Une GT500 prototype 1968

[Hi-Stamina-67]

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1968 Shelby GT500 Fastback Prototype

1968 Shelby GT500

The One and Only Fastback Prototype

As is often the case with collector cars, the story of the automobile is as fascinating and incredible as the car itself. The unique tales of a cars existence are what differentiates a good car from a great one. Be it race history, famous owners, factory one off customization or perhaps even a prototype/test car, these elements can really elevate a car from just another old car to something incredibly special and often irreplaceable.

This incredibly special Shelby GT500 was earmarked to be something unique from the very beginning. Starting off life as a Lime Gold Green 1967 Shelby GT500 with factory air conditioning and 4 speed transmission, this car was selected by Shelby American to be used for testing purposes. The 1967 GT500’s equipped with 4 speed transmissions and air conditioning were known for having some overheating issues and this would be the car used to remedy these issues. There are images of this special fastback out at tracks being tested along side the famous “Super Snake” in attempts to correct the over heating issue. From this testing the heat extracting “gills” on the A/C equipped cars was developed, an element predominantly found on all of the 1968 models as well. This particular car would also be the first 1967Shelbyto get what would become standard, oil cooler for big block 4 speed cars with air conditioning. Once the over heating issues were remedied, it was time to begin the design of the upcoming 1968 models, that’s where the story of this Shelby takes yet another twist. The car was used as a template to design the new fiberglass nose pieces, engine hood, rear section and of course the drastically different interior. The long list of special one off parts used on this engineering car include ….
Special hand made steel framed hood with non functional hood louvers
Special hood pins with lanyards
Hand made one piece front nose with special brackets
Hand made one piece upper nose trim
One off fender snakes and “Cobra” emblems
Wood grained treatment interior over the original 1967 brushed aluminum
Special one off console and shifter bezel
Marchal spot lamps instead of fog lamps
Blacked out deluxe seat trim
Hand made fiberglass tail panel
428PI engine with 427 side winder intake
Special one off steering wheel pad
Special one off gas cap

It was also at this time that the decision was made that the new for ’68 Acapulco Blue would be the ideal colour to present the new models, so in addition to its new body components the car was also treated to a fresh coat of Ford Acapulco Blue Paint! Upon its completion this car and its convertible cousin would be used for all the press photos, magazine ads and even Shelby commercials. Carroll Shelby even used this prototype personally for a period of time and can be seen driving the car in the original 1968 Shelby commercials. Once its duties were fulfilled as the prototype the car was sold off and per the Shelby World Registry went through a few owners and was ultimately restored per the original specs, as a 1967 Lime Gold Green GT500.

Once the most recent owner acquired the car he discovered the very unique and special history. The decision was made to do a complete rotisserie restoration to the condition it was most famous for, as a prototype 1968. Legendary Motorcar Company was selected to perform the restoration with our vast knowledge of Shelby’s and our record for world class award winning Shelby restorations. Many hours of research was put into the unique pieces, all the hand made parts were again fabricated by hand for this very special GT500. Parts of the car were painted Lime Gold Green over red oxide primer, only to be again covered by Acapulco Blue to create the correct effect of a factory car being repainted. The special one-off emblems and components were made again from scratch. The end result speaks for itself. The paint has been polished to a ultra high quality show  finish, all the components look just as they did in all the original promotional materials. The car has since been on display at SAAC 2013 in California and at the St. Johns Concours D’Elegance where it was met with nothing but rave reviews, both on the quality and accuracy of restoration. This car is a once in a lifetime chance to acquire a unique and incredibly special piece of Shelby automotive history. With the world class restoration, proven provenance and fantastic history since new this is an opportunity not to be missed.

source :
http://www.legendarymotorcar.com/site2/listing/1968-shelby-gt500-fastback-prototype/

http://www.legendarymotorcar.com/site2/listing/1968-shelby-gt-500-prototype/