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Flash Gordon’s 428-Powered 1968 Mustang Shelby GT500 Convertible up for Grabs

This rare 1968 Shelby Mustang GT500 Convertible has been refurbished in recent years and appears to be in reasonably good condition both inside and out. If that’s not appealing enough for you, maybe you’ll change your mind after reading about its original owner.
Refurbished 1968 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Convertible getting auctioned off 60 photos
Photo: Hemmings
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According to Hemmings, the car used to belong to none other than action movie star Buster Crabbe, who portrayed Tarzan, Flash Gordon, and Buck Rogers on the silver screen in the 1930s. Later in life, he bought this Shelby GT500 Convertible from a dealer in New Jersey, a car that’s said to be one of just 402 convertible models ever made for the 1968 model year.

Visually, these 1968 cars featured an updated front end design with a lengthened hood line, air scoops, and louvered cooling vents. Meanwhile, those elongated taillights were “borrowed” from the 1965 Thunderbird.

This particular car was repainted in its original Candy Apple Red four years ago, while the white convertible top was replaced around that same time. The exterior trim is said to be in very good condition, with no rust in the body. While all the exterior lights work normally, the grille-mounted ones are not the original units.

As for the black vinyl interior, it looks alright, and the gauges are said to work normally, much like the factory air-conditioning system and the heater. We should note that the console-mounted gauges aren’t factory standard, though. Furthermore, there’s a Carroll Shelby autograph on the glove compartment lid, which is believed to be authentic.

Powering this 1968 Shelby GT500 is a Police Interceptor-based 428-cu in (7.0-liter) V8 engine, which is period-accurate. However, the ad states that the unit isn’t claimed to be numbers-matching, and its “rebuild history” is unknown. When new, the 428 V8 used to send 360 hp to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual gearbox.

In the end, whether you’re a Buster Crabbe fan or not, owning such a rare breed of Shelby Mustang has to be a real treat.

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About the author: Sergiu Tudose
Sergiu Tudose profile photo

Sergiu got to experience both American and European car "scenes" at an early age (his father drove a Ford Fiesta XR2 supermini in the 80s). After spending over 15 years at local and international auto publications, he's starting to appreciate comfort behind the wheel more than raw power and acceleration.
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