1968 1/2 SHELBY COBRA MUSTANG GT500KR, ONE OF CARROLL SHELBY'S BEST

When you here the name Carroll Shelby, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? The AC Cobra, sometimes referred to as the Shelby Cobra ? The Ford Mustang Shelby Cobra ? The legendary race car driver in his own right ?

I say all of the above describe a man who was an automotive pioneer, and contributed and devoted a life time to the automotive Industry.

One of Carroll Shelby's finest achievements was the 1968 1/2 Shelby Cobra Mustang GT500KR, this automobile gave the legendary pony car bragging rights as a Muscle Car. In 1967 the Ford Mustang morphed into a muscle car. crossing the threshold of muscle car engines, 1967 offered a de-tuned race 427 and Police Interceptor 428, leaving 1968 with the draconian task of making something even bigger and more sinister.

With the return of the 427 & the 428 in 1968, Ford introduced the legendary 428 Cobra Jet in April of that year, that meant the Cobra Jet became the lead engine mid way through the car’s production, replacing the Police Interceptor option, for the GT500s.

 A handful of ’68 Shelby GT500s were equipped with 427ci engines from the factory. These were manufactured prior to the 427 engine option being discontinued for the model and the KR model, replacing the regular GT500s.The Shelby GT500s received a new engine mid way through the model year, and they also acquired a “KR” suffix, which designated each car as a “King of the Road” model.

 

Rated at just 335bhp, the Cobra Jet engine fitted between the GT500-KR’s front fenders is believed to actually produce a hearty 400+hp.

 Although factory specifications put this engine at just 335bhp at 5,600RPM, it is estimated that the engine was capable of producing more in the 400bhp range

 

A total of 4,451 Shelby Mustang GTs were produced, 1,251 of those being GT500-KR models. Within that 1,251, just 933 were fastback models while a measly 318 were convertibles. If you wanted a GT500-KR fastback, it would’ve cost you $4,472 while a convertible model would have set you back $4,594. This is quite the jump from the factory $2,602 and $2,814 price tags associated with base ’68 fastback and convertible models.