Vehicle Description
Chassis No. 8T03R215971-04202
Unveiled in mid-1968, the Shelby GT500 "King of the Road" KR
Convertible was the most potent and refined Shelby Mustang built to
date. At its core was the new 428 Cobra Jet V8, a heavily fortified
version of the famed Police Interceptor mill, featuring low-riser
heads from the 427, stronger internals, and a revised intake
system-all engineered for serious grunt, despite a conservative
factory rating of 335 horsepower. It marked the first appearance of
a Shelby convertible, equipped with a padded rollbar, integrated
shoulder harnesses, and sharp styling touches like a functional
ram-air hood, Cobra Jet badging, and a unique rear filler cap.
Performance enhancements included staggered rear shocks, under-hood
suspension bracing, and larger brakes, all of which elevated its
handling to match its output. The King of the Road combined brute
strength with visual aggression, standing as a flagship Shelby of
the 1960s.
According to the Shelby American World Registry, this GT500 KR
Convertible-one of 518 examples produced-was shipped new to Ed
Hugus's Continental Cars in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on 9 January
1969. Hugus, a significant early backer of Carroll Shelby's Cobra
program and widely believed to have co-driven the 1965 Le
Mans-winning NART Ferrari 250 LM, had a long-standing connection to
Shelby's early efforts. As documented by its Marti Report, the car
was originally ordered as a "Domestic Special Order," finished in
Highland Green over a black interior with luxury bucket seats. When
it was first listed in the Registry in 1997, the GT500 KR was in
the hands of Barry Burstein of St. Louis, Missouri. It later joined
Jim Taylor's collection in upstate New York in 2012.
At one point, the car received a full concours-level restoration
and was reportedly recognized with multiple Mustang Club of America
Concours and SAAC Premier awards. During the restoration process,
the KR was converted from its original SelectShift Cruise-O-Matic
to a four-speed manual transmission. Additional fitted equipment
includes Lucas fog lights, power steering and power brakes,
console-mounted gauges, a woodgrain steering wheel, factory air
conditioning, AM/FM radio, and Shelby-specific seatbelt
retractors.
The rare Shelby remained part of Jim Taylor's impressive upstate
New York collection, which by 2022 included eight other Shelby
automobiles-among them a 289 Cobra, a 427 Cobra, and two 1966
GT350s! Shelbys were clearly a favored marque for Taylor and only
the finest examples earned a place in his stable. Sold as part of
Broad Arrow's "Passion for the Drive" auction that October, the
GT500 KR departed for the sunny climate of Southern California and
a new caretaker, one who shared Taylor's deep enthusiasm for this
GT500 King of the Road Convertible.
