Vehicle Description
'68 Shelby GT350 4spd Convertible, 1 of 3 Candy Apple over Saddle,
only 7 made no matter the transmission according to the Marti
Report and the SAAC Registry. In addition to a 4 speed manual
transmission, she came factory equipped with 3.89:1 rear gear. She
also boasts a white convertible power top with glass backlite,
power steering, power brakes with front disks, tilt-away steering,
and much more. She also retains her original engine, transmission,
and rear end. She wears Shelby 10-spoke wheels shod in Goodyear
Speedway 350, including a full-sized spare.
02781 was built on schedule on June 3, 1968 and invoiced to Gotham
Ford of New York and sent to Shelby American Livonia, MI for
completion. By the early 1970's, the car made its way to South
Williamsport, PA were it fell into disuse, sitting garages for
nearly 15 years. By 1987, noted Cobra restorer Rocky Meisel
purchased the car and performed a complete rotisserie restoration
and drove it extensively for a short time. It was then sold into a
private collection in Iowa, purportedly the only non-Mopar in an
extensive collection where it remained until 2002. The car, under
new ownership, underwent a cosmetic and mechanical refurbishment,
dusting the underbody flat black to recommission the car for
regular road use and bring the car up to current show
standards.
The current owner has owned and enjoyed the car since 2004, driving
the car seasonally and storing in a climate controlled environment.
From 2009-2010, the drivetrain, engine bay and undercarriage had
been restored. The engine was rebuilt, balanced and blueprinted in
2010. Factory horsepower was rated at 290. The car currently make
approximately 400hp and runs on regular pump gas.
Shortly following this most recent restoration, this Candy Apple
Shelby Convertible was invited to the Barrington, IL Concours d
'Elegance and then by Shelby American to be on display at the
Shelby American Heritage Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. There it is
well maintained, started and driven periodically to ensure
continued mechanical fitness.
The car is documented by the original window sticker, Marti Report,
and Shelby American Automobile Club registry entry.
Exterior
The exterior is finished in her factory original Candy Apple Red.
She retains all of her original factory fiberglass, (hood, head
light buckets, rear deck lid and rear quarter panel extensions),
except one headlight bucket. The owner has an original, also
finished in Candy Apple Red and can be included in the sale.
Overall, the paint is consistent with what one would find in a high
quality driven show car. Last repainted prior to the current
owner's tenure, the bodywork has stood the test of time.
Body panel fit is very good, on par or better than factory. The
most significant flaw on the exterior is the passenger side rocker
molding is retained on the front by a body screw where the retainer
clips commonly fail. Bright work, glass and badging are in very
good to excellent condition. The convertible top is in excellent
condition and fully operational.
Interior
The interior is a very good to excellent condition. The Chocolate
Dash and Sun Visors, and Cinnamon Carpets are NOS and are not
reproduced. Dash is supple, free of any blemishes or cracks. The
carpet is in likewise excellent condition. There are no
significant, notable flaws in any of the interior door or quarter
panels, nor in the front or rear seats. The saddle tan seat covers
are reproduced should they ever need to be replaced. The seatbelts
are all date code correct and original. The gauges and console,
appear to be original, unrestored pieces. The patina of normal wear
is evident on the console armrest as well as the console auxiliary
gauges and yet are in very good condition. The main dash gauge
cluster, bezels, and the surrounding woodgrain inlay are in
excellent condition and appear to be fully restored. All the
gauges, lighting accessories, climate control, and radio
accessories work.
Engine Bay
The engine bay appears OE correct, right down to the factory
Thermactor ECS (only 4-speed GT350's required Thermactor, vehicles
equipped with Automatic Transmissions did not). The tilt steering
vacuum canister is currently uninstalled and can be reinstalled as
a condition of sale. The engine was rebuilt, balanced and
blueprinted in 2010. The engine bay was also restored to current
show judging standards. The engine was balanced and blue printed,
retaining all the factory correct accessories, including the Holley
735 carb, intake, heads, exhaust manifolds, even an original
Thermactor Emission Control System. The internal bottom rotating
assembly have been upgraded with a 347 stroker kit, including
forged pistons, balanced I-beam rods, 9000 series cast crank, and
ARP bolts. Factory horsepower was rated at 290. The car currently
make approximately 400hp and runs on regular pump gas.
Chassis
The undercarriage, chassis, and suspension were also restored to
like new condition using the factory correct finishes. The fuel
system was flushed and cleaned, and remains in very good condition.
The exhaust system remains in good condition for a car that is
intended to be driven and enjoyed. Floor-pans are finished in the
proper Red Oxide primer, wheel-wells in black. The rear floor pans
and quarter panel drops have been repaired or replaced during
previous restorations. The frame rails, torque boxes, and front
apron assemblies are believed to be original. There is no known or
observed accident damage.
Documentation
The car is documented by the original window sticker, Marti Report,
and Shelby American Automobile Club registry entry. Also included
are engine build cards, previous owner history, Barrington Concours
d 'Elegance papers, and photos of the most recently performed
restoration work.
Factory Options
• Extra Cooling Package
• Visibility Group
• Power Steering
• Power Front Disc Brakes
• Tilt-Away Steering Column
• AM Radio
• Interior D�cor Group
• Heavy Duty Battery
• Tachometer and Trip Odometer
• Front and Rear Bumper Guards
• Wheel Lip Mouldings
• Alloy Wheels
• Fog Lamps