1968' Shelby Cobra

No Reserve Classics is proud to present to you our beautiful, 1968 Shelby Cobra GT500KR. Not just any GT500 either - This is the King of the Road . A very original, very rare, survivor quality, full numbers matching Shelby, with a well-preserved interior and documented mileage. This is 1 of 1,053 GT500KR Fastbacks EVER built in 1968. And to make this even more sought after - it is 1 out of 20 highly optioned, factory air conditioning equipped GT500KRs with only 1 of 2 sent to the state of Michigan! How many do you think still exist today?? The long history of this Shelby is recognized by S.A.A.C, the Shelby American Automotive Club, and its authenticity and provenance is cataloged within the Shelby Registry. Lastly, this is the only car known to be sold directly from the A.O. Smith Corp, the company who was only responsible for building Shelbys and was not a dealership.. Originally built on 06/20/1968 in Metuchen, NJ and less than one month later, it was sent to Borgman Ford in Michigan with a window sticker of $5,297.51. From the 11/29/1968 invoiced date to November 6th, 1969 the subsequent dealer history is not known. However, included in the photo section is a bill of sale from A.O. Smith Corp. on November 7th, 1969. Weve concluded that A.O. Smith Corp. owned the vehicle for a short period of time before then. A.O. Smith Corp was a subcontractor hired by Ford Motoring Company to build Mustangs into the Shelbys we know today. Unfortunately due to complications due to quality control issues, Ford had cut ties with A.O. Smith and started to build Shelbys in-house. In 1969, A.O. Smith was forced to close its doors. They had an overflow of cars on their lot they needed to get rid of. Most of the cars were donated to schools and other places as a tax write-off. On page 16 of S.A.A.C Magazine, which can be viewed in our photo section, a Shelby Engineer named Jim Frank, spoke of 1 or 2 cars that were ever to be sold directly from A.O. Smith Corp to anyone other than a dealership. With the bill of sale from A.O. Smith Corp, we believe that this is one of those cars. On November 7th, 1969, the final assembly foreman named Joe Beldt was able to arrange for his brother-in-law, Keith Blackrick to purchase this 1968 Shelby GT500KR in the amount of $2,150. Before the sale, Joe was believed to be driving this car back and forth to work and it had approximately 25,000 miles. And in 2001, it was sold to Dale Le Beau. In the midst of ownership with Dale, he noticed a NOT FOR SALE marking on the frame. The facts on this stamp have yet to be discovered, but also included in our photos is the letter written to S.A.A.C to uncover the true mystery between 11/29/1968 and 11/6/1969. This 1968 Shelby GT500KR now resides in New Jersey, where No Reserve Classics will be holding it until the next owner is ready to reopen the doors and drive a piece of phenomenal American Muscle History! The real reason this Shelby is dubbed The King of the Road is all due to what is underneath this hood and being forced air into with its functional hood scoop. The famous 428 4V Cobra Jet V8 GT-500KR Motor! Attached is the C-6 Automatic Transmission and all that power gets pounded into the ground by the Ford 9 rear end. And yes, they are all numbers matching! Back in the day, these vehicles were drag cars. They would run it down the strip, blow the engine, and swap in a new one. This one still retains its original drivetrain! And being an original A/C car, it still functions today a blows ice cold! This GT500KR is also equipped with Power Steering and Power Disc Brakes, and retains the factory smog components. Under the Hood: - Ford 428 4V Cobra Jet - Ford C6 Automatic Transmission - Factory A/C Selectaire Car - Engine Oil Cooler - Factory SMOG - Factory Reinforced Strut Towers Exterior: - Wimbledon White with Blue Stripes - Lucas Fog Lights - GT Equipment Group - Original 10 Spoke Shelby Wheels - Original Carlite Glass - Sequential Tail Lights Interior: - Tilt Away Steering Wheel - Tachometer and Trip Odometer - Black Decor Knitted Vinyl Bucket Seats - Shoulder Harness with Roll Bar - Sport Deck Rear Seat - AM Radio - Remote Mirror - Tach and Trip Odometer Underbody and Suspension: - Power Disc Brakes - Power Steering - Ford 9 Rear End with 3.00 Gears DISCLAIMER: Although this car looks absolutely stunning, please understand that this is still a 50 year old car with imperfections as it wasnt restored yesterday and has some mileage since the build. And due to our inventory size, we are unable to drive every vehicle for long distances. We do 40-60 miles between inspections, test drives, the video, etc. We cannot guarantee that every gauge, light, window, horn, option, function, etc. will work as it should. Please check your local state inspection requirements. We do our best to inspect these vehicles in every detail and note any imperfections in the ad. As with all classic cars, it will need odds and ends down the road as you begin to drive it more often! Many times, these vintage vehicles can sit for long periods of time and seals harden and gaskets may begin to leak once you begin to drive them. However, this will continue to be a sought-after classic car that you will be proud to own and very happy to drive in! The information contained within this ad is solely for convenience. The description is opinion only and should not be considered a complete description of any or all faults; it may not be relied upon nor taken as fact or otherwise a representation or warranty of any sort. We describe these vehicles to the best of our knowledge.