Page 82 - Experience Magazine Spring 2022

LOT #728 - 1968 SHELBY GT500 KR FASTBACK – NO RESERVE
KING OF THE ROAD

THE LEGENDARY 1968 SHELBY GT500 KR FASTBACK

Making its debut on April 17, 1964, at the New York Recognizing a good thing, Shelby unleashed the Cobra
World’s Fair, followed by the most-successful new-car Jet-powered GT500KR “King of the Road” version of
launch in automotive history, Ford Motor Company’s the GT500 Mustang during 1968, with the heavier and
sporty new Mustang originated the lucrative new better-equipped cars upholding the performance ante
“ponycar” market. Predictably, the Mustang’s brilliant with the CJ’s 440 ft/lbs of tire-melting torque available
success soon drew a host of imitators from the other from just 3,400 rpm. As Shelby’s top Mustang-based
major American automakers, forcing select revisions road model, the sophisticated, Grand Touring-style KR
for 1967, including a larger engine bay capable of was highly equipped with larger brakes (front disc/rear
housing the new crop of big-displacement V8 engines drum), under-hood suspension bracing, and staggered
performance-minded buyers demanded. Naturally, Shelby rear shocks to prevent axle wind-up and wheel hop
American joined the action, replacing the Mustang’s during hard launches. The new Shelby’s provocative
regular-production 390ci engine in favor of Ford’s even “King of the Road” moniker was in fact a cheeky jab
more-powerful 428 Interceptor V8 to create the new at archrival Chevrolet, which was planning to launch
GT500 as a companion to the original small-block a special Corvette model of the same name. Since
GT350. Packing 360 horsepower, the GT500 was certainly Shelby American had outgrown its facilities at Los
a strong performer, but more firepower was required to Angeles International Airport (LAX) by 1967 and Ford
truly strike back at Chrysler’s factory-backed HEMI cars began taking a direct role in production, the company
and Chevrolet’s new big-block Camaro at the dragstrip. was split into three entities with road-car production
Ford counterattacked with the 428 Cobra
Jet, created at the expert suggestion of Hot
Rod magazine Editor Eric Dahlquist in
collaboration with Rhode Island’s famous Tasca
Ford dealership. Key Cobra Jet components
were an inspired combination of many items
that already populated the Ford corporate parts
bin, including low-riser 427 cylinder heads and
beefier internals. A 735 cfm Holley carburetor
provided induction and a performance
camshaft unlocked the CJ’s potential. Factory-
rated output was “just” 335 horsepower,
suspiciously low but pleasing to insurance
companies and useful for manipulating the
NHRA’s Super Stock class-factoring system.
Any doubts as to the Cobra Jet’s true potency
were quickly silenced at the 1968 NHRA
Winternationals, where Ford’s six-car Cobra Jet
team stormed through the field, culminating in
an all-CJ SS/E final round with Al Joniec taking
the class win and beating Chrysler’s Dave Wren
for Super Stock Eliminator.

82 BARRETT-JACKSON EXPERIENCE SUMMER 2022