Inventory Listing

The first thing you need to know is that this gorgeous 1968 Shelby GT500E convertible is the real deal. It’s got a Shelby serial number, it’s in the Shelby Registry, and it has the full approval of Carroll Shelby himself. It’s one of only two GT500E convertibles built by Unique Performance, with the other being a shop demonstrator vehicle that was lost in the chaos following Unique’s collapse. We’ll get to that story in a moment, but the important thing here is this particular GT500E convertible, which is simply spectacular in every way and shows just 684 miles since it was built, is one of only two ever built by Unique Performance.

This car’s build quality easily exceeds the very best of what Shelby and Ford were doing in the 1960s and is representative of what a quarter-million dollars would buy in a high-end custom shop in the mid-2000s. It’s simply jaw-dropping in every way possible. There’s original Mustang sheetmetal skillfully blended with the Eleanor components that make these cars so special, and the car looks every bit as nasty as the cars in the film.

Unlike the original Shelbys, this car has tight gaps, exacting panel alignment, and the modern composite pieces like the distinctive Unique Performance domed hood and Shelby-style deck lid are immune to those particular foibles. The side pipes are cleverly concealed inside flush-fitting side skirts and the rear fascia offers sequential Thunderbird-style taillights, although these appear to be modern components, not junkyard cast-offs. The paint, which is a pure, brilliant white rather than Ford’s softer Wimbledon White, is accentuated with black stripes, which, with the black interior, is a more consistent look than the blue stripes might have been, and it does carry the requisite “GT500E” insignia on the rockers. If you want a car that generates attention, I’ll admit that nothing I’ve ever driven does it better than this car. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, stops to watch this Mustang go by.

Inside, it’s pure Mustang with a few modern upgrades to make it a no-compromises Mustang. The most noticeable change are those form-fitting Scat ProCar bucket seats, which you’ll probably need given the grip that the suspension generates Obviously everything inside is new, including the carpets, door panels, dash pad, and other Mustang components, and with so few miles, it’s all in as-new condition. The original dashboard and instrument panel remain intact, but the gauges are modern dials with Carroll Shelby’s signature on their faces, as well as a Cobra logo. In true Shelby style, there is no center console, but the shifter for the Tremec 5-speed manual gearbox is a trick billet aluminum piece that is as quick and precise as a toggle switch, but needs a firm hand to manage it. It also offers potent and functional A/C, a great-sounding Sony XPlod AM/FM/CD/MP3/iPod stereo system, and a leather-wrapped tilt steering wheel. Overhead there’s a beautifully fitted black canvas power convertible top with a stock-style folding glass rear window and it stows under a matching black boot that fits quite well, even with the custom 4-point roll bar in place. It also offers a full-scale trunk with a neatly installed fuel cell in the floor and a very trick filler neck that attaches to the quarter panel’s billet flip-up style cap.

Horsepower is not an issue thanks to a 351 Windsor V8 punched out to 408 cubic inches. Hilborn-style fuel injection system with eight individual velocity stacks makes for a very impressive appearance when you open the hood. It also works like it should, because this car starts easily and idles perfectly, even when it’s cold. Everything under the hood is detailed for show, with polished aluminum, chrome, and anodized components throughout, including a trick billet serpentine accessory system that keeps everything humming along. Perhaps most importantly to collectors, the original Shelby VIN tag is still on the inner fender, proving that this car is, indeed, a certified genuine Shelby, with the “C” on the tail end denoting “convertible.”

The front suspension is familiar with A-arms and coil-over shocks, as well as a modern rack-and-pinion steering system for laser-sharp precision. The rear suspension is a familiar 9-inch, albeit with a nodular center section and 3.73 gears inside, but the inboard coil-over shocks on bell cranks provide improved axle control without the unsprung weight, so it rides and handles like a much younger car. The side pipes are fed by a custom-built exhaust system with special mufflers built especially for these cars and the soundtrack is simply spectacular. You’ll also notice subframe connectors to reinforce the drop-top’s tub, heavy-duty torque boxes, and giant vented and cross-drilled disc brakes at all four corners. Trick 17-inch Halibrand style wheels with knock-offs give it an authentic ‘60s Shelby look but allow the use of modern BFGoodrich G-Force radials.

With just under 700 miles on the build, it is still virtually new in every possible way. The paint is unmarked, the interior shows no signs of use, and everything works like it should. It’s still a vintage Mustang, but having enjoyed thousands of hours of attention, it’s something more today. Documented with original paperwork, including a written warranty and final delivery checklist, this is a highly pedigreed Shelby GT500E that stops everyone in their tracks when they first see it. It’s a one-owner car, too, so there’s an unbroken chain of ownership back to day one.

There are plenty of Eleanor clones out there, and you can buy a lesser car for less money. But they’re all expensive and if you want a documented, one-of-two convertible from the guys that started it all, this is it. Protect your investment with a pedigree, and as a bonus, you also get one of the most beautifully finished and capable Mustangs we’ve ever seen. Extraordinary.