Photo: Barrett-Jackson
In the world of American motorsport, the name Rick Hendrick speaks volumes. The 71-year old owner of NASCAR team Hendrick Motorsports is also an active car collector, with his garages holding many high-profile machines. One of them is this here 1968 Shelby Mustang GT500KR.
Shelby Mustangs are, by definition, the ultimate muscle rides. But even within their ranks, there are some more special than others, and the KR certainly qualifies as such. KR stands for King of the Road, a suffix added to Shelby-modified Fords in 1968 as a means to designate the most powerful such conversions out there.
That year, just a little over 500 such cars were made, and only 50 of them were convertibles wearing the yellow paint you see adorning the body of the machine we have here. And this is a Shelby GT500 that comes straight out of the garages of Rick Hendrick.
The car is part of a very select group of Mustangs with Shelby DNA that will go under the hammer at the hands of Barrett-Jackson in March, during the gigantic auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. It sells with no reserve, meaning it will go to the highest bidder no matter the price offered.
Given how Hendrick is not in the habit of messing around with a classic, the GT500 comes with the same hardware it rolled off Shelby’s lines decades ago.
That means a 428ci (7.0-liter) Cobra Jet engine under the hood, good for 335 hp and 440 lb-ft (596 Nm) of torque when linked to the 4-speed manual transmission. A black power convertible top with glass backlite, dual exhaust, road lights, fiberglass hood, and GT equipment group are also on deck.
The Mustang rides on 10-spoke aluminum wheels wrapped in Goodyear tires and has done so for 20,600 miles (33,100 km), as shown on the odometer.
And the cherry on the cake, we’re told “legend Carroll Shelby himself personally sat in this convertible and proudly signed the passenger side dashboard.”
That year, just a little over 500 such cars were made, and only 50 of them were convertibles wearing the yellow paint you see adorning the body of the machine we have here. And this is a Shelby GT500 that comes straight out of the garages of Rick Hendrick.
The car is part of a very select group of Mustangs with Shelby DNA that will go under the hammer at the hands of Barrett-Jackson in March, during the gigantic auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. It sells with no reserve, meaning it will go to the highest bidder no matter the price offered.
Given how Hendrick is not in the habit of messing around with a classic, the GT500 comes with the same hardware it rolled off Shelby’s lines decades ago.
That means a 428ci (7.0-liter) Cobra Jet engine under the hood, good for 335 hp and 440 lb-ft (596 Nm) of torque when linked to the 4-speed manual transmission. A black power convertible top with glass backlite, dual exhaust, road lights, fiberglass hood, and GT equipment group are also on deck.
The Mustang rides on 10-spoke aluminum wheels wrapped in Goodyear tires and has done so for 20,600 miles (33,100 km), as shown on the odometer.
And the cherry on the cake, we’re told “legend Carroll Shelby himself personally sat in this convertible and proudly signed the passenger side dashboard.”
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