67-68 Shelby de Mexico GT350 (hardtop)

[Richstang]

A conversation with Road Reptile today reminded me we needed a thread on the '67-'68 Shelby de Mexico GT350 hardtops. The '68-'70 registry has the exact numbers for both years, but together they were less than 380 cars. I don't think they were documented, or at the least, nothing has been found and shared. They were limited to a few colors, 10-spoke wheels, Goodyear Speedway 350s, and possibly only a 289 in both years. No lemans stripes were pictured and I'm not sure what interior was included. Was it the standard black camera case dash or the brushed aluminum?

Has anyone ever seen one in person?

Some of you may have seen a color photo of a lime gold hardtop that appears to be a '68 by the front side marker. I'm not convinced this is a Shelby de Mexico GT350 hardtop. It appeared to be custom built car with '69-'70 side stripes '68 California Special styled stripes, '66 10-spoke wheels, and a '67 Shelby hood scoop on a standard '67 Mustang hood (shorter hood to fit Mustang nose).

I'll post some of the known vintage photos with a few comments about each one.

[Richstang]

This first photo shows 2 white hardtops and the employees who built them.  We can see there is no trunk emblem, no bumper guards, and no rear valence exhaust cutout/trim (or stamped exhaust recess if a later built car). Neither of these white cars appears to have a vinyl top, but they do appear to have the 10-spoke rims. If either has lettered tires they might be the small version as they are not visible. I'm guessing the side stripes are blue to give them the quintessential Shelby look.

[Richstang]

This next photo shows men in suits with a black hardtop. I'm sure one of them must be Eduardo Velazquez who started this venture. The inboard grille appears to be a vertical version with the emblem appearing straight, not slanted down. Looking at the door cut line and the fender emblem, the side stripes don't appear to be applied to the correct Shelby American factory standards, but rather centered on the fender. Again, we see the 10-spoke wheels with small lettered Goodyear tires. The Terlingua logo is a nice touch

[Richstang]

This third photo shows more men in suits in the background and the same black hardtop with that Terlingua logo.
I wonder if that is the 65 SA notch Eduardo drove, also in the background?

[Richstang]

This last vintage photo (advertisement) shows what appears to be a red hardtop (noted as maroon in the registry). Once again we see the same incorrectly positioned side stripe, the 10-spoke wheels, and the small lettered Goodyear tires. This is noted to be the prototype, built with a supercharger that was not offered as an option. Notice there is no side emblem. 

[Richstang]

Here's the lime gold '68? hardtop noted in the original post that I suspect is a custom not a Shelby de Mexico

[Bob Gaines]

Here's the lime gold '68? hardtop noted in the original post that I suspect is a custom not a Shelby de Mexico

I don't think radial TA's came out until the later 70's certainly not 67-70 era which at the least dates the picture to well after the cars were produced and as you suspect a later custom attempt by someone . Just my opinion.

[KR Convertible]

That font on the radial T/As didn't come out until the early 80s.  A year or two after I started as a "Tire Toad".   

[FL SAAC]

Shelby de mejico

[FL SAAC]

Shelby de mejico

[FL SAAC]

info on white car

[FL SAAC]

Senor Shelby and amigos

Eddy is on the right hand side

[FL SAAC]

Shelby de mejico display

[FL SAAC]

el carro negro

[FL SAAC]

el carro negro