Also available as an option was a Paxton Supercharger. Basically an air pump, the supercharger pumped a lot more air into the cylinders. The result was about a 40% increase in horsepower. Big block horse power from a small block. But with that increase in cost to the base GT350, a buyer could also buy a GT500, so few were actually sold. In 1968 almost 3,000 GT500's and GT500KR fastback and convertibles were sold. Less than 1,700 small blocks were built.

When I got this car the hi-rise and Cobra valve covers were still there. The air cleaner was gone, though. I replaced the 2 core radiator with a 3 core one. During the rebuild of the engine I made the decision not to keep the engine stock. I had a 289 sitting in a garage from my 66 coupe. I had replaced it with a 1970 302 in the Coupe. That motor had a Ford hi lift hydraulic cam and anti-pump lifters in it. Biff suggested I use the 2 barrel heads from it and a set of 351 Cleveland springs he had. So we did. This motor is not the original. The prior owner told me he had it rebuilt. When we took it apart, it is a 68 block, but it's a Mexican block. In 68 the blocks were not matched to the serial number of the car. Actually, the Mexican block is a plus. It is a thicker, more heavy duty block and can be modified much easier than the stock blocks.

What else I have done to enhance the performance? Here is the list:

•  Hi performance Ford cam, 2 barrel heads, 351 Cleveland springs and special matching anti-pump lifters

• Cobra Hi-rise Aluminum intake

• Holley 650 Carb with larger jets

• Headers

• Dual point distributor (now with pointless Ignition)

• Hot Coil

• Cobra oval low restriction air cleaner

• Performance wires

• Three core radiator

So how did the combination work. Great! It has a awesome idle to it. You can definitely tell this motor is not stock. And it runs great. I've never had the engine dynoed, but I would guess the horsepower is close to 300. Big difference over the stock motor. Yes, it will get rubber in the first three forward gears, no problem.

The 1968 GT350 was a Mustang GT with Shelby additions. The interior is stock GT Mustang except for:

• Roll bar

• Aircraft type shoulder harness

• Console with a Cobra on the armrest, wood grain, Temperature and oil pressure gauges

• Shelby emblem on the dash and steering wheel Center

I replaced the interior in 1999. It was starting to show its age. Here is the list of new items, most were replaced some Time ago:

• new carpet

• wood grain door panels

• aluminum door sashes and Shelby emblems

• custom weave seat covers (note: These are not Deluxe interior seats, three seat covers were available in 1968. The Shelby Mustangs had custom weave seats.)

• window rubber seals

• kick panels

• dash pad

• new dash pieces (the prior owner had cut a hole For a tape player in the center???)

• heater core and hoses

• repainted the non-replaced items (fiberglass and Steel parts in the rear seat area)

• new screws all through the interior

There a few items in the interior, like the chrome side pieces that cover the air intake in the rear seat area that could use replacement. Not much left to replace.

The transmission is the original Ford top loader. I rebuilt the transmission this summer (2001). I noticed that the transmission was leaking some oil when I had it serviced last fall prior to parking it for the winter. It needed new gears and synchronizers. I picked up a rebuild kit from Dan Williams Toploader Transmissions in North Carolina, Mr. Toploader. With the transmission out, I replaced the Ford shifter with a new Hurst one. Never liked the Ford one besides it needed new bushings and a rebuild itself. Drives like a new car. Funny what you can get use to.