1968 Shelby Mustang GT350, GT500 and GT500KR. Greg Kolasa

Selling Out Means Selling More

Style over Substance, by Design

       Chapter 3: Planning the Most Prolific Shelby Yet

       Top Down, Popularity Up

       Appearance Was Paramount

       But Performance Still Mattered

       The “Shelby Cobra” Lives On (sort of)

       Change of Venue

       A Perfect Storm

       A. O. Smith

       The Vision Becomes Reality

       Production Begins . . . Slowly

       “Ding In Roof”

       It’s the Economy, Stupid

       Chapter 4: The 1968 Shelby Cobra in Detail: The Same . . . But Different

       Keeping It Simple(r)

       Cookie-Cutter Consistency

       Roger Miller, the Cobra Jet and the King of the Road

       The Snake is Quicker than the Bowtie

       Gold (non) Standard

       More Color Curiosities

       A Reduced Rent-a-Racer Revival

       More Appropriate for the Masses

       Chapter 5: A Shelby Cobra Hardtop (sort of)

       Camaro, Firebird and Javelin Made it Happen

       CS (but not for Carroll Shelby)

       Built for California, in California

       Chapter 6: Legacy and Legend

       Explaining (or trying to) the Unexplainable

       Affordability Begets Unaffordability

       The Price Pyramid

       Extraordinary within the Mundane

       The Numbers Game

       Trust . . . But Verify

       Shelby’s Mustang, Redefined

       Appendix A: Comparative 1968 Shelby Cobra Performance Data

       Appendix B: 1968 Shelby Production Numbers, Colors and Prices

       Appendix C: 1968 Shelby Numerology: VIN Codes and Tags

       ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

      Whether you are a supporter or detractor of Carroll Shelby, you have to concede that his management philosophy of surrounding himself with the best, brightest, and most talented people to accomplish an objective, worked. That’s the approach I followed in creating this book. Although the appropriateness of using Shelby’s technique to write a book about his cars is certainly apparent, the real reason I followed that model was because it works. There is some degree of lunacy to penning any work on Shelby’s Mustangs without tapping into the vast resources of the Shelby American Automobile Club (SAAC) and its registrars and concours judges, so I took full advantage of their willingness to share their collective expertise. Rodney Harrold, Dave Mathews, Howard Pardee, Pete Disher, Jeff Speegle, and SAAC founder and National Director, Rick Kopec (who also shares more than a little of the blame for launching my literary career, if I dare call it that) took it as their personal challenge to make me sound as if I know what I am talking about; I am thankful for their success.

      While I can claim responsibility for some for the photos of the Shelbys, Mustangs, and other Fords that appear between these covers, others are the work of the car owners, some of whom went far above and beyond to provide superb images of the wonderful machines (many of them driven regularly) of which they are caretakers. Sincere thanks to

      Dennis Blocker (CSX 3311), Tim Brillhart (8T02R206064-02591), Dominic Ciliberto and Diana Duffee (8T03S115994-00136, 8T02J188441-02993, and S.F.M. 6S2050), Tom Clark (1968 Mustang GT California Special), Colin Comer (8T02J205264-03218), Tony Conover (8T02R205374-03447), Rich DiMarino (1968 Mustang GT California Special), Pete Disher (8T02R204798-03206), Lee Dixon (8T02S129547-00555), Scott Fuller (8T03S185133-02837, 8T02R205375-03447, and 8T03R216160-04391), Bev Harrold (1968 Mustang GT California Special), Rodney Harrold (8T02R201713-02267), Bill Hartmann (1964-1/2 Mustang Hardtop), Dan Hayenhjelm (1961 Ford Falcon), Mike Hudock (8T02R210376-03760), Martin Jackler (67200F3-0069), Peter Larkin (S.F.M. 6S327), Charlie McHose (8T03S134540-00987), David and Kellie Meador (8T02S143434-01561), Gary and Deb Miller (8T02J126809-00397), Gary and Jason Miller (1967 Shelby “Little Red” replica), Paul M. Newitt (1968 Mustang GT California Special), Scott Nickett (1962 Ford Thunderbird 09KR0166), Carol Padden (S.F.M. 6S1012), Howard Pardee (S.F.M. 5R095), Linda and Len Perham (S.F.M. 6S2377), Robert Perruso (8T02J193184-02085), Richard Pozarycki (8T02J192467-02184), Bill and Cyndi Prohidney (07H0318), David Russell (67400F8U00723), Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum (CSX 2287 and XGT-1) Scott Smith (8T02J134489-00930), Jan Sochurek (S.F.M. 5S392), Mike Tillery (8T02R205338-03382), Lance Tarnutzer (8T03R2210094-03473), Samuel Vassallo (8T03S149444-01445 and 8T02R216177-04408), Brian Walshe (’66 Mustang GT “K” fastback), Fred Warf (8T02J204810-03271), and Jim Wojcik (8T02R210136-03515).

      Kevin Marti of Marti Autoworks (martiauto.com) provided valuable assistance in decoding VIN and ID tags and determining various cars’ build dates; Marty Jackler willingly shared his vast knowledge of Ford parts and their applications (past and present); and Scott Fuller of Scott Fuller Reproductions (sfreproductions.com) supplied more information than I ever