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Irvine, Calif. – October 13, 2026 – The Segerstrom Shelby Event Center in Irvine, California, is showcasing a pair of historically significant convertibles in the Shelby Heritage Center in Las Vegas. The 1968 Shelby GT500KR convertible and 1970 Shelby GT500 drop top are rare examples of Shelby American vehicles that represent a “first” and a “last” convertible built during the golden era of muscle cars. They are on display inside the Shelby American factory’s Heritage Center through December 15, 2026.
“Shelby has been the leader in American performance vehicles since 1962,” said Joe Conway, CEO of Shelby American. “The Shelby Heritage Center in Las Vegas tells the story of our successes over the decades, delivering a sense of the passion and engineering poured into every car and truck we build today. The generous loan of these two important cars by Ted and Rae Segerstrom adds depth and diversification to the vehicles and displays currently on exhibit. The Segerstrom’s convertibles are another reason to visit Shelby American this year.”
Established in 2013, the Shelby Heritage Center is home to over 30 Shelby vehicles. Free tours are offered daily. The 15,000 square foot Heritage Center sits adjacent to the 150,000 square-foot vehicle production facility. Shelby constantly rotates its vehicle inventory and placement to keep things fresh.
The first car on loan to the SHC is a striking blue 1968 ½ Shelby GT500KR, which marked a major milestone in enthusiast history. When Ford introduced the legendary 428 Cobra Jet V8 midway through production of the 1968 model year, Shelby renamed his car the GT500KR, short for ‘King of the Road.’
“Our 1968 Shelby GT500KR drop top was the first convertible sold to the public,” said Ted Segerstrom, President of Operations at the Segerstrom Shelby Event Center. “With only 517 total Shelby GT500KR convertibles produced for 1968, this remarkable vehicle represents one of the rarest and most celebrated muscle cars of the late 1960s.”
The other convertible loaned by the Segerstroms was the last Shelby convertible built during that time period. The 1970 Shelby GT500 convertible is equipped with the Drag Pack option, a 428 SCJ engine, 4-speed close-radio transmission, Traction-Lok rear end and special oil cooler. Its Wimbledon White paint was available only through special order and the black hood stripes were a new feature for 1970.
“Production of the first generation Shelby GT500 ceased in 1970, but what an end it was,” said Rae Segerstrom, Vice President of Operations. “In the GT500’s final season, only 36 total convertibles were equipped with a 4-speed and only 21 had the rare Drag Pack option. It would be almost 40 years before another Shelby GT500 convertible would be offered to the public again.”
The two cars usually can be seen in the Segerstrom Shelby Event Center, which has become the spiritual home of Shelby American in Southern California. It is an immersive experience that integrates vintage automobilia and signs throughout the facility.
Ted and Rae have collected more than 90 Shelby and Ford vehicles. They opened the Segerstrom Shelby Event Center in 2021 to share their collection with the public.
Inside the So Cal museum, Carroll Shelby’s amazing historical journey is laid out in chronological order at the two-story Event Center. From the 2022 Shelby GT500KR near the door to the ceiling high “stack” of Shelby Mustangs, the first floor is an immersive display of Shelby’s racing career. The scene then shifts to the introductions of the iconic Shelby Cobra, the GT350, and the GT500KR.
The tale continues upstairs with exhibits focused on the late 1960s GT500s, including several 1-of-1 Drag Pack convertibles in various colors. There are cars from Shelby collaborations with Dodge in the 1980s, and the Shelby Series 1 from the late 1990s. In the 2000s, Shelby’s renewal of relations with Ford spawned a whole new generation of GT350s and GT500s, and those cars bring the story up to current times.
Helping others is a cornerstone of the SSEC. Driven by a passion for philanthropy, profits from the center are donated to the Shriners Hospitals for Children and the Carroll Shelby Foundation. Ted, a 32nd Degree Mason, maintains close ties to Masonic organizations, including participating in Shriner Tin Lizzies parades and events.
For those visiting Shelby American in Las Vegas, they can get a taste of the Segerstrom’s impressive collection for a limited time through the pair of vintage convertibles at the Shelby Heritage Center. At least for a limited time. Then they can see the cars, along with the rest of the collection, in Irvine,
