Maybe Shelby was testing the viability of a convertible. In fact, he also produced a prototype in 1967-which brings us to our next convertible.
PrototypicalWith four convertibles under his belt, Shelby decided to whip up another for tests. This time there would be only one, and it was a dandy. The car was a red GT500 packing the 428 PI and C6 automatic. Rear gear was most likely a 3.00, owing to the factory air conditioning. It mounted Kelsey Hays Mag Star wheels and was destined for trouble. it was stolen from the Shelby facilities and stripped, then recovered one week later. New parts were put on, and it was then used as a test mule for the '68 GT500 convertible and outfitted as a '68. This is the car in all the Shelby press photos. The convertible has been recently unearthed and restored to its '67 specs.
FotwenysevenIn 1967, the GT500 was packing the biggest engine available for the Ford Mustang: a 428 Police interceptor with two four-barrel carbs. But there were those who wanted more, or less, depending on how you look at it. They wanted the power of a 427. There must have been several ordered this way, right? Many were listed with that engine option. But thinking that would be a mistake. In fact, only three were factory original 427s.
The Real Super SnakesJust two were built: one for Shelby and the other for Bill Cosby. In 1966, Shelby built the car as a Super snake. Indeed it was. As wicked as the '67 Mustang Super Snake was, the dual Paxton supercharged, dual four-barrel, 427 FE-powered Cobra had to be the mack-daddy of all Cobras-maybe even of all Fords. Beside the forced air powerplant, the Cobras had a C6 tranny 3.31 limited slip rear axle, Halibrand knockoff wheels, and a Guardsman Blue topcoat that covered a huge hoodscoop built to clear the carbs and superchargers. The package was good for 11.86 at 115.5 mph when tested for the February '68 issue of Road & Track. They estimated the top speed at 182 mph, but lacked the intestinal fortitude to test it to that level.
Bill Cosby's car was built in response to his statement if Shelby would build a 200-mph car, Cosby would buy it. Shelby, always one to rise to a challenge, put together the second Super Snake in 1967. Bill was so impressed he devoted a side of his '68 comedy album "200 M.P.H." to it. The car was scary fast. Cosby's Super snake was so much to handle that one person listed in the SAWR referred to it as the beast. And we guess it was a beast, since it clamed the life of Tony Maxey in 1972. The car was salvaged, and the engine sold to a street-rod builder. The chassis, or what was left of it after the crash, was sold to a fellow in England who didn't return the car to its Super snake status.