https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/shelby/gt500/2367301.html
More pictures in advertisement link
Mod edit to include description from ad:
Seller's Description:
1968 SHELBY GT500 CONVERTIBLE, CHASSIS NO: 8T03S179586-02763
• An original, unrestored time capsule example
• Original interior, paint and sheet metal
• Original engine and drivetrain
• Just 35,618 original miles from new
• Four-hour inspection and photo documentation of car by Kevin Marti, with Marti Platinum Report
• Single family ownership until 2019
• First time ever offered for public sale
428 cid V-8 engine rated at 355 HP, four-barrel carburetor, Ford C6 three-speed automatic transmission, independent front suspension with unequal-length control arms, coil springs, and anti-roll bar, live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, front disc and rear drum hydraulic brakes; wheelbase: 108"
Of all the famous people associated with motorsports, the name Carroll Shelby is as big as any. Ranking among such greats as Barney Oldfield, Eddie Rickenbacker, A.J. Foyt, and Phil Hill, Shelby not only drove racecars, but he also built them. Shelby's heyday of building some of the fastest cars on the street were in the 1960s, when powerful GTOs, Mustangs, Corvettes, and Chargers roamed the streets in search of victims. The cars that Carroll Shelby built in that era are legends in the present day; they represent more than speed, as they have become a symbol of American muscle. Brute strength, superior power, and flashy colors were the order of the day for the Shelbys of yesteryear.
Offered here is an exceptional unrestored example from the muscle car era that has an incredible story. This 1968 Shelby GT500 is a timepiece that has been garaged and cared for since the day it was brought home in 1968 when Mr. Robert O'Brien bought it from Chaffee Motors in Redondo Beach, California. Mr. O'Brien used it for only a few years before purchasing a used 1966 Mustang, which became his everyday driver, while the Shelby was retired to the family garage. Mr. O'Brien passed away in 1988 and left the car to a family member on the condition that it be domiciled in the family's home garage. When Mr. O'Brien's widow passed on in 2015, it sat until 2018 when it was moved to the present owner's home. In order to ensure its reliability, the engine was inspected and rebuilt by Gasser's Garage in Lomite, California. The result is that this Shelby now runs great and is a true pleasure to drive. Most interesting is that this is the first time this Shelby GT500 has ever been offered for public sale. The incredible originality of this GT500 is documented in its Marti Platinum Report and its documentation also contains the original window sticker, build sheet, and dealer invoice, all attesting the authenticity of this time capsule. All identification tags are present and, except for a replaced carburetor, front shock absorbers, and safety equipment such as brake lines, this GT500 still retains its original parts. It also still has its license plate frame from Chaffee Motors and still retains its factory exhaust system. This is a nicely optioned Shelby with power steering, power brakes, and a power convertible top. It's also equipped with Ford's nifty "Tilt-Away steering that automatically moves the wheel out of the way when the car is turned off. This Shelby is finished Dark Metallic Green and is believed to still retain its factory original convertible top. It's also riding on only the second set of tires it's ever had. The authentic appearance of this GT500 is further enhanced by its factory Shelby rims. The interior is all business with a touch of comfort in the way of nice upholstery and a good amount of woodgrain applique on the dashboard, center console, and steering wheel. All gauges are intact and functional, and the center console gives this Shelby an "all business" look while bucket seats provide comfort. At the heart of this Shelby is the 428 Cobra Jet with 335 horsepower. Ford spared no expense in creating one of the most powerful and durable engines ever built in a production-based automobile. The 428 is mated to a C6 automatic transmission that makes driving a pleasure. The engine bay on this fine Ford is clean and well-sorted with correct colors and the all-important air cleaner emblazoned with the Shelby logo. The muscle car era comes alive in this Shelby GT500 with its attention to fine detail and dedication to authenticity. Prospective buyers should look closely at the preservation of this time capsule in order to fully appreciate its well-kept-up condition.
According to Kevin Marti and the accompanying Platinum Marti Report - "This is one of the finest examples of an unrestored 1968 Shelby. Its value is enhanced by being relatively untouched. Further, it is a desirable GT500, has a popular color scheme, and is a convertible. The rarity of the documents present, along with the rarity of the original parts present put this in the top three of original 1968 Shelbys that I have had the pleasure to observe. This will be a fine piece of automotive history to own and will someday belong in a museum."
We couldn't have said it better ourselves.
Marti report link below
https://www.dropbox.com/s/pji4dh5zn0iki6x/8T03S179586%20Analysis.docx?dl=0
Looks like a great car. Always wonder why owners want to slap on an old black and gold plate that isn't right for the car ::)
Hated the idea when the sate started to allow you (of additional charges that they will collect every year) to add just about any license plate to your car.
Oh well easy on easy off
Thanks for sharing
Curb Feelers! I remember those!
Amazing condition for being unrestored.
Wonder about that black plastic wiring harness holder on long smog hose any 68 guys seen that before?
Quote from: J_Speegle on January 28, 2020, 09:48:47 PM
Always wonder why owners want to slap on an old black and gold plate that isn't right for the car ::)
That is not an old plate. That is a newly issued sequence, true, it can be put on any car of any year. California supplies that type of plate painted in those colors, as a retro look. Genuine 60's yellow on black plates were 3 letters followed by 3 digits.
Quote from: Special Ed on January 28, 2020, 10:25:09 PM
Wonder about that black plastic wiring harness holder on long smog hose any 68 guys seen that before?
Ed,most likely a miss placed clip IMO.
Quote from: sd427 on January 28, 2020, 10:28:18 PM
That is not an old plate. That is a newly issued sequence, true, it can be put on any car of any year. California supplies that type of plate painted in those colors, as a retro look. Genuine 60's yellow on black plates were 3 letters followed by 3 digits.
Agree that the new plate on the back of the 68 being discussed has the letter and sequence issued for the non-personlized plates now offered by the state.
Was attempting to bring to the attention of readers the sequence - 3 letters followed by 3 numbers - was different from commercial and trailer plates and you see guys placing those on cars as well as letters (in the three letters and three numbers) that don't match what was available during the year of the car's production
Then you also had dealer plates and other ones with other patterns also
Some examples
Original top (non-passenger car or commercial truck) - Bottom an example of a new state "Legacy" plate
(http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/gallery/13/6-280120232144.jpeg)
Tow original examples of Commercial plats from the time period
(http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/gallery/13/6-280120232201.jpeg)
Just crossed the block this month at Worldwide in Scottsdale.
No sale at $120K.
Interesting.
Quote from: J_Speegle on January 28, 2020, 11:08:58 PM
Was attempting to bring to the attention of readers the sequence - 3 letters followed by 3 numbers - was different from commercial and trailer plates and you see guys placing those on cars as well as letters (in the three letters and three numbers) that don't match what was available during the year of the car's production
Sorry to hijack this thread. Until recently, there was no way to retrofit an old style plate onto a 1963 or later car in CA. Cars that had been continuously registered in CA with their original plates could retain those plates indefinitely, but once the registration lapsed, if you then re-registered it in CA, they would force you to put the currently issued plates, or a vanity plate, on the vehicle. This situation made it easy to tell if a car had spent its whole life in CA, and gave rise to the term "original CA black plates" in car ads. This is no longer true. You can no longer tell if a 1963 or later car has its original plates, unless the owner can show you all of his yearly registration paperwork. The way to retrofit plates is called the Year of Manufacture program, or YOM. CA does not allow putting the wrong pattern of plate on a different type of vehicle, like a commercial or trailer plate on a car. Some people paint later plates, with a different pattern of letters and digits, yellow on black, to make them look like the 60's plates, but yes, if the pattern of characters is not 3 letters followed by 3 digits, they are not correct.
As for the cars with the correct 3 letters followed by three digits pattern, but the actual first letter not being "available during the year of the car's production", there are no hard and fast rules on which letters were used which years. Yes, there is a general flow from A to Z, but depending on where in the state you resided, the local supply of plates could change from one letter to the next quickly, or slowly, depending on population, etc. The distribution of plates was not centralized and perfectly followed the alphanumeric sequence. Of course, simple facts like a 1964 car that was brought into CA in 1968 would tend to have a later letter sequence.
Quote from: Shelby_r_b on January 28, 2020, 11:39:17 PM
Just crossed the block this month at Worldwide in Scottsdale.
No sale at $120K.
Interesting.
well ,that's a real cool time-capsule and looking nice preserved over the year ! 120 000 bidding was low ! i hope it will go to SAAC member !
Ed, I'm guessing someone hung that wiring clip and forgot about it. There would be nothing to clip it to.
Love the color code written on passenger shock tower.
I find the plaid trunk mat interesting. Not saying its not original, but its not typical
This car was actually built without a deluxe steering wheel, so I would like to know when the deluxe wheel appeared.
Oh, it really needs hubcaps.just my observations.
" The authentic appearance of this GT500 is further enhanced by its factory Shelby rims." REALLY??? ::)
Pete steering wheel looks deluxe to me in photos are there 2 types deluxe 68 steering wheels?
First, nice car.
The steering wheel looks fine to Me.
Wheels are repo's, looks to me like an earlier version.
I would question the trunk mat.
Someone has added a standard right hand mirror. Looks goofy to Me.
Anything amiss under the hood, remember the ad states the engine has been rebuilt so not everything is original. To bad.
Antenna broken off?
Later in the ad they incorrectly reference the engine as "428 Cobra Jet with 335 horsepower"
To bad they didn't include any photos of underneath the car.
Still looks like a very nice car.
I see in the Marti link there are some underneath photos.
Rodney
There is a standard steering wheel and the deluxe (woodgrain) steering wheel. The build sheet indicates the car was built with the non woodgrain version.
I have seen several other cars without the deluxe steering wheel.
I will post the build sheet later today
Never seen a '68 Shelby hood that fit that well. Amazing. I wonder if the steering wheel and trunk mat have been replaced like the wheels.
Wow! Love seeing these highly original cars; especially a 500 vert. with an actual build date close to ours.
Quote from: Royce Peterson on January 29, 2020, 11:26:19 AM
Never seen a '68 Shelby hood that fit that well. Amazing. I wonder if the steering wheel and trunk mat have been replaced like the wheels.
Mine fit pretty well on my 68 and it had all the original metal and fglass on it. without springs it was a perfect match front to back. No bow at all. Fit pretty good to the header also .Gary
(https://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag117/Shelbymann1968/shelby4-18-09_zps1977ea1a.jpg) (https://s1301.photobucket.com/user/Shelbymann1968/media/shelby4-18-09_zps1977ea1a.jpg.html)
Not to say original on picture car but I have seen a few survivor early production 68 Shelby with the original plaid mat with sewed corners like what is typical in 67 Shelby. I figured it was apparently a short time use before evolving to the speckled mat
My first impression of this car was very positive, and it still is. The color combination is beautiful. The collection of original documents is something every subsequent owner of these cars wishes they had. The Marti detail report is a treasure I wish my car qualified for. This '68 GT500 convertible is certainly closer to as delivered condition than is mine. The fact that it's represented as a survivor car, and priced as such, makes it all the more interesting. BUT, that status opens it to critical eyes and questions.
My question is directed to the side scoops. They appear to have a metal mesh. I always thought the mesh was a GTCS only thing. I wonder if the original owner replaced the side scoops entirely, or just added the mesh, to typically open scoops, to minimize the amount of road stones from being trapped there.
I'm adding pictures to make it easier to see what I'm pointing out.
Steve
Your assessment of the scoops is correct
I have seen the screen on a 68 Shelby scoop before where the owner explained that he installed it because he thought he was missing something after seeing a few CA specials.
The cal special scoop is not open, the screen merely covers the fiberglass.
Im going to bet a donut, the steering wheel was changed out.
Dying to know...
Quote from: Coralsnake on January 29, 2020, 01:52:23 PM
The cal special scoop is not open, the screen merely covers the fiberglass.
Im going to bet a donut, the steering wheel was changed out.
Dying to know...
Yes the screen cleverly disguises the fact that the Cal Special scoop is closed off. That is it's purpose on that car. It was quite interesting on the car I saw how the owner of the 68 Shelby rigged up the screen to sit in the scoop opening thinking he needed it..
(http://www.saacforum.com/gallery/8-290120163508.jpeg)
Here is the build sheet as posted in the ad. Note the check off does not specify the "deluxe" wheel / Line "D" Box "3" . The ID number is also for a standard wheel, not a woodgrain wheel. The deluxe wheel is denoted "8MA 600 A1A"
So was that a mistake on assembly line pete as I would think the deluxe steering wheel would have been part of the deluxe interior coded into the build of the car not a separate option?
Quote from: Special Ed on January 29, 2020, 05:36:06 PM
So was that a mistake on assembly line pete as I would think the deluxe steering wheel would have been part of the deluxe interior coded into the build of the car not a separate option?
Do recall that on Mustangs the deluxe steering wheels were separately available as well as part of a larger package so we have examples of standard interiors with the deluxe wheel.
In the case of a deluxe 68 interior I also find it odd that one was not included/installed but not one that focuses closely as others on this year and plant. Sure those guys will comment
For Mustangs, I do think its a stand alone part. I do not think it's an error.
My best guess would be supply issue, since all build sheets at this time are similar. It is surrounded by deluxe wheels before and after.
YYeah and maybe when the car came in the new owner claimed it should have a deluxe steering wheel like other 68 shelbys he seen so the dealer changed the steering wheel out a simple switch 1 nut. I never heard of anything but 3 spoke deluxe steering wheels on 69 shelbys boss 429s and mach 1s. But in 70 the steering wheel was a separate option (except on mach1 and boss 429) even on deluxe interior cars you could get a deluxe 2 spoke or 3 spoke depending on how u ordered the car.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiCGbj0NAKI
Not a bad day if you can male 100k plus
The spare tire is just like mine. I believe it to be the original spare
Quote from: Coralsnake on January 29, 2020, 07:15:48 AM
Ed, I'm guessing someone hung that wiring clip and forgot about it. There would be nothing to clip it to.
Love the color code written on passenger shock tower.
I find the plaid trunk mat interesting. Not saying its not original, but its not typical
This car was actually built without a deluxe steering wheel, so I would like to know when the deluxe wheel appeared.
Oh, it really needs hubcaps.just my observations.
Agree; does the corner look sewn to you?
Quote from: 66S285 on February 16, 2020, 05:53:18 PM
The spare tire is just like mine. I believe it to be the original spare
If it was rotated, we would be seeing one incredible original tread stencil; barely visible. Appears the white letters have never been wiped clean.