Among all the classic cars that Dennis Collins, automotive YouTuber manages to acquire, few are as meaningful as a 1968 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500KR—a vehicle he regularly seeks. In a new video, he keeps the streak going by heading to Phoenix to add another GT500KR to his collection. The adventure was the ideal follow-up to a February outing when Collins rescued a GT500KR convertible.
This latest adventure is noteworthy because the Shelby is in running and drivable condition. It’s a stark contrast to Collins’ usual rescues that involve hours-long barn extractions and mounds of debris and dirt.
Excitement In The Air In A Rare Muscle Car Barn Find
It’s easy to sense Collins’ enthusiasm upon arriving at the seller’s home – of the 4,468 Shelby models built for 1968, only 1,053 wore KR badging; and Collins is moments away from getting his hands on this ultra-rare Acapulco Blue example.
But before he’s ready to seal the deal, Collins thoroughly checks the build tags and undercarriage.
After an informative history lesson on factory codes, date stamps, and other clues, Collins declares his target as an original GT500KR and shakes the seller’s hand to confirm the transaction.
Exploring A Distinguished, Great-Condition Shelby GT500KR
In the meantime, viewers learn about the unique history of this Shelby GT500KR: according to Collins’ research, Don, the seller, is only the second owner of a car that began life at Ford’s Metuchen, New Jersey, factory and delivery to Massachusetts.
Don acquired the Shelby Mustang almost 30 years ago and oversaw an extensive renovation in the early 1990s.
But, arguably, the most exciting aspect of the car is that only 15 miles got added to the odometer during the last three decades.
Why The Shelby GT500KR Pony Car Is Important
Automotive success is all about one-upmanship; usually, this involves staying ahead of the competition; but, Ford kept efforts to itself when seeking to beat the home run it hit with the 1967 GT500 version of the Mustang.
These efforts began by stuffing a 428-cubic-inch Cobra Jet V8 under the hood and adding KR (King of the Road) to the GT500 moniker for the 1968 model year.
To keep insurance companies in the dark (and help keep premiums low), Ford promoted the GT500KR as having a 335 horsepower rating.
But, experts and enthusiasts professed, output easily exceeded 400 ponies; and 440 lb-ft of torque only helped
