The 1968 Mustang Shelby GT500 convertible is a highly sought-after collectible vehicle. This particular vehicle, VIN
8T03S179586, is of special interest due its relatively intact original condition and extensive documentation.
An examination of the vehicle reveals the following:
Documentation:
The original window sticker, build sheet, and dealer invoice are original and authenticated.
Although it is common to find build sheets in 1968 Shelbys, they are usually not found in such good condition. Original
window stickers for 1968 Shelbys are extremely rare. Typically, less than 2% of these vehicles have such
documentation. Even rarely is the original sales invoice from the selling
dealer with less than 1% having this valuable piece of history. Further, the
original factory order form to Shelby and the original factory to dealer
invoice are available. As noted on the window sticker, this vehicle was sold
at Chaffee Motors. The original front license plate frame is still present on
the vehicle. Having this complete set of documents is so rare that probably
less than 10 1968 Shelbys have all of these documents.
Factory ID tags:
The most important tags on a 1968 Shelby are the dash VIN tag and the underhood VIN tag. These tags are constructed
of aluminum. As such and being over fifty years old, they are commonly deteriorated to the point of unreadability due
to galvanic reaction. For this reason, many 1968 Shelbys carry reproductions of these two tags. The tags on this vehicle
are original and in very good condition. There is very little of this corrosion present, indicative of the relatively dry
climate this vehicle has been subjected to for the last
fifty years. In addition, the buck tag, used by the
assembly workers to properly prepare the vehicle for
paint and options, is original and in excellent
condition. It is also composed of aluminum and, as
can be observed in the accompanying photo, has no
evidence of corrosion.
Ford used many other tags for the purpose of
assembly of the vehicles on their assembly lines. One
of the key tags used for this is the engine tag, a small
aluminum tag that is attached to the engine typically on the intake
manifold. Referring back to the build sheet that accompanies the
vehicle, in line F of the sheet the Engine Code is listed as “405 J05”.
Note that on the engine tag, this same code appears in the lower
right corner. This is the correct code for the engine of a GT-500 with
an automatic transmission. The lower left corner of the tag shows
“8 B”, which decodes to a production date of February, 1968. This
particular Shelby was produced on March 1, 1968 so this engine code
fits correctly.
Again referring to the build sheet on line F, the transmission
code is shown to be “PGBW”. Observing the accompanying
photo of the transmission tag reveals the same code “PGB W”
present on the tag.
The center section of the rear axle assembly contains
another ID tag. This axle tag has the code “935” in the
lower right hand corner. Checking this against the build
sheet on line G shows the code “8935A” present there.
This is a match. The “8” on the build sheet stood for the
1968 model year and the “A” was a revision code that
wasn’t incorporated on the axle tag that year. The date
code on the axle tag, “8AC”, corresponds to a
production date of 1968, January, the third week. This
being about six weeks before the actual manufacture of
the vehicle is what would be expected for typical
production in that era.
The door data plate, shown to the left, is
another aluminum tag placed on the
vehicle and contains useful data for
mechanics when repair was necessary. This
tag is quite often also missing from
vehicles. The door data plate on this
vehicle, like all of the other tags, is an
original tag. It contains the correct
notation, “SPECIAL PERFORMANCE
VEHICLE”, which was used on all but the
earlies 1968 Shelbys. The data on the tag
correctly matches the build sheet for the
vehicle as can be observed.
Drive Train:
The engine block has the casting date
code of “8B1” that corresponds to
1968, February 1st. This date matches
perfectly for typical production,
namely the block was cast one month
before the production of the vehicle.
No comments can be made about the
internal construction of the engine
because it was not disassembled.
However, the engine runs smoothly,
no smoke is noticed while the engine
is running, and no ticking or knocking
is present.
The carburetor on the engine is the correct Holley carburetor, but appears to have been replaced. However, the
replacement is period correct in that the date code on the air
horn is “832”, which corresponds to a production date of 1968,
March, the second week. This is a week after the vehicle was
produced. This would indicate that early in the life of the
vehicle the carburetor was replaced. Warranty repairs of items
like carburetors were relatively common on these vehicles so
this isn’t a surprise. What is nice is that it is a production
carburetor from this time period and not an aftermarket
carburetor.
The transmission used on the GT-500 Shelbys was a C-6 model. The particular
servo used for this transmission has an “H” cast into it. While no disassembly of
the transmission was performed, the vehicle does shift through the gears
correctly. It cannot be stated what the internal condition of the transmission is
and it would be a good idea to have the transmission internals inspected for
signs of corrosion or wear of the shift bands to protect as much of the originality as possible.
The casting date for the center
section of the rear end is
“7M21”, corresponding to
1967, December 21st. This
date is in line with typical
production for the 1968 model
year. To the right is a picture
of the driver side axle tube.
There is evidence of the
original paper ID sticker that
would have been on the axle
assembly for production. As this ID was made from paper, they virtually never survive due to
their location. However, the fact that it is partially visible speaks to the lack of driving in wet
conditions.
The original exhaust system is still present on the vehicle. This is
another outstanding
feature of this particular
Shelby as less than 2% of
Shelbys retain their
original exhaust systems.
The date code below the
Ford part number for this
production exhaust muffler is “12-67” which decodes as December 1967
and corresponds to what would be expected for a production vehicle for this time. The resonators and clamps used are
all original pieces as well as the rear chrome tips.
Suspension/Brakes:
Most of the original suspension components are still present on this original
vehicle. Although the front shocks have been replaced by aftermarket
components, the original rear Autolite adjustable shocks are still present.
Note on the build sheet on line H the designation for the rear shocks of
“Z7ZDA”. On the shock shown in the illustration to the right is the complete
part number of “Z7ZD 18080 A” which is a perfect match. Below is the
designation “T8AC”. The T is a plant production code, but the “8AC”
corresponds to a date of production of 1968, January, third week. Below
this can be seen the terms “SOFT”, “NORMAL”, and “FIRM” indicating the
correct adjustable nature of these shocks.
Other
suspension
components,
as seen at the
left, have the
patina that
demonstrates
their
originality. All the rust present is nothing more than
expected surface rust.
Certain brake lines have been
replaced (see picture to the right),
likely due to safety concerns about
fifty-year-old rubber brake hoses.
Some of the original suspension
components, like the front coil
springs, still show evidence of their
original ID paint daubs. See the
pink still present on the coil spring.
Note the build sheet shows the
original daubs were gold and pink
on line H. Although the gold does
not show up in the photo, the pink
is clearly visible in the photo on the
left.
The tires on the vehicle are not
original. However, the spare tire is
the original tire that came with the
vehicle. It is in phenomenal shape.
It has never been on the ground as
can be observed by seeing the ink
markings still present on the tread. The tire date code on the right is the old format before the USDOT (United States
Department of Transportation) created a universal tire
code. For this tire, the date code was found in the first two
characters (TU), which decodes as February 1968. This
code agrees with the production date of the vehicle. It is
unknown whether there are other 1968 Shelbys with the
original tire in an unused condition.
Body:
The sheet metal and fiberglass is intact and still contains most of the original paint. The underside shows the correct
red oxide primer with minimal overspray of paint. Because of the heavy application of primer on the underside, it was
common for drip marks
to appear. These are very
hard to imitate when a
vehicle is restored. In the
photo to the left, the
drips are most
prominent toward the
bottom of the photo as a
several rows of drips.
Various sealers and
sound deadeners were
applied to production
vehicles. The sealers and
sound deadeners are
well-preserved as seen in
the photos on the right and below.
The stripes are originally and correctly wrap around the
ends of the body panels. Body panels have date codes
stamped in them. As an example, the rocker panel
picture below shows a date code of 11 20D2, which
decodes as November 20th.
The left fender has a date stamp of 2 15 3D,
which decodes as February 15. The ink stamp
above is a paint OK inspection stamp. Another
example of this is shown on the cowl on the driver side near the windshield washer hoses.
The inside driver side rear quarter shows
the typical patina of an unrestored vehicle.
The sound deadener, which is visible in the
lower left is correctly applied. Most
restorers apply way too much when they
are restoring a vehicle. The factory
instructed
their workers
to minimize
the use of
materials like
this. The
wiring for the
rear mount
radio antenna
and taillights
is properly routed. The loom for the taillights is in remarkable condition. Usually these looms are tattered.
The two photos shown on the bottom of the previous page demonstrate that there is no “bubbling” evidence of severe
corrosion on the body panels and floor pans.
Fiberglass panels are original with their smooth finish, not the rough texture like reproductions.
Interior/Trim:
The original interior is present and in fine condition. An extremely rare item
present is the glovebox ownercard. The date shown at the bottom of the picture
on the right is the start date for the warranty. This is confirmed by looking at the
dealer invoice sales date of June 23, 1969.
The ownercard
belongs in the
metal tongue
shown in the
picture on the
right. The correct
Shelby tire
pressure decal is
also shown here.
The picture on the left shows the TOP and FOG
LAMP controls to be correctly mounted and in
great condition. The pedals show minimal wear as
well as the carpet and heel pad. The faux wood
paneling on the console is in great conditioning
and is not peeling, which is typical of this material
at this age.
Corrosion is present on the pot metal
portion of the convertible top header. This is
very typical of this part and is a result of the
particular manufacturing process that was
used to fabricate this part fifty years ago.
Remarkably, the original
convertible top is still present
on the vehicle. Some of the
seams show slight degradation
but there is no major splitting of
the top canvas.
The original convertible top
boot is present including the two foam inner liner pieces. Usually an original
boot is missing these pieces.
The convertible top welt that is used to hide the staples that affix the top to the
frame is the correct two-piece vinyl rather than the typical aftermarket canvas
replacement.
The convertible top guard
in the trunk is unmolested.
With the rear seat
removed, it can be
observed how the vehicle
has retained its configuration as originally built.
This vehicle has not been taken apart before. It
retains its condition as assembly on the
production line over fifty years ago.
Like other interior components, the seat
belts retain their originality. The picture on
the right shows the date code of “4-68”
representing the fourth week of 1968.
Other date codes on the other belts are
appropriate for this vehicle.
The factory roll bar has its correct original
welds intact in this view of the passenger
side of the vehicle.
Bright trim shows minimal corrosion and
weathering, a testimony to this vehicle
spending little time out in the elements.
The black-out treatment is well-preserved
and not subject to curling.
Summation:
This is one of the finest examples of an unrestored 1968 Shelby. Its value is enhanced by being relatively untouched.
Further, it is a desirable GT-500, has a popular color scheme, and is a convertible. The rarity of the documents present,
along with the rarity of the original parts present put this in the top 3 of original 1968 Shelbys that I have had the
pleasure to observe. This will be a fine piece of automotive history to own and will someday belong in a museum.
_______________________________
Kevin Marti
Marti Auto Works