Vehicle Description
The 1969 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 was the last evolution, of the
original snake-bitten Mustangs. But while all of these are worth
mentioning in the book of Shelby history, this convertible deserves
its own chapter. It's documented as the company car for Ray Geddes
- the Ford executive who was often standing right alongside a
Carroll Shelby and Lee Iacocca. So while rarity with a GT500 is a
guarantee with these pony cars, this drop-top also has the kind of
history that gets it to the front of the heard ever time.
Candyapple Red is always a color in demand, because the bright
color is the perfect way to announce this serious sports car. But
just because it's a favorite doesn't mean it's common. According to
the included Marti Report, only 89 convertibles were finished in
this paint code. This factory-correct color was refreshed later in
life to retain a good shine that's nice for sunny days. And of
course, these GT500s had a terrific sporty style. The unique front
end's deep recess looks like it's ready to consume every lesser car
out there. The full-length gold stripe package gives it the
unmistakable appearance of a true American racer. The sequential
taillights and center exhaust meant everyone you pass gets to see
some swagger. Of course, this car was built to be cool - literally
- with three NACA ducts on the hood, two more extractors, and
inlets to rush air over every single wheel/brake. All the right
badging is still in place with the coiled snake in the grille, 428
callouts on the fenders, and the unmistakable SHELBY in block
letters out back. But the insignia you might love the most are the
little cobras in the center cap of each of the cool cast aluminum
wheels. It's all part of the details that tell you that Ray Geddes'
Mustang has been kept as he special car it is.
The black convertible top goes nicely with the black accents of the
exterior, and with the flip of a switch, it powers down to reveal a
full black interior. It has a great sporty attitude with the
premium high-back bucket seats in the knit pattern and a cool red
racing stripe across the top. Shelby upgrades included that
hallmark roll bar, and a center console with its own auxiliary
gauges angled towards the driver. But these were also premium cars,
too. After all, Geddes was an executive in charge of sports car
programs at Ford (in other words, he was directly involved with
this car's program.) So the car for the boss has to have an
upper-echelon feel. That's why you have a three-spoke wood steering
wheel with the Cobra logo, and more wood-like treatment across the
full gauge panel. Plus, the level of care/preservation/restoration
is apparent in the details, right down to the working clock. There
are even nice period-correct features expertly integrated, like
AM/FM radio and provisions for air conditioning (it will need
servicing.)
For those who don't already know the history of Ray Geddes, he was
present at Ford's win at LeMans. And so it would make sense he'd
have a car with the top-dog motor. Ford's 428 cubic inch Cobra Jet
engine was one of the most potent machines on the street. In fact,
Ford was famously under-rating this big block at 335 horsepower,
and it's one of the few cars that can approach the top end of its
speedometer. The motor you're looking at was built nine days before
this car was assembled. There has been a solid investment to give
it an exceptionally fresh look where even the decals are correct.
It really appears stock, right down to the Ram Air induction. So
it's more evidence of the detailed restoration on this car (even
the undercarriage is quite nice.) But more than just a looker, this
drop-top is a true driver's machine. The V8 inhales deeply with a
correct-style Holley four-barrel carburetor, and the growl of the
exhaust tells the world this is something fierce. The C6
three-speed automatic is the heavy dusty unit built to be both
stout and smooth. Plus, there's power steering, power brakes
w/discs up front, and a Traction-Lok limited slip rear to give you
proper control of this snake-bitten Mustang.
This is a significant classic, and so you not only get the Marti
Report, but also the owner's manual, reproduction window sticker,
and the Shelby Registry. You even get nice extras like a model car
and car cover. This is the awesome driver that also has a story to
tell. So if you want a true Shelby with true pedigree, call
today!