Some project cars spend more time on trailers than on the road. This 1968 Shelby GT500 convertible had been through two body shops in a few years and still sat unfinished in Florida. Then a Texas car collector came to look at it.
The collector behind @DennisCollinsCarWorld met the mechanic who had been working on the car at his home. The owner, a friend of that mechanic who lives in Indiana, had decided to sell.
How A Quick Fix Turned Into Years
According to the mechanic, his friend bought the car at a Mecum auction in Indianapolis in the fall of 2023. He wanted a driver he could take to the grocery store, not a show car. So he sent it to Florida to have the brakes, the fuel system and the basics sorted out.
Instead, the mechanic says it needed far more. They pulled the engine and transmission, then sent the car to a body shop in Pennsylvania for new floors. That shop started the work, but the car sat after the shop owner hurt his back. Later it came back to Florida and went to a second body shop, where it sat again.
“it’s been more time on trailers than it has the road.”
Eventually, the owner told him to sell it.
A Broken Pushrod In The Shelby GT500 Engine
The mechanic says he took the 428 Police Interceptor engine down to the short block. The cylinder walls still showed their original honing marks. He also had the heads rebuilt with new valves, springs and guides, and he swapped the wrong carburetor for a rebuilt 1969 unit.
The real surprise came when he pulled the intake. Under the valley pan, which had apparently never come off, he says a broken pushrod was lying in the engine. Paperwork with the car shows a warranty visit for engine noise. During that visit, the dealer removed both heads and replaced the right one.
“I find a broken push rod.”
His guess is that an early owner over-revved the engine and bent a pushrod. Meanwhile, the collector sees it as a close call.
“Lucky it didn’t move around and rattle around in the engine.”
Why The Collector Still Wanted It
Next, the collector goes through the documents and numbers on camera. He says it is an early car, a candy apple red four-speed convertible with a black top and no air conditioning. By his count, only nine were built that way. The mechanic adds that the engine and transmission are original to the car, and the floors and trunk are new.
Then they find part of an original build sheet tucked inside the car. It lists the candy apple red paint, the black interior and the axle code. However, the car still needs bodywork, paint and a top, and its wheels are still in Indiana.
After a long pause, he makes up his mind.
“All right, Gary, I’ve talked myself into taking over another project.”
What To Check Before Buying An Unfinished Classic
A half-done restoration can be a bargain or a money pit. Here is what we would look at first:
- Ask for every receipt and the name of every shop the car has visited.
- Find out which parts are with the car and which are stored somewhere else.
- Open the engine up if anyone is unsure what work was done inside it.
- Compare the numbers on the car with its documents before you pay.
- Budget for paint and bodywork early, since they often take the longest.
Where Things Stand
The Shelby GT500 goes onto a hired transporter and heads to Texas. The collector says his shop will finish it as a driver rather than a show car. He also says he plans to finish it without stripes.
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