Shelby’s legendary Mustangs helped launch a generation of enthusiasts. Beginning with the 1965 GT 350 – virtually a street legal racecar – Shelby’s cars offered the musclecar buyer a unique identity combined with a healthy dose of good ol’ Texas horsepower. As time went on, Ford and Shelby realized that by making the cars a little more comfortable and removing some of the hard edges, a much larger market would be tapped. Beginning with the 1966 models, Shelby Mustangs became friendlier and more comfortable to drive, while retaining most of the cachet provided by Shelby’s name and the car’s distinctive good looks.

The first major styling change in Mustang history arrived in 1967. Consequently, the engine bay was larger than the original Mustang, with Shelby having mastered the art of shoehorning monster engines into little engine bays, he dropped a 428 cu. in. unit into the Mustang engine bay and called it the GT 500. Knowing that the GT 500 would simply be “too much” car for some it was decided to keep the GT 350 in the running.

In 1968 the 302-cid small-block V-8 was standard on the GT 350 equipped with an aluminum intake manifold and a Holley 600-cfm carburetor. This combination was good for a published 250-hp, however Shelby had the reputation for grossly underestimating output ratings to give customers a break on insurance, as well as an element of surprise on the drag strip when facing up against unsuspecting Camaros or Chargers. 1968 also marked the first year that Ford took over production of the GT 350 and GT 500, moving the operation from California to Michigan.

This 1968 Shelby GT 350 is an excellent example in the classic GT 350 colors of Red with white striping and lettering and a black interior that uses Deluxe Mustang fittings as standard equipment. Additional “mandatory options” for this model consist of fold-down rear seat, shoulder harnesses; power steering and brakes. Carroll Shelby’s signature is also seen in two different interior locations. The highly-desirable four-speed manual transmission, outboard placed driving lights, a mild rear spoiler and gorgeous Shelby 10-spoke cast alloy wheels with Goodyear tires all contribute to this formidable package. This represents an excellent example of the Shelby legend; the opportunity to purchase any GT 350 is rare indeed.