Independent field notes for a better-documented collection. Sources and further reading are linked below.
Begin with an identity, not a paint color
The Ford VIN is the registry’s deduplication key. A Shelby serial plate can add a second identifier, but listings sometimes display it after the Ford VIN, with or without a dash. We normalize the Ford portion before creating a new record. A later auction appearance updates that chassis rather than increasing the “found” counter.
Period colors, trim, wheels and stripes are clues, not proof of identity. Cars can be repainted and restored. A VIN in a listing is a public claim until the underlying plates and paperwork have been examined.
What the documents can establish
A Marti Report can show the factory specification and production information reported from Ford data. Build sheets, Shelby invoices, dealer paperwork and later service records may trace a car’s configuration and subsequent work. In BaT’s record for 8T03R206168, the listing describes an Elite Marti Report and build-sheet copy; the same listing says a replacement warranty block was fitted around 1969. Those facts belong in different parts of the story: factory configuration and later mechanical history.
Documents shown in a sales catalog are leads to inspect, not proof that KR68 has independently authenticated the car. Ask for legible originals or copies and reconcile every identifier before relying on a seller’s summary.
What the registry actually counts
A documented chassis is one with a public, source-linked identity and a dated sighting. It is not a claim that KR68 knows the present owner, current location, matching components or survival status. The production denominator is 1,571, following the historical sources linked in our production note.
Sources & further reading
Public sources checked October 17, 2026. Seller-submitted descriptions and documents are attributed to their listings; KR68 has not independently inspected these cars.