Severe Health Problem forces sale of my beloved 1968 GT500KR 427 #2575

[greekz]

Best wishes to you and your family.  Keep the faith, miracles do happen.

[Side-Oilers]

BTW:

I have a very in-depth 7-page listing of the details of my car to send to anyone interested.

All the specifics of the new engine, driveline, suspension, brakes, etc.

Condition of paint, interior, undercarriage, etc.

A list of everything on the car that's original. And what isn't.

How it drives, rides, handles and performs.

This car's history.  And anything else I can think of to mention. 

PM me with your contact info and I'll send it out.  I also have several driving videos, walk-arounds, cold-start and hot start examples, and tons of photos I can send.

I am happy to discuss the car with you on the phone.  In the interest of privacy, I'd prefer if you'd PM me your number and I'll call you.

Here's a pix from Willow Springs Raceway on Oct 2015, Cobra Owner's Club meet.  The KR ran fast and 100% reliably all weekend. Proof of concept and execution.  These days, I merely drive it on the street.  It is very quick, yet easy to drive.

[crossboss]

Van,
I am very sorry to hear of this. I wish you all the best, and hope you come out of this with excellent results! Don't give up, and stay positive!
Take care as always, Scott.

[Side-Oilers]

A couple more photos...

[Side-Oilers]

Engine & Transmission specs of my KR...

427 side-oiler Carroll Shelby Engines aluminum block & heads, punched out to 468 cubic inches. 

Built by Denbeste Racing Engines.  Complete air cleaner to oil pan.  Stage 2 porting.
(Cost $28,000.)

579 hp @ 5700 rpm  and  597 lb/ft torque @ 4200 rpm.  Dyno sheets included.

10.5:1 compression
Mahle 4023 alloy pistons
Scat 6.7"H-beam rods, 4340 forged steel
Scat 4.125" stroker crank, 4340 forged steel
8740 main studs & head studs
2.25/1.75 stainless steel valves
High silicone 1.550" diameter dual valve springs
Custom 4130, .080" wall, 3/8 pushrods
Harland Sharpe aluminum roller rockers
Proprietary Denbeste hydraulic roller cam, 8620 billet steel
Cloyes Hex-a-Just roller timing chain
Melling blueprinted racing oil pump


Holley XP830 carb, mechanical secondaries
Shelby aluminum dual-plane intake manifold
Aeromotive electric fuel pump and dual oversized filters
Fuel pressure gauge mounted on engine.

MSD Pro Billet Distributor
MSD 6AL ignition box
MSD Blaster 2 coil

Shelby high-flow aluminum water pump
Aluminum pulleys & timing cover
Aluminum radiator 
Original KR belt-driven fan

70 Amp Alternator
Powermaster Ultra Torque starter

FPA headers and Magnaflow 2.5" exhaust system with x-pipe, exiting through stock tips.

Excellent installation, exhaust properly tucked-up.  No problem on speed bumps. 

Performs and sounds incredible, runs cool, drives very strong.


TRANSMISSION:

Original Top-Loader 4-speed.

Original 9-inch rear-end with 3.50 Traction-Lok gearing.

Original nodular iron 3rd member.

New Currie axles.

Gear Vendors 0.82 overdrive.  Drops 4th-gear revs at 75 mph from 3500 to 2850 rpm.

Hurst T-handle Competition Plus Shifter.

McLeod Super Street Pro Clutch & Steel Flywheel.

QuickTime Bell Housing (SFI rated.)

Wilwood Hydraulic Clutch System. (Low Pedal Effort.  Stop & Go driving is easy.)

[corbins]

Hang in there... modern medicine is amazing. Has keep me alive for the past 9 years after a C word diagnosis. Hang in there and keep your head up !

[Side-Oilers]

Thanks Corbins, and everyone else.  Your thoughts and messages are being taken to heart.
Van

[Side-Oilers]

More technical info on KR:

TRANSMISSION:

Original Top-Loader 4-speed.

Original 9-inch rear-end with 3.50 Traction-Lok gearing.

Original nodular iron 3rd member.

New Currie axles.

Hurst T-handle Competition Plus Shifter.

McLeod Super Street Pro Clutch & Steel Flywheel.

QuickTime Bell Housing (SFI rated.)

Wilwood Hydraulic Clutch System. (Low Pedal Effort.  Stop & Go driving is easy.)

Gear Vendors 0.82 overdrive.  Drops 4th-gear revs at 75 mph from 3500 to 2850 rpm.


CHASSIS:

Full Hotchkis Suspension F/R.  Includes springs, shocks, anti-roll bars & bushings.

Four-wheel Wilwood disc brakes. Four piston front. Two-piston rear.  Manual brakes. Retains original pull-on parking brake.

16x8-inch Specialty Racing Wheels, in period-correct 5-spoke Torq Thrust D style.

BFG g-Force Sport Comp 2 tires.  215/55/ZR16 front.  245/50/ZR16 rear.

Handles great. Rides nice. Sits perfect.

EPAS Performance electric power steering (with adjustable effort control) added to the rebuilt manual box for easier parking.

Flaming Rivers "1968 Mustang" steering column with tilt wheel, to mate with electric power steering.


Corner-balanced, Aligned and Weighed.

Total Weight:  3272 pounds with half tank of gas, no driver.

Front axle: 1824 pounds.    Rear axle: 1448 pounds

Driver side total: 1653 pounds.  Passenger side total: 1619 pounds 

[Side-Oilers]

BODY:

This is a CA car since new.  No Rust or body rot.

Dry body & undercarriage, floors, trunk.   No patch panels.

Original bumpers.

Original gas cap.

Original taillight lenses.

Original sheet metal and fiberglass.

The fiberglass lines up about as good as when new. Hood has a slight bow in it, typical of many Shelbys of this era.

The 30-year-old bare-metal paint job is still thick, shiny, and generally holding up well. But, there are several small blemished areas, plus some rock chips and a few small cracks in the fiberglass.  I'm not a paint fanatic, so it doesn't bother me. I'd call the paint quality a "5 footer".

Undercarriage has been thoroughly cleaned, by hand, revealing correct orange-red oxide factory primer undercoating.

Fender lips have been rolled to fit the larger tires.



DETAILS:

Correct Blue GT500KR Lower Door Stripes made by Shelby restoration expert Tim Lea.

New Wiring Harnesses from 1968 Shelby expert coralsnake.com

New Ultima red top battery installed 150 miles ago.

The headlights are new FoMoCo logo halogens.

Taillights and dashboard lights converted to brighter LEDs.

The original fog lights were not on the car when I bought it, so I installed (in 1982) a pair of powerful Cibie Series 175 quartz-iodine fog lights. You can actually see with these! 

The chromed taillight grilles were not on the car when I bought it.  I like the look better without them. (They're readily available online.)

No spare tire or jack.

Upsized 22 gallon fuel tank.

[deathsled]

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, Van, if you didn't see my answer to your DM that I sent.  I will stay in touch.  I haven't been too active on this site due to some funny little virus going around.  But I beat its a$$.  I did buy a supply of Ivermectin (Human Doctor prescribed I might add) back last November and it came in handy.  I took the full treatment the next morning as symptoms developed on Saturday afternoon.  Did it make a difference?  Can't tell.  But glad I had it if for nothing more than a placebo, a "hand holder" so to speak.  For you, I suggest scaling back on sugar intake and do some intermittent fasting.  Starve it out.  But I am no medical doctor.  Just regurgitating what I have read on the subject. 

Best wishes to you and your family,

Richard

[Side-Oilers]

Thanks, Richard, and everyone else, for your concern and words of wisdom. 

It is all very much appreciated by my family and me. 
Van

[mikeh]

Really a bad deal, I wish you all the best. Killer car btw.

Mike

[Side-Oilers]

Thanks Mike.  I'm doing my best to hang in there.  Still having as much car fun as I can.

An old Motor Trend buddy of mine came to the house yesterday and brought his badazz Pantera. He let me drive it, and then I gave him a fast ride in the KR. His jaw was on the ground at the KR's performance (faster than the Pantera) and handling.

He said if he had the $$ he'd buy my car in an instant.  He's going to list it on the Pantera site with his personal recommendation.  I'm getting several interested people so far, from the SAAC forum, and it will be a great fully-sorted Shelby for someone.

Best regards,
Van

[6s341]

Hi Van,
Best of luck with a complete recovery.  I've enjoyed reading your articles over many years as well as your comments on the Forum.  Your car looks like a great one for guys and gals who like to drive them.

[Side-Oilers]

Thanks 6s341, for the nice comments.  I had a great and fun career as a car mag writer.  Before the internet ruined everything.