The front end of the 1968 was totally different from the other years.  This GT 350 belongs to Dennis Begley

The '68 had turn lock hood "pins". This piece inserted through the hood then turn locked to a wire mounted in the supports under the hood. Hood locks/pins were extra insurance to make sure the hood did not come up on the highway.

Like other years of Shelby Mustangs, the 68 had a fiberglass hood.

This GT 350 is owned by Tony Young. It is a Hertz car. You can see in this picture the louvers cut in the back of the hood. These vents allowed air to escape from the engine compartment. One reason that is a good idea is at speed, the air under the front end causes lift, venting it allows the air to escape. It also provides a cool, fresh flow of cool air across the engine.