Owner wanted something special and ended up with a Ford Shelby Mustang so rare it’s a ‘one-of-none’

  • This 1968 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350 is hyper rare
  • So rare – in fact – that it’s considered a ‘one-of-none’
  • Everything bar its single coat of ‘Calypso Coral’ paint is original

Published on Sep 12, 2024 at 2:59 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones

Last updated on Sep 13, 2024 at 11:42 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by Tom Wood

This 1968 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350 is located in the western suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, US, and it’s hyper rare.

In fact it’s considered a ‘one-of-none’.

Everthing bar its single coat of ‘Calypso Coral’ paint is original – and that shade was not offered on Ford Mustangs until 1969.

One famous YouTuber went to check out the ‘one-of-none’ beauty.

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1968 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350

With its original 302 CI V8 engine and a four-speed manual transmission, owner Terry Skweres has had the car in his collection since 2002.

Automotive enthusiast and content creator Lou Costabile went to check it out.

Originally in a finish called ‘Lime Gold’, everything bar a single repaint in its eyecatching shade of ‘Calypso Coral’ is as it was the day it rolled off the production line.

Terry explains that, while he’s a fan of the Ford Mustang, he was looking for something a little different.

Deciding the Shelby GT350 was the right fit, he even met Carroll Shelby – who loved the bespoke orange finish – and has collected memorabilia connected to him, including his signature on the dash.

“Driving the car, you feel it in your hands, and then the feet, and then the seat – that’s what I love most with old cars,” said Skweres.

Hyper rare

1968 was a turning point for the Shelby Mustang, with the iconic performance car undergoing a major aesthetic and performance upgrade.

It was also the year that Shelby left Ford, with FoMoCo taking over Shelby Mustang assembly.

However, the last custom build by Carroll Shelby was actually a GT500 Super Snake.

This one-off 1967 Shelby GT500 prototype disappeared for decades.

Back to the GT350, and Ford wanted to push HP performance to new heights, but the International Automobile Federation hadother plans, capping the displacement of racing engines at five liters.

Ford’s solution was a 302-cubic-inch small-block, the 4.9-liter V8 that debuted in 1968.

The force-fed small engine and $465 price for the hardware, meant sales for the supercharged Shelby Mustang were low.

Lou Costabile

Out of the 1,657 GT350 made for the 1968 model year, 1,235 were fastbacks.

Despite ‘enjoying’ driving it, the Shelby has only 77,483km (48,146m) on the odometer.

It’s also one of only 528 examples equipped with a four-speed manual transmission that’s linked to a 2.75:1 rear differential.

# Tags - Car News, Cars, Ford, Mustang, Rare


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Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones

London-based Amelia cut her journalistic teeth covering all things lifestyle, wellness and luxury in the UK capital. Fast-forward a decade and the experienced content creator and editor has put pen to paper for glossy magazines, busy newsrooms and coveted brands. When her OOO is on you can find her spending quality time with her young family, in the gym or exploring the city she loves.