Vehicle Description
Following up on the inaugural big-block Shelby GT500 Fastbacks of
1967, the 428 Cobra Jet V-8 engine upped the ante for the high-end,
Mustang-based Shelby supercars beginning in 1968. The Cobra Jet,
popularly known simply as the "CJ," was originally developed by
Tasca Ford at the suggestion of Hot Rod magazine editor Eric
Dahlquist. Highlights included a pair of 427 low-riser cylinder
heads, a 735 CFM Holley 4-barrel carburetor and internal
improvements courtesy of Ford's massive parts inventory. Generating
immense torque and a factory-underrated 335 HP, the 428 Cobra Jet
developed a fearsome reputation on the street and strip and powered
several Ford performance cars, including the increasingly upscale
GT500, through 1969-1970.
Shelby's GT500 always carried a unique identity, and for 1969 it
featured a longer fiberglass front end, unique "hoop" grille,
updated tail lights and revised exhaust outlets, plus an aggressive
hood with no less than five functional NACA-style air scoops. Front
and rear air scoops ducted cool air to the brakes, while inside, a
roll bar, inertia-reel racing harnesses, luxurious amenities and
special trim maintained the performance-oriented,
limited-production character of the GT500. The 1969 Shelby GT500 is
quite rare, with only 1,157 fastbacks produced, according to
records published by SAAC, the Shelby American Automobile Club.
Shipped new to Bob Murphy Ford in Morton, Illinois, this GT500 is
listed in the Shelby Registry. It benefits from a rotisserie
restoration, during which the body was stripped to bare metal and
the Shelby was completed to correct specifications using NOS parts
where possible. Power is delivered by a matching-numbers R-code 428
Cobra Jet V-8 engine equipped with Ram Air induction and paired to
a C6 Cruise-O-Matic automatic transmission that drives the 3.50
Traction-Lok rear end. Handsomely finished in Candyapple Red with a
black clarion-knit vinyl interior, the GT500 also features a
detailed undercarriage.
Features, options and amenities are numerous, including power
steering, power brakes with front discs, high-back bucket seats, a
center console, the Visibility Group, a Sport Deck rear seat,
Philco AM radio and Deluxe seatbelts with a warning light. Riding
on striking Shelby 5-spoke wheels mounting Goodyear Polyglas GT
tires, this late-production Shelby GT500 is accompanied by
restoration photos, a Marti Report and an original build sheet
signed by Carroll Shelby.
