Short answer: if you’re shopping the Shelby Mustang market, 1968 is the year RK Motors knows best. Of the 58 GT350 and GT500 Shelby Mustangs RK Motors has sold from the model’s 1965-1970 run, 24 of them, 41% of the total, are 1968s. That’s more than the entire 1966 and 1969 model years combined, and it edges out 1967’s strong showing of 18 cars. When collectors think “Shelby Mustang,” RK Motors’ own transaction history says they’re thinking 1968.

What RK Motors’ Own Data Shows

We don’t publish raw buyer information, but our sold and current inventory is a matter of public record, and it tells a consistent story. Of the 58 Shelby Mustangs in RK Motors’ sold archive, 36 are GT500s, including Police Interceptor, Cobra Jet, and GT500KR variants, and 22 are GT350s, meaning the big-block GT500 outsells the small-block GT350 by close to two to one. Layered on top of that split, 1968 alone accounts for 17 of those 36 GT500s and 1967 for another 15; together those two years make up 32 of the 36 GT500s RK Motors has sold, or 89% of the total. The GT350 tells a different story: its best year at RK Motors is the original 1965, with 8 of the model’s 22 total sales, more than a third of every GT350 that’s passed through our showroom.

Zoomed out across RK Motors’ broader 1965-1970 Mustang sold inventory of 252 cars, Shelby-built GT350s and GT500s account for 58 of them, or roughly 23%, meaning close to one in four classic Mustangs the company has sold wears a Shelby badge. Current inventory tells its own part of the story, too: as of this writing, RK Motors doesn’t have a 1965-1970 Shelby GT350 or GT500 in current or incoming stock, a reminder of how quickly a well-documented Shelby tends to move once it’s consigned.

Sold: this 1968 GT500KR, 1 of only 1,053 built, drew 436 page views before selling out of RK Motors’ Charlotte showroom.

Two Ways to Buy a Shelby Mustang: GT350 vs. GT500

RK Motors’ sold history shows the GT350 and GT500 attracting genuinely different buyers, and the split has held steady for decades. The GT350 was Shelby American’s original vision: a small-block 289-cubic-inch V8 tuned for the track, with as little weight and civility added as Carroll Shelby could get away with. The GT500 arrived in 1967 once Ford moved production to Ionia, Michigan, and traded some of that raw edge for a comfort-oriented big-block 428 and amenities like factory air conditioning and a folding rear seat. Buyers responded: Hagerty’s tracked auction data shows more 1967-1970 GT500s changing hands over the past year than 1965-1970 GT350s, even though the earliest GT350s now carry the highest price tags in the lineup.

RK Motors’ own numbers echo that history. Every GT500 in RK Motors’ sold archive carries either the original 428 Police Interceptor or 428 Cobra Jet V8, including a numbers-matching Candyapple Red 1967 fastback and multiple documented GT500KRs finished in Raven Black. Meanwhile, RK Motors’ single most-viewed Shelby Mustang of any kind is a 1965 GT350SR, a Shelby-licensed, 1-of-11 continuation model built decades later by Unique Performance, which drew 1,333 page views, evidence that even non-original, Shelby-licensed builds carry serious market pull.

How Shelby Mustang Pricing Compares Across the Market

Hagerty’s Price Guide values a #3 (“Good” condition) 1965 GT350 at $403,000 as of July 2026, with a market range between roughly $363,000 and $469,000, up 15.8% over the past year. A comparably conditioned 1967 GT500 carries a considerably lower Price Guide value of $175,000, with a range of about $157,000 to $204,000, up 9.4% annually. The 1968 GT500KR, the “King of the Road,” lands lower still at $138,000 in #3 condition. Despite that price gap, Hagerty’s tracked auctions show real demand on both sides: over the past 12 months, 52 examples of the 1965-1970 GT350 sold for a combined $15.3 million, an average sale price of $294,400 and a 27% increase in vehicles sold, while 67 examples of the 1967-1970 GT500 sold for a combined $14.5 million, an average sale price of $216,300 and a 20% increase in vehicles sold.

Sold: this Shelby-licensed, 1-of-11 GT350SR continuation drew 1,333 page views, the most of any Shelby Mustang in RK Motors’ sold archive.

Set against that backdrop, RK Motors’ own sold prices land where you’d expect: GT350s command a real premium per car despite far lower unit volume, while GT500s, especially 1967 and 1968 models, move in much higher numbers at a more attainable price point. For buyers, that means the GT350 badge buys rarity and pedigree, while the GT500 buys big-block performance and a wider field of available cars to choose from.

What to Look for Either Way

Whichever direction a buyer leans, a few details separate a strong example from a risky one. Every Shelby Mustang should be checked against its factory build sheet, Marti Report, or SAAC Registry listing to confirm the VIN, engine, and trim codes match the car in front of you. Because GT350 and GT500 production moved between Shelby American’s California shop and Ford’s Ionia, Michigan plant depending on the year, documentation standards vary by model year, so provenance paperwork matters as much as the car itself. Buyers should also watch for continuation and tribute builds, like the Unique Performance GT350SR above, which can be excellent cars in their own right but are not original Shelby American or Ford products, and should be priced and represented accordingly. Title history matters too; RK Motors discloses this on every listing, including any branded or rebuilt title, so buyers can weigh that information before making an offer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between a GT350 and a GT500?

The GT350 was Shelby American’s original 1965 creation, a small-block 289-cubic-inch V8 tuned for road-course performance with minimal creature comforts. The GT500 arrived in 1967 after Ford moved production to Ionia, Michigan, and paired a big-block 428-cubic-inch V8 with more standard comfort and convenience features. The 1968 GT500KR, or “King of the Road,” added a Cobra Jet 428 and became the most powerful, best-equipped Shelby Mustang of the era.

How many Shelby Mustangs has RK Motors sold?

RK Motors’ sold inventory currently shows 58 Shelby-built GT350 and GT500 Mustangs from the 1965-1970 model years, out of 252 total Mustangs of that era the company has sold. Of those 58, 36 are GT500s and 22 are GT350s, and 1968 is the single best-represented model year with 24 cars.

Which is worth more, a GT350 or a GT500?

According to Hagerty’s Price Guide, the answer favors the GT350 by a wide margin. A #3 (“Good” condition) 1965 GT350 is valued at $403,000 as of July 2026, compared with $175,000 for a comparable 1967 GT500 and $138,000 for a 1968 GT500KR. That said, Hagerty’s tracked auction data shows both models seeing rising transaction volume and total sales dollars over the past year.

Does RK Motors currently have a Shelby Mustang for sale?

Not as of this writing. RK Motors’ current and incoming inventory doesn’t include a 1965-1970 Shelby GT350 or GT500, though the company’s sold archive and page-view data show consistently strong demand whenever one is consigned. Browse RK Motors’ full current inventory or call for information on upcoming consignments.

Are Shelby Mustangs a good investment?

We’re not able to offer investment advice. What we can share is observable demand: Hagerty’s tracked market shows rising transaction volume and prices for both the GT350 and GT500 over the past year, and RK Motors’ own page-view data shows strong, sustained interest in documented examples, including continuation builds. Anyone buying with investment in mind should treat it as a discretionary purchase first and consult an independent financial advisor about their own situation.

Does RK Motors ship Shelby Mustangs?

Yes. Every RK Motors listing can be shipped anywhere in the world, and each vehicle receives a comprehensive, multi-point inspection before it’s listed for sale. Call (704) 445-9105 to ask about upcoming Shelby Mustang consignments.

This piece anchors RK Motors’ growing Shelby Mustang coverage. As individual year, make, and model pages publish, including a dedicated look at the 1967 Mustang, we’ll link them here so this page stays the hub for GT350 and GT500 research. In the meantime, see how the same data-driven approach played out for another RK Motors favorite in RK Knows: 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, or browse RK Motors’ full current inventory.