlds” stuff.
The ugly cousin of “Tribute”.
But Replacing heads and intake to me is not restomod. A repair, possibly, on some cars.
Heads crack and intakes burn through the exhaust crossover.
Changing from OEM auto tranny on a Shelby to late model 5 speed – not really sure the term on this classic but to each his own.
All Ford 428’s are all externally balanced so the change from the oem auto trans flexplate to a flywheel – was it rebalanced with the engine it is now bolted to?
Looks like a nice car, customized.
GLWTS.
Good point on the external balancing. I found out the hard way 43 yrs ago. Dropped a 428SCJ 8nto my Mustang. It was a 4 speed setup and I didn’t have the skills to make my car into a standard, so I used a C6. Man that thing shook like crazy. Had to get the engine balanced.
This is a beautiful car, interior is stunning for that age. It would be a blast to drive, and the mods don’t appear radical to me.
I will have to lift my mattress and see how much is under there, probably a bit short.
Sweet ride, not a big description about it, also has a Ferrari listed.
I would put the automatic back in. I can drive a stick but I don’t want or need to. As someone said earlier I lack the funds.
I love these old Shelby’s, I had a 69 GT500 when I was 17 I paid $1200. for it and drove the crap out of it, man I wish I would have kept that one, 1970 was the last year for a good Shelby!!
Looks like a decent car but for the kind of money that the seller is probably looking for you would think they could spend the couple of dollars that a new set of 4 rubber fender to hood bumpers would cost. Also I doubt that the tilt away steering column works since the hole for the plunger in the door jamb is empty. Who knows the entire column may be missing now. I would guess that the car has been repainted. The one photo showing the door data plate also shows 2 of the door latch screws that appear to be painted green, they should be natural in color.