Finding a pristine example of a any car from 1968, is like finding a $100 bill in your cookie jar at home. But, finding a car like this takes that one step farther. Now, did you ever think you could find something like this on eBay? RK Motors in Charlotte North Carolina, is offering this car for sale, on that very web site. This Speed Yellow 1968 Shelby GT500KR was specially ordered when new, but was almost lost to time before it had a chance to be the icon that it is today. Literally hours away from the crusher, it was rescued by someone who recognized its greatness where others saw nothing but a burned-out shell of an old Mustang.

In 1978, even a Shelby GT500KR convertible (with AC!) was little more than a used car. So, when this Shelby (Number 03900) was stolen, stripped of its engine and transmission, then set on fire, there was no public outcry. What’s more, the original owner probably cashed the insurance check, and went on his merry way. However, a sharp-eyed enthusiast soon spotted the body when it was about to be crushed, and since the original Shelby fender tag was still intact, he knew the car was a true GT500KR convertible. He immediately struck a deal to purchase the “heap”, and for $500, it was his.

When he found it in 1978, you could still order Shelby parts directly from Ford, so all new fiberglass OEM pieces were purchased to replace those that were destroyed by the fire. Other missing parts were tracked down and added to the growing collection of NOS equipment that would restore this car to its original condition. Sadly, the owner couldn’t afford to handle the resto, so the car and all the parts were sold, and bounced from collector to collector for almost 20 years. By the late 1990s, it had become clear that the cost of restoring the car was insignificant compared to the value of a finished product, so at least one previous owner made the effort to restore the car using a donor vehicle to supply items like the correct black interior and other irreplaceable parts. His workmanship must have been very, very good, because the pros at Custom Classics, who re-restored the car several years later, could find a trace of fire damage.

When this Mustang landed at Custom Classics, many of the NOS parts acquired by the first restorer were still on the car and the remaining correct, authentic and original components were assembled to create an absolutely stunning convertible. The car carries special-order WT6066 yellow paint, factory AC, a C6 automatic transmission and a tilt steering column. It is 1 of only 20 Shelby convertibles painted WT6066 yellow and, of those, 1 of only 7 equipped with air conditioning.

A rebuilt, date-correct 428 Cobra Jet looks right at home. Rated at 335 horsepower, it’s no secret that the mighty CJ actually made around 410 horsepower and 440 lb/ft. of torque. Bathed in rich Ford Blue, this particular mill features correct “COBRA” valve covers, functional ram-air and a complete thermactor system. The engine bay is dominated by a massive compressor for the AC system, which is fully functional and blows ice cold.

In addition to being listed in the SAAC Registry with a known ownership history, original photos of this Mustang’s scrap yard stay include images of an original Shelby fender tag that matches the one currently on the car.