This is an original 1968 Shelby Mustang GT500KR, it came from the factory with the 428 cubic inch Cobra Jet V8 and thankfully it was paired with the 4-speed manual transmission – the enthusiast’s choice.
The GT500KR is one of the most sought-after of the Shelby Mustangs, the “KR” in the model name stands for “King of the Road,” as it was the most powerful Mustang that had been offered for sale to the general public up to that point in time.
Fast Facts: The 1968 Shelby Mustang GT500KR
- The 1968 Shelby Mustang GT500KR was the most powerful Mustang offered to the public at the time, using Ford’s 428 cubic inch Cobra Jet V8. Officially rated at 335 bhp and 440 lb ft, the engine was widely believed to produce considerably more power, giving the KR utterly formidable straight-line performance.
- Based on the Shelby GT500, the GT500KR was fitted with heavy-duty suspension, power-assisted front disc brakes, wider rear drums, power steering, a front strut brace, an 8,000 rpm tachometer, and a 140 mph speedometer. Fiberglass body panels also helped distinguish its looks visually from the standard 1968 Mustang.
- Shelby produced the GT500KR for 1968 only, building 1,570 examples in total, including 1,053 fastbacks and 517 convertibles. Its combination of limited production, Cobra Jet power, distinctive Shelby styling, and the “King of the Road” name has made surviving examples hugely desirable to collectors.
- The Acapulco Blue fastback shown here was built July the 16th, 1968 and delivered to Johnny Bolton Ford in Maitland, Florida. It has a 4-speed manual, air conditioning, power steering, Sport Deck rear seat, Magstar-style wheels, and recent mechanical work.
History Speedrun: The Shelby Mustang GT500KR
At the 1967 New York Auto Show, Ford would debut what was to be their most powerful Mustang ever up until that point in history – the Shelby GT500KR. It was so powerful, in fact, that they understated its output, significantly under-rating it so as not to attract too much attention from the Department of Transport or the insurance companies.
The Shelby Mustang GT500KR “King of the Road” was based on the Shelby GT500, but was powered by a more powerful version of the 428 cubic inch V8 known as the Cobra Jet. This engine was said to be good for 435 bhp and 440 lb ft of torque, offering blistering straight line performance that could match almost anything on earth. Image courtesy of Shelby American.
The official specification sheet for the Shelby GT500KR noted that the 428 cubic inch Cobra Jet V8 was good for 335 bhp and 440 lb ft of torque. It appears that the documentation under-reported the horsepower figure by exactly 100 bhp, as the output was later found to be 435 bhp – making the GT500KR one of the most powerful production cars on earth at the time.
The Shelby Mustang GT500KR was directly based on the earlier Shelby GT500, the big block V8 sibling to the Shelby GT350. Power was provided by the 428 cubic inch (7.0 liter) Ford FE Cobra Jet V8 fitted with high-flow heads, and a dual-quad 600 cfm Holley carburetor.
The engine was fitted with die-cast aluminum valve covers with the script “Cobra Lemans” across the top, a reference to the big block Ford V8s that had powered the GT40 to its back-to-back wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966 and 1967.
The GT500KR was fitted with a slew of upgrades over the standard Mustang to better handle this power output, including heavy duty suspension, power front discs, a front-strut brace, wider rear brake drums, a roll bar, power steering, an 8000 rpm tach, and a 140 mph speedometer.
In order to reduce weight and change the look compared to the standard 1968 Mustang, the Shelby GT500KR was fitted with a fiberglass nose section, hood, rear tail light panel, deck lid, quarter panel extension, and side scoops.
In reality, the Shelby GT500KR was designed to do one thing and do it well – go very fast in a straight line.
The weight of the big block V8 over the front end meant the car was more challenging to get around corners than the lighter Shelby GT350, but the sheer power turned out by this engine made it almost unbeatable in the 1/4 mile, and of course, in the kind of unofficial traffic light races that take place across America every night of the week.
This is an original 1968 Shelby Mustang GT500KR, it came from the factory with the 428 cubic inch Cobra Jet V8 paired with the 4-speed manual transmission – the enthusiast’s choice.
The GT500KR would be made for just a single year, 1968, with a total of 1,570 units made including 1053 fastback coupes and 517 convertibles. Surviving examples are now understandably sought after by collectors, with prices typically stretching well into the six figures for good examples.
The 1968 Shelby Mustang GT500KR Shown Here
This is an original 1968 Shelby Mustang GT500KR, it was built on July the 16th, 1968 and delivered new to Johnny Bolton Ford in Maitland, Florida. It’s one of 1,053 GT500KR fastbacks produced for the model year, and one of 530 finished in Acapulco Blue.
The car is powered by a 428 cubic inch Cobra Jet V8, factory rated at 335 bhp and 440 lb ft of torque, paired with the desirable 4-speed manual transmission. It also came with the GT Equipment and Decor Groups, functional hood scoops, rear spoiler, power steering, power-assisted four-wheel disc brakes, air conditioning, a tilt-away steering wheel, AM/FM radio, folding Sport Deck rear seat, simulated woodgrain trim, and 15-inch Magstar-style wheels.
The black vinyl interior also has front shoulder harnesses and auxiliary Stewart-Warner gauges. The current owner bought the car in 2020 and has added approximately 500 of the 20,000 miles currently shown on the odometer.
The GT500KR is one of the most sought-after of the Shelby Mustangs, the “KR” in the model name stands for “King of the Road,” as it was the most powerful Mustang that had been offered for sale to the general public at that point in time.
Maintenance in 2022 included a rebuilt Holley carburetor, replacement alternator, voltage regulator, points and condenser, along with a new Flowmaster dual exhaust system with quad tips. The brake booster and tires were also replaced around two years ago, while the power-steering hoses were renewed in May of 2022.
The car is now being offered for sale with a Deluxe Marti Report confirming its July 1968 build date and factory spec sheet, as well as its owner’s manual, service records and delivery documents. It’s titled in Arizona using the serial number shown on its Shelby American identification plate. If you’d like to read more or place a bid you can visit the listing here.
Images by TheImageEngine courtesy of Bring a Trailer
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
