VERY RARE 1968 SHELBY GT500KR CONVERTIBLE BLK/BLK

[csx289]

Hi Richard,
What paperwork do you have for the KR other than the 1997 Registry? I looked it up, and there is nothing in the Registry on the car other than the vin. No color, options, etc - only that it was sold into Canada. Do you have a marti report? A build sheet? I am looking for a black KR, but would like some more details - and, pictures of the fender tag, body buck tag, and door tag if you can.

BTW, not knocking the car at all in any way, but the wheels are incorrect and the tires are not original or NOS. Those are 1967 and early 1968 Speedway 350 tires. KR's were late production and had hubcaps only (not 10 spoke mags) with E70 15 Custom Wide Tread GT Polyglas blackwall tires. I did notice your car has the correct original style smog tubes - That is my pet peeve, like Charley's "Caution Fan" decal pet peeve!

Please let me know about the paperwork and tags.

Thank you,
Colin

[RARE Z/28]

Good evening Colin,
You know your KR's! The tires and rims are originals however not original to my car. They were installed many years ago by the previous owner. My car is only one of two KR convertibles delivered to Canada. The car was originally sold to Rankin Ford in London, Ontario. I do have a great deal of paperwork including the Kevin Marti report as well as the original Shelby Unit build sheet! I can take photographs of the tags for you if you wish. Thank you for the compliment on the A.I.R. System!

[Hylton]

Where's an ass kissing Graemlin when you need one?

[Denis]

[ QUOTE ]
Where's an ass kissing Graemlin when you need one?

[/ QUOTE ]

[csx289]

Hi Again Richard,
If you don't mind, you can email pictures of the tags, build sheet, and Marti report to me at [email protected] .

And if I don't buy the car, I will give you a great deal on a set of KR hubcaps so you can have an even more correct car! LOL .I agree the hubcaps are dorky, but, it is the way they came. I have been stock piling 68 hubcaps for years, waiting for that wave of guilt that will strike down those who put 10 spokes and white letter tires on KRs, but it hasn't hit yet!

I will look for the your email with pictures.

Thanks!
Colin

[Les Quam]

The only reason Colin suddenly became a 68 Shelby KR expert is because he has Pete Disher in his shop supervising the restoration of his beautiful yellow 68 Shelby KR convert in anticipation of bringing it to Barrett Jackson this year.

Otherwise his post is just a shameless and pathetic attempt to sell some old hubcaps. LOL LOL LOL

[Les Quam]

Colon, If I read the Shelby registry correctly in regard to the 68 Shelby on page 810 of the registry paragraph three it states that "the 15 X 7 aluminum alloy 10 spoke wheels were optional" It goes on to state they were different than the 67 10 spoke alloy's due to the change in size of the 68 brake calipers.

There is also a picture in the registry in the 68 Shelby section on page 809 of a wheel that appears to be the 10 spoke alloy? Also appears to be a Goodyear speedway tire on the 10 spoke?

In the section entitled 68 Shelby running production changes page 813 it does not mention the inablilty to get the 10 spokes as an option on the KR?

On page 814 it again lists the 10 spoke alloy's as an option??

It's my understanding the KRs were built in the last three months of 68 production year I didn't know the 10 spoke alloy's were not available??? Have you heard otherwise? What is the source of your information that a 10 spoke alloy wheel would be incorrect for a 1968 Shelby KR??? Just wondering and trying to educate myself. No flame intended.

[csx289]

Luster, uh, I mean Lester,
Thank you for the flames. It is quite cold here in Wisconsin and I appreciate you warming me up. LOL LOL

Here is what I have from Pete Disher's website, www.1968Cobra.com . As you know, Pete is the respected authority on all things KR. Please feel free to contact him regarding this information. I hate to say it, but SAAC did not put forth the same effort in documenting KR's as Pete has, and I feel the 1997 Registry is in error on this subject.

Here we go with quote 1:

"Hubcaps
"I hate hubcaps"
Sorry, but every car came from AO Smith a nice box of shiny, new hubcaps in the trunk. I'm not saying they all made it on the cars, but that's what was intended. Hubcaps were the subject of a service bulletin. The bulletin warns that due to excessive hubcap weight, the wheel and tire should be balanced with the hubcap in place. Just for the record, the webmaster loves hubcaps."

Quote 2:

"Today 10 spoke wheels are very popular on 1968 Shelbys. There have been several variations of the wheel. Shelby continued to make the wheel after 1970. Not many cars recieved factory 10 spoke wheels. Only three cars have been documented leaving the factory with 10 spoke wheels.

I spoke with one original owner about 10 spoke wheels. Dan purchased a new GT500KR in the summer of 1968. He told me, 10 spokes were not available from the dealership.

I have installed 10 spokes on several cars. Often times there are clearance problems with disc brake calipers on 1968s.

The Best 10 spoke Wheel Chart

Wheel Spoke Design Valve Stem Location Lug Nut hole design
version 1 tapered on rim countersunk
version 2 tapered between spokes flat face
version 3 tapered on rim flat face
version 4 tapered between spokes countersunk
version 5 straight on rim flat face
version 6 straight on rim countersunk "

Quote 3:

"Steel Wheels
1968 Shelbys recieved 5 steel wheels (size 15x6). The Shelby Club has only documented three cars leaving the factory with 10 spoke wheels. "



This is one of the reasons why I wanted to see if Richard had any original paperwork to document the original wheels on his car.

We all know that 10 spokes are very popular and likely a lot were dealer installed. After all, if a guy ordered a KR and it showed up with plain steel wheels and a box of hubcaps in the trunk, but his buddy bought a base GT500 and it had these cool wheels, what do you think the guy with the KR did?

My point is that with the exception of 3 documented cases, all cars left the FACTORY with steel wheels and hubcaps. Just like a factory Paxton S/C Shelby vs. a dealer installed one vs. one that Johnny Hotrod bolted on 4 years later at home.

The purist in me loves hubcaps. The other 51% of me decided to put 10 spokes on my KR going to BJ, as most people are as mis-informed as some people from Vegas and may not appreciate the dorky hubcaps even though they are correct.

I know the forthcoming investigation into this great hubcap conspiracy launched by me on Yenko.Net will make Watergate look like kids on a playground. LOL LOL LOL

Colin

[RARE Z/28]

Good morning Les,
I do not want to start an argument but you are absolutely correct; the ten spoke rims were available on 68 KR's as an option. My car did not come from the factory with them initially however the previous owner of my car who had the car from the very early seventies put them on the car. The tires are period correct and original as you stated. Furthermore I do not wish to replace them with hub caps and steel rims. If this is the difference between selling the car or not; I suppose I will hang on to it until they reach 500K! If you are still interested in my information Colin please contact me personally.
Thank-You.

[csx289]

I think I made it clear I am a BUYER for your car and provided my personal email for you to send info to?

You guys obviously missed the point on the wheels. 10 spokes did NOT come from the factory with the exception of 3 cars. Even you state this. My point was you are representing the car as an all NOS car, when it can't be with incorrect wheels and tires. Neither one of these sways my opinion of the car in any way or deters me from buying it.

Not ONE KR ever came with Speedway 350 RWL tires - they all came with E70 Wide Tread GT Black walls, on steel wheels with hubcaps, as my information shows. Nobody reproduces the correct tires, I have used the Speedways myself and also used F60 Wide Tread GT's that fill out the wheel wells a little more.

Speedway 350's are period correct, but not correct for a late car like all KR's are. Period. Just like Firestone G70 15 tires are incorrect for Mopar A12 cars, but, since nobody makes Goodyear G70's, we all use Firestones. No big deal.

I was just trying to set the record straight. If you guys take it as bashing the black car, my apologies. I am of the opinion that knowledge like this is of some value to people that own or are thinking of owning a KR? These discussion boards are for the exchange of INFORMATION, the more we all learn the better we all get at figuring out these cars.

But, I will cease and desist on the 10 spoke issue. Hey, at least I tried to share good info ??

Colin