Overshadowed by its predecessor – the 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500 – the Shelby Mustang GT500KR is a car that got lost somewhere in the history books.
When The Mustang Shelby GT500 Got The Cobra Jet V8
The Ford Mustang rocked the automotive world when it was launched in 1964, and Ford sold over 400,000 units in its first year of existence. However, despite being welcomed by the American audience with open arms, Ford’s General Manager, Lee Iacocca, thought that it did not have the image of a ‘powerful’ car. This made the men at Ford get in touch with Carroll Shelby for help to turn the Mustang into a sports car.
This collaboration resulted in the form of the Shelby Mustang GT500 in 1965. This car threw any preconceived notion people had about the Mustang’s power figures out of the window. In 1967, Ford enlarged the Mustang to accommodate a big-block V8 called the GT500. The 428 cu-in engine in the Mustang Shelby GT500 delivered mouth-watering power of over 350HP and over 400 lb-ft of torque.
1968 was when things went out of hand when Ford installed a revised version of the same 428 cu-in engine to make the GT500 faster than ever. This engine was called the Cobra Jet, and the name was changed from GT500 to GT500KR – the last two letters meant ‘King of the Road’.
It had power brakes, power steering, and an air conditioner; it could do 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than seven seconds. If this car is fast by current standards as well, imagine what it would have felt like 50 years ago. The Mustang Shelby GT500KR was a car you could cruise around town on weekdays and go racing on weekends.
It had a four-speed manual transmission or a three-speed automatic transmission that would deliver the power to the rear wheels. Then there were power figures that were mind-boggling. Initially, Ford claimed that the GT500KR delivered 335HP and 440lb-ft of power and torque, but the real power figure is believed to be somewhere around 440HP.
The more interesting bit was the fact that the GT500KR could reach its maximum power at much lower RPMs as compared to other performance cars, which would result in the engine living for much longer years and miles without troubling anyone.
What Makes The Mustang Shelby GT500KR So Desirable Now?
Mainly because of two reasons: One, It was the last car to be co-produced by Shelby and Ford. And two, only 1,570 were ever sold to the public, out of which 1,053 were fastbacks and 517 were convertibles. Both the reasons here make it not only desirable from a gearhead’s point of view but also from a collector’s perspective.
This is one of the rarest and most exclusive cars to own in the automotive world, which is also why it won’t be a cheap affair if you ever find one. Yes, it might not be as expensive as a 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500 ‘Eleanor’ that turned the GT500 into a cult of sorts (which is why some of the 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500s have been sold for close to $1 million), but it would burn quite a large hole in your pockets.
The 1968 Shelby Mustang GT500′ King of the Road’ was also the last ‘Cobra’ car from the Shelby-Ford collaboration, as the Shelby-Ford agreement ended in 1969. This also meant there were no Shelby Mustangs made in 1970 and thereafter.
Let’s Give The Mustang Shelby GT500KR The Fame It Deserves
It is just unfortunate when people mention the glorious past of the Mustangs of yesteryears, and the Shelby Mustang GT500′ King of the Road’ is rarely mentioned. The way ‘Gone in 60 Seconds’ immortalized the 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500 and turned into a collectible, we wish the 1968 Shelby Mustang GT500KR had got half the appreciation it deserves. Having said that, for the ones who know about the original Mustang GT500KR, would know that some have sold at auctions for over $250,000.
Well, yes, The GT500KR does live on and still remains one of the most desirable classic cars out there, but for those who know. The story of this Ford and Shelby built masterpiece known as the Shelby Mustang GT500KR needs to be told more