- A battered 1968 Shelby GT500KR Convertible is going up for auction.
- The car appears to have been crashed and has 80,757 miles on it.
- Despite the various issues, it’ll likely sell for big bucks next month.
Rusty, broken, and battered isn’t an ideal way to describe a car, but that’s certainly the case with this dilapidated pony. However, its poor condition likely won’t stop bidders from going nuts.
Looking far worse for wear, this 1968 Shelby GT500KR Convertible will be auctioned by Mecum on July 25. The listing doesn’t mention what happened to the car, but it appears to have been crashed and then parked for decades.
More: This Rusted Junker Could Fetch Up To $1 Million
Regardless of what transpired, the model has significant front end damage as we can see a mangled bumper, a broken grille, and a battered fascia. Moving further back, there’s a Wimbledon White body and a black power soft top. They’re joined by blue body stripes and 15-inch wheels wrapped in Goodyear Eagle ST tires.
We can also see quite a bit of rust around the doors and side scoops. They’re joined by rusty lower body panels and a sizable spoiler.
While the exterior has seen far better days, the interior appears to be in good condition. It sports black vinyl seats, a three-spoke steering wheel, and extensive woodgrain trim. Elsewhere, there’s a Philco radio and an odometer that appears to show 80,757 miles (129,966 km).
Mecum
Power comes from a 7.0-liter (428 cubic inch) Cobra Jet V8 engine, which allegedly produced 335 hp (250 kW / 340 PS). It’s connected to a four-speed manual with a Hurst shifter. This setup reportedly enabled the convertible to accelerate from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 6.9 seconds, run the quarter-mile in 14.8 seconds, and hit a top speed of 140 mph (225 km/h).
While this particular car won’t be doing that anytime soon, it has power steering and brakes as well as a Traction-Lok rear end.
There’s no auction estimate, but the Shelby is being sold without reserve and will undoubtedly fetch far more than its original MSRP of around $4,600, which works out to roughly $45,000 in today’s money once you account for inflation. How much more is the big question, as restored examples can command six figures, and this is one of just 518 GT500KR Convertibles in existence. Check out the full listing over at Mecum and place your bets.
