Green Hornet 1968 Mustang Shelby EXP 500 Ready for Restoration
In honor of St. Patrick's Day, we thought it would be fun to take one last look at the historic “Green Hornet” 1968 Ford Mustang Shelby EXP 500 before it gets restored.
The Green Hornet: A hero from another time.
There's something about those legendary vintage muscle rides that never wears cold on current tastes. As any classic motor fan will tell you, there was something about those old cars that transcended trends and became timeless for it. There was a devil-may-care attitude in the muscle car designs that practically ensured their value would never fade.
On the other hand, as anyone who has had to actively maintain a classic muscle car will tell you, they're anything but timeless under the hood. It arguably in equal parts between the timelessness of classic cars, and the ironic need to work on them so much that we bring you this story. A good old-fashioned car restoration story never hurt anyone, and in keeping with St. Patrick's day, the fact this hornet was green was just a helpful coincidence.
The car pictured here originally earned its purpose as a prototype model for Ford Shelby engineers, who used it not once, but twice to demonstrate the latest buzz. It was the only Mustang of its kind to reach that kind of recognition. People are still noticing it decades later, after all.
A two-time prototype and all-time legend.
While some may be deft enough to know it as the Green Hornet, there's no doubting the EXP 500 has had its fame restricted largely to fans of that era's autos. The car was a frontrunner for Mustang designs, even having the rare honor of becoming the only Mustang of its era to have stood in as a prototype twice. Having ultimately fallen into the hands of Barrett-Jackson's CEO Craig Jackson after an unsold bid at an auction, he's since had this historic car transferred to the hands of Billups Cars for restoration.
Enthusiasts tend to have different opinions on how a restoration should be approached, if at all. While purists are rightly fearful to believe the search is changing, Billups Cars have stuck to their commitment to making things as historically authentic as possible. and from what we've seen so far of their work it's not unreasonable to think they'll pull it off.
A long history with Barrett-Jackson.
The EXP 500 passed through several hands before finally crossing paths with Craig Jackson, CEO of the esteemed Barrett-Jackson specialty auto auction hub. The EXP 500 had been restored at least once in the 1990s before coming into Jackson's hands in 2003.
In its post-glory modern days, the EXP 500's greatest exposure was arguably it was showcasing at the 2013 Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. As prized as it is, the car went unsold during the initial auction. The surprise failure had the ironic impact of actually boosting the car's reputation further still.
While we're on the note of high-value vintage 'Stangs, it is notable to mention that the dark green scheme and nameplate on the EXP 500 share common ground with an arguably more famous Ford; that being the iconic fastback from the film Bullitt, which made film history through what is arguably the most classic car chase sequence ever choreographed in film.
It's a hefty task recreating the past.
No matter how you feel about the restoration itself, the fact alone of making a "historically correct" restoration on a car that hit asphalt a full century ago begs to be admired and questioned alike. The serious dedication to authenticity deserves respect by itself in our books.
But what of truly recreating history though?
From a business perspective, we think it's clever that most restorers would rather say they'll "approximate" rather than replicate the past. After all, there are so many things you need to get right; everything from the components used to the method of putting the pieces together could technically dash a project's hopes of matching that true sincerity.
Is Billups Cars up to the challenge?
Craig Jackson has been quoted directly showing his support for Billups Cars. While the logistical issues of finding rare outdated parts and information about a rare prototype were thankfully assuaged by their expert connections, part of the reason Billups was chosen was that the leader of that team had experience with working on the original car, all the way back in 1968. Can't get much more authentic than that, hey?
There's more of this story yet to be told.
Craig Jackson handed over the Green Hornet on the professional opinion of his mechanic. The car looks as sharp as ever as far as these last-minute pics have anything to say. Still, most of what goes into the restoration of a well-maintained model like this happen under the hood. Even if the result may not be visibly superior, it won't take an expert to hear and feel the difference. That is, providing they're able to get close enough to it.
The prospective "due date" for the finished EXP 500 restoration is slated for October 2018-- well in time for the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals convention in November where the re-introduction's tentatively happening. We'll have to wait and see what lies in store once Billups Cars have worked their magic. Of course, if everything goes according to plan with regards to that "historical correctness," it won't be hard to predict the outcome.
For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit the how-to section on our sister site, MustangForums.com.