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2006 Sydney Classic Auction Monday March 6
Lot
22

1968 Shelby Mustang GT500 Fastback (LHD)

$168,000

Sold

Specifications

Engine 7.0 litre V8
Gearbox 4-speed manual
Body Work Two door Fastback
Colour Candy Apple Red

Description

This lot is no longer available

In 1965, just as Ford was chasing market leadership with the basic Mustang, so it was looking to eclipse the racetrack success of America's only true sports car - the Chevrolet Corvette.

Carroll Shelby, a Le Mans 24 Hour race winner for Aston Martin who had already endeared himself to Ford by building the potent A.C.Shelby Cobra, agreed to build a high performance Mustang that could be homologated for racing.

From the outset, Shelby Mustangs introduced later that year differed substantially from standard production Mustangs in many significant respects, mainly in their engine output and chassis refinement. So success was the Shelby Cobra both on and off the track that by 1968, the Shelby had divorced itself from its Mustang Heritage and had become a brand name in its own right.

The 1968 Shelby GT500 moved the bar up yet again. Powered by a 428 (7.0 litre) Big Block V8 with high-flow heads, 10.5:1 compression ratio and large intake and exhaust valves, it pumped out 335HP, while heavy duty suspension and a thicker front stabilizer bar brought improved handling.

The Fastback model was the most popular with enthusiasts for its aggressive styling, with Steve McQueen's fabulous dialogue-free 8-minute car chase through the streets of San Francisco in the film Bullitt in his Dark Highland Green '68 model only fuelling the model's popularity.