Numbers-Matching GT500KR Is Sure Have a Hefty Sale Price
Bring A Trailer auction featuring this gorgeous numbers-matching GT500KR is virtually flawless from end to end. It is sure to bring an eye-watering hammer price.
The 1968 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR is the ultimate version of the legendary GT500. The KR namesake is a tongue-in-cheek acronym for “King of The Road.” Equipped with a big block Ford 428 cubic-inch Cobra Jet engine from Police Interceptor vehicles of the time, they were certainly no joke. However, the massive powerplant wasn’t the entire story. Shelby modified the 428 Mustangs to develop the GT500KR. The Shelby changes include a redesign of the hood, front end, and rear end. All of these custom Shelby parts were fiberglass, too.
Though the chance to buy a numbers-matching GT500KR is a pretty rare occasion, collectors should act quickly on this opportunity. Currently, this gorgeous example is for sale on Bring a Trailer courtesy of iconic Canadian car dealer Legendary Motorcar. This is not a tire kicker’s auction, of course. At the time of writing, this GT500KR has five days left remaining on its listing and already has a high bid of $119,999.
One of Only 1,053 Made, This GT500KR Is a Rare Beast
Only 1,570 GT500KR models came to fruition in 1968, 1053 fastback and 517 convertibles.
Aside from the fiberglass aesthetic upgrades, the GT500Kr also got a Shebly suspension overhaul. After all, you wouldn’t expect Carroll Shelby to put “King of The Road” on something if he didn’t mean it!
Inside, you’ll find black leather upholstery throughout the cabin with a wood grain finish on the dashboard. The dash features a 140-mph speedometer, a tachometer with a 6k-rpm redline, a clock, and gauges monitoring fuel level, coolant temperature, oil pressure, and amperage. Currently, the odometer reads 75,000 miles. However, the true original mileage of this Shelby icon is not known.
It’s finished in Acapulco Blue Paint, which is the car’s original color. It has been resprayed, however.
Numbers-Matching 428 Super Cobra Jet Is Ready to Rumble
The auction includes photos of the date code casting on the engine block. Additionally, a photo shows the matching VIN stamp on the back of the engine block. Finding a 1968 Mustang with its original engine is no easy task. It’s especially crazy when it’s a GT500KR. Certainly, this adds some major points and value for the collector crowd.
Ford advertised that these engines make 335 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque. It is widely well known, however, that Ford was very conservative with that power figure. Many 428 Cobra Jet V8s made over 400 horsepower from the factory.
Finally, this mustang also comes with a Deluxe Marti Auto Works report. The report shows all of the vehicles’ original specs and options. This is a super cool addition to have alongside the vehicle.
The one slight hangup some might run into is that this car is currently in Canada. Furthermore, the Canadian province it is in does not issue titles for vehicles. So, the vehicle is being sold with its registration. However, with proper purchase paperwork, getting a U.S. title shouldn’t be an issue.
Overall, this is numbers-matching GT500KR going to make a classic muscle car collector extremely happy. Though we can’t say for certain what the final price will be, we’ll certainly be watching to find out!
Photos: Bring a Trailer