Few Shelby Mustangs carry the historical weight of the 1968 GT500KR. Listed for sale on Bring a Trailer, this example represents one of just 518 GT500KR convertibles produced for the model year, combining Carroll Shelby’s performance philosophy with Ford’s formidable 428 Cobra Jet V8.
The “King of the Road” name itself was almost a strategic accident. After Shelby learned Chevrolet was preparing a Corvette using the designation, he had his trade-dress attorney investigate its availability. Discovering that the name was unclaimed, Shelby secured the rights and applied it to his new Cobra Jet-powered Mustang.
Introduced midway through the 1968 model year, the GT500KR shared the GT500’s basic architecture but replaced its engine with Ford’s 428 Cobra Jet. Factory-rated at 335 horsepower and 440 lb-ft of torque, the big-block V8 used a four-barrel Holley carburetor. This particular car’s engine was later rebuilt with .030-inch-over Sealed Power pistons, Crane lifters and pushrods, Speed Pro rocker arms, a balanced crankshaft, and a competition valve job. Dynamometer testing subsequently recorded 385.4 horsepower and 468.1 lb-ft of torque.
Power reaches the rear wheels through a three-speed automatic transmission and Traction-Lok limited-slip differential, both of which were overhauled. The chassis retains the GT500’s heavy-duty suspension, including reinforced coil springs and a front anti-roll bar, complemented by heavy-duty rear leaf springs, power steering, and power-assisted front disc brakes.
Visually, the KR is distinguished by an SMC fiberglass hood with functional louvers and large forward-facing air scoops feeding its ram-air system. Quarter-panel scoops, a rear spoiler, sequential taillights, Lucas grille-mounted lights, Cobra Jet badging, and a Cobra Jet fuel-filler cap further separate it from lesser Shelby variants.
Finished in Wimbledon White over black Décor upholstery, this convertible was disassembled and refinished between 2003 and 2010 and has remained with its current owner for 23 years. Its equipment includes the Interior Décor and Visibility Groups, GT Equipment Group, power-operated soft top, Shelby roll bar, Tilt-Away steering column, tachometer, trip odometer, and 15-inch Shelby 10-spoke aluminum wheels.
More than a high-performance Mustang, the GT500KR represents the moment Shelby transformed the Cobra Jet’s brutal big-block performance into one of the most recognizable Shelby convertibles of the 1960s.
1968 Shelby Mustang GT500KR Convertible For Sale – Image Gallery
Source: Bring a Trailer
