{"id":51786,"date":"2016-06-18T14:47:29","date_gmt":"2016-06-18T14:47:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/owegopennysaver.com\/?p=51786"},"modified":"2016-06-20T14:50:13","modified_gmt":"2016-06-20T14:50:13","slug":"collector-car-corner-reader-recalls-the-night-he-crashed-his-beloved-68-shelby-gt500","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2016\/06\/18\/collector-car-corner-reader-recalls-the-night-he-crashed-his-beloved-68-shelby-gt500\/","title":{"rendered":"Collector Car Corner – Reader recalls the night he crashed his beloved \u201868 Shelby GT500"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Collector<\/a>

Advertisement for the 1968 Shelby GT350\/500 Convertible, one of the collector car hobby\u2019s most in-demand vehicles. The GT500 convertible is currently valued at $203,000 by NADA Classic Car guides, some $30K more than the GT500 fastback. (Advertisement compliments Ford Motor Company).<\/p><\/div>\n

Q: Hi Greg and I just read your column about lost opportunities and cars that got away. Well, I have a story for you.<\/p>\n

Back in the 1970s I was active in buying and selling 50\u2019s and 60\u2019s muscle cars.\u00a0 At the time it wasn\u2019t uncommon to come upon a \u201866 Chevelle 396, a \u201865 Mustang Fastback or a \u201860 Ford Starliner 390 for sale. There were others, too, that today I would give my eyeteeth to have back.<\/p>\n

Back when Illinois license plates were yellow and black, one of our small town \u201cPennysaver\u201d newspapers had a classified ad for a 1968 Mustang Convertible for sale for $650. So, I called and talked to the person and he said it was his brother\u2019s car and it had a fiberglass hood and a tail fin on the trunk that said \u201cHELBY!\u201d<\/p>\n

I got his address, dropped the phone and ran to the bank, as I was off to see this \u201cHELBY!\u201d<\/p>\n

Now for $650.00, I wasn\u2019t expecting much. But as I drove up I saw a Highland Green with white convertible top 1968 Shelby GT 500 that needed a left front fender, bumper, grill nose surround and a good paint job.\u00a0(Not because it was hit, it just had not been taken care of). It also needed the letter \u201cS\u201d to complete the \u201cHELBY.\u201d<\/p>\n

I asked if it ran, and he gave me the keys and said take it for a ride.\u00a0It started right up and I rode around the block. I was now driving a true 1968 Shelby Mustang GT 500 convertible. It had the 428 V8, 335 horses, C6 Automatic and even factory air. It was a very rare vehicle and I bought it on the spot. I brought her home and remember it was one of the quickest muscle cars I had ever owned. It was all mine.<\/p>\n

\"Collector<\/a>

The 1968 Ford Mustang Shelby Fastback also came in either 350 or 500 designations. The 350 came with a Cobra 302 V8, while the 500 featured either a standard 428 V8 or a rare 427 Ford V8 with a \u201cW code\u201d designation. (Advertisement compliments Ford Motor Company).<\/p><\/div>\n

After enjoying the summer with my car I decided to put it back into shape.\u00a0There was a little Ford Dealer called Copper Show Ford nearby and I ordered every part I needed for the sum of $1,200.\u00a0In the next couple of weekends I installed and aligned and shimmed, as needed all but the paint. I then put it away for the fall.<\/p>\n

But around Halloween time, my buddy and his band were playing so I decided to go and see him in my Shelby.\u00a0It was nice and dry out and just a little brisk.\u00a0 Needless to say I stayed a little too long at the concert and took the back roads home with the windows down.\u00a0With the cool breeze, I passed out and rolled my precious Shelby through a 6-foot ditch impacting everything from the left front to the right rear.\u00a0Yes, the Shelby roll bar worked and saved my life, but my Shelby GT500 was totaled.<\/p>\n

When I got my totaled car home and before winter, McCormick Place (convention center near Chicago) was having an auto show and I found a guy who had a Shelby. I asked if would like to buy a wrecked one for parts and we agreed on a price. He then came and took her away.<\/p>\n

Now some 40 years later I still would give my eyeteeth to have my precious Shelby back in some way or another.<\/p>\n

Shelby gone but not forgotten! Yours truly, Tom Waszak, Martinton, Illinois.<\/p>\n

A: Tom, what a story and I\u2019m glad you survived the crash that totaled your priceless 1968 Shelby GT500 convertible – with air conditioning no less!<\/p>\n

Indeed you did have one very rare Shelby.<\/p>\n

Although I\u2019m sure I\u2019m not telling you anything you don\u2019t already know, that 1968 Shelby GT500 Convertible is now listed in the NADA Classic Care guides for a high retail of $203,000. The fastback is about $30K less at $173,000, but convertible or not, those 1968 Shelby GT500\u2019s are one of the most popular cars in the collector world.<\/p>\n

A friend of mine back in 1970 had a Shelby GT500 Fastback and it was really a great vehicle as you note. He and I took many rides in that Shelby and I remembered just riding in it almost as fondly as you remember owning your beauty.<\/p>\n

Too bad that accident happened, but rest assured we all have stories like this where cars that we loved were either crashed or let go for pennies on the dollar when the gas crisis hit. Those 1965 to 1972 muscle cars were sold by dealers for whatever they could get for them back then, so even they had no clue what was coming in the future. (Well, most of them anyway). Your GT500 delivered nine to 11 mpg at best.<\/p>\n

Sadly, it does sound like you probably would have kept your Shelby, so there\u2019s little that can be done to ease your pain – even though it\u2019s been 40 long years ago.<\/p>\n

Good luck and thanks for reading my columns and especially for writing your letter.<\/p>\n

(Greg Zyla is a syndicated auto writer who welcomes reader interaction. Write with questions or comments on the collector car hobby, auto nostalgia or old-time auto racing to Greg at 303 Roosevelt St., Sayre, Pa. 18840 or email at greg@gregzyla.com).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Q: Hi Greg and I just read your column about lost opportunities and cars that got away. Well, I have a story for you. 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