1968 Ford Mustang GT500-KR convertible interior showing seats, d…

i l mu 1 :p, a 44,: , an; ,1 i Late arrivals in 68 wrappings could prove to he closest threat yet to Vette from Ford. But then again, they might not by Steve Kelty with its worthwhile features as a sports and performance > machine, Ford probably wouldnt be marketing the cur? rent breed of GT350s and GTSOOs. Nor is it likely that such a car wouldve developed. Who knows, FoMoCo may not even like perpetuating the brand, but they are, and with greater success than when control was in Shelby's hands. Now the cars are made in Ionia, Michigan, feature bigger powerplants and more closely approach the deluxe appoint- 3 ments of Chevys Corvette, although lacking the almost complete chassis revision given to the 65-66 machines. No longer are the upper A-arms repositioned for greater cor- nering ability and lower roll center; no longer are rear axle housings replaced by big car units and safety wire- looped. They are now much quieter, feature power disc brakes optionally (power was absent on the early model. although discs were standard], can be had with engines more powerful and much heavier than Shelbys original and have more distinctive bodies than before. Although this last item doesnt contribute a great deal to the GTs sports car value, it does separate it appearancewise from the regu- lar Mustang. When youre marketing a car, this sometimes is more of a sales tool than ultra-strong and competitionlike underpinnings. Enough on commentary. As a singular piece of merchan- dise, the car we tested comes off good and bad. This latest Shelbyized Mustang, the GTSOO-KR, was late in making the scene for a number of reasons. Included in them are Fords first-ofthe-modeI-year labor strike, relocation of assembly from the West Coast, and finally certifying the cars for smog emissions. The latter was the biggest hangup, and had it not been for this factor, there mightve been a super- , Was - charged big-block Shelby for 68. The KR arrived as the Two versions tested are shown above. Though lighter-weight fast- 69 models were beginning production, and its a safe bet I back out-accelerated convertible, both displayed admirable high- therell be little change other than the body on 59 KR mod- ; and lowspeed handling traits. Thanks to automatic trans and air els. The KR designation, besides signifying a Cobra lat- ; conditioning, ip-top machine became our choice for highway tour- equipped car, reportedly means King of the Road. We % ing. BELOWFormed cover conceals convert rollbar. Console decided against further telling of this during our use of 2 addition provides extra storage and includes oil and amp gauges. either test KR after the rst reply to the "Whats the KR mean? question evoked incredulous laughter. Evidently the young set isnt ready for that title yet. The KRs we tested consisted of a fully equipped conver tible with automatic transmission and air conditioning, and a lighter-weight fastback machine with fewer options and quicker performance. Both carried Shelby-instituted inte- gral rollbars, inertia-reel shoulder harnesses, full instru- mentation, center console and larger-than-standard tires. The convert had a 3.25:1 rear axle, while the fastback was 3.50:1-geared. Limited-slip differential, as it was on the four-speed car, is standard on all but refrigeration- equipped models. Offsetting that to a degree is inclusion of an oil cooler on cars with air. We admire the ease of street operation with current GT'S. Power-assisted brakes make stopping easier on your foot, since a great deal of pedal pressure was required for the discs without assist on the 65-66 versions. Short stops from low speeds are now easier to attain. The steering is also power-helped, adding to street-use pleasure. The originals were about as noisy inside as out. The latest GTs, though. are well-padded with sound deadeners which, while making them heavier, do wipe out lots of road noise. But we cant H ad it not been for Carroll Shelbys 1965-66 series GTBSO, photography: Eric Rickman 40 HOT ROD - NOVE MBER 1968