1968 Ford Mustang

Description

DEALER SPECIAL ORDER PROMOTIONAL
TRIPLE GT
1968
½
390GT
GT/CS Mustang
survivor
:
You are looking at a true documented 1968 390GT
Mustang with benchmark survivor qualities. In addition to being a true 390GT, it was ordered with and is documented to have the
GT/CS
option (
Shelby appearance package)
known as the
“
California Special”! In 1967
Carrrol Shelby built a prototype GT500 /SC -"Super Coupe" known as "Little Red" that was based on a GT390 coupe. While the Shelby GT500/SC never came into regular Shelby production, for a fleeting moment in time, you could have the Ford Motor Company nearly build you one by combining the GT390 + GT + GT/CS options! ABSOLUTELY one of the most spectacular, rare, stunning, and significant
early generation
Mustangs
made! And they are only built on the FoMoCo factory assembly line by the workers in 1968 one time so being a well preserved with benchmark survivor qualities makes this one an ultra rare big block Limited Edition Mustang! If you want to know how the FoMoCo assembly line workers oversprayed paint, applied under sealer, applied black-out, applied undercoating, what was left bare metal, how they applied markings, etc…this survivor has many benchmark “originally as assembled in 1968” features perfectly preserved from new. This
390
-
GT/CS
is in a league of its own being documented as a true factory 390GT plus having the GT package, plus having the GT/CS package..plus.. PWR/STR, PWR/DISC/BRK, legendary C-6 automatic HD Trans, two tone parchment interior, tinted glass, all in a well preserved low mileage SURVIVOR vehicle. Judging by the condition of the undercarriage of this 390GT, it would appear that it has never even been driven in the rain as its that nice. Even the Meadowlark Yellow color is very significant as it was the color used by the Terlingua Shelby/Ford Racing Team in 1967 that won the SCCA Trans-Am season Championship in a Meadowlark yellow coupe Mustang #17 driven by Jerry Titus. This 390GT + GT + GT/CS in Meadowlark yellow is ONE Ford
Mustang
that possesses a multitude of highly rare, desirable, options and qualities! Willing to send additional pics and info to serious buyers upon request.
Fully documented GT390 “S” code
Mustang
:
These are considered among the ranks of top performing muscle cars in its era known back then as “Super-Cars”. This 390GT was factory rated at 325HP @ 4800 RPM with 427 FT/LBS torque @ 3,200 RPM and had 10.5:1 comp.
Any
GT390 Mustang
is a very sought after and rare desirable muscle car today.
The GT/CS was
the very first Limited Special Edition Mustang ever offered by the FoMoCo:
Not only the first one, but easily one of the most desirable and significant Special Limited Edition Mustangs ever to roll off the FoMoCo assembly line. Any GT/CS is a sought after and desirable collector car today as only approx 4,000 were produced, and only a precious few of those received the potent GT390 drivetrains.
The GT/CS design is founded in the SHELBY AMERICAN lineage:
In 1967
Shelby American
produced a prototype
GT500 S/C “Super Coupe”
based on a 390-GT “S” code coupe
Mustang
nicknamed “Little-Red''.
Shelby American
had a desire to add a coupe to the
Shelby
line for 1968 but production limitations made that an impracticality. FoMoCo capitalized on the vision for the
Shelby GT500 S/C "Super Coupe"
and produced their own
Shelby inspired coupe
utilizing Shelby’s design and American Shelby production parts. The
GT/CS
was created as a promotional marketing tool aimed at the Southern California car market calling it the “California Special”. The purpose was to showcase how a
Mustang
could be ordered directly from the factory from
“
mild to WILD
”. And clearly this High Output GT390 big block with the GT/CS Shelby appearance package option with its integrated rear spoiler, side scoops, stripes, special grill, hood locks, special tail lights, etc was on the wild side of any 1968 factory produced car at that time!
This
390GT/CS
is a very rare
TRIPLE GT MUSTANG!!!
Only a true
GT/CS
coupe
can become a
TRIPLE GT
by possessing all three GT options;
GT390-4V
S code powertrain +
GT
Heavy Duty suspension and handling package +
GT/CS
California Special Shelby-appearance package. Since the 390GT with GT heavy duty suspension Mustang was the base platform needed from Ford and utilized in the building of all the GT500 Shelby's, by adding the Shelby body parts to the coupe by way of the GT/CS Shelby appearance package, you had the base foundation and DNA of the Shelby GT500 SC. Shelby may not have built his GT500 Super Coupe, BUT Ford Motor Co came exceedingly close if you ordered the right options together. My personal opinion is that the GT/CS Shelby appearance coupes were among the best looking Mustangs ever produced.
Only approx 24 TRIPLE
GT-GT390-GT/CS
Limited Special Editions Mustangs
were produced
. A true triple 390GT/CS is about 100 Xs more rare than a 70 Boss 302 & about 25 Xs rarer than a ‘69 Boss 429. Now that is rare!
This particular
390GT/CS
was a special order Dealer Promotional  Vehicle.
According to the Marty Report this
390GT/CS
was specially ordered directly by and for the Sutton-Brock Ford/Lincoln/Mercury Dealership in New Mexico. Since they held on to this for a few months before selling it, it is likely this was used as a promotional vehicle.
The Meadowlark Yellow color of this
390GT/CS
Mustang is significant as it was also the color used by the
Shelby/Ford
TERLINGUA Racing Team:
Shelby-Terlingua racing team was the reigning ‘67 SCCA Trans-Am series Champion. No doubt the ‘67 Shelby Terlingua Race car was the inspiration for this special order High Performance Mustang which at the time was as close as you could order from FoMoCo in color, appearance and performance to the actual Shelby Racing Championship winning race car. Truly this is a visionary vehicle, even a
FORESHADOWING
of the Trans Am series Boss 302 which soon followed in 1969!
outstanding survivor!
The original benchmark condition of the undercarriage and various aspects of this
390GT/CS
validates that: [a] it resided in one of the driest USA climates, [b] always garaged, [c] never driven in bad weather, [d] never abused [e] the low miles [f] always rust free.
While there is more that could be said about this vehicle, the above already adds up to be one super rare, very desirable, well preserved, highly maintained, highly detailed, very unique, very original, super survivor muscle car with one respray, highly detailed and ready to take to shows or display.  A fantastic
SURVIVOR
very original on many levels throughout with untouched factory original benchmark undercarriage, mint under dash plus  original paint preserved in many areas throughout. You will be proud to display this beautiful survivor side by side with all the trailered concourse
Mustangs
and
Shelby’s.
And because it has outstanding original survivor qualities, this 390GT/CS will provide benchmark qualities that the restored cars have to be measured against for correctness.
*Low original miles and purchased as a rare collector vehicle very early in its life
*Very original survivor 1968 GT, GT390, GT/CS
Mustang
*Specially dealer ordered for promotional and demonstrator purposes
*One of the best preserved and rarest GT390 High Performance early
Mustangs any where
*Benchmark reference untouched undercarriage with factory assembly line markings present
*The GT/CS is the
first Limited Special Edition Mustang ever offered by the Ford Mo Co
*The GT/CS conception is based on the first Shelby GT500 Super Coupe prototype “Little Red”
*The GT-GT390-GT/CS possesses the DNA and foundation of all ‘68 Shelby GT500 vehicles
*1968 Mustang GT390-4V “S” code was considered one of the “SUPER-CARS” of that era
*1967 SCCA Trans-Am Series Championship was won by the Terlingua Shelby race team using a Meadowlark yellow ‘67 coupe
Mustang
driven by Jerry Titus and this Mustang-Shelby GT/CS in Meadowlark yellow is a factory ordered tribute to that vehicle
*This GT/CS has original paint in many areas such as: under hood, inside trunk lid, rear trunk panel, door jambs, fender inner jambs, undercarriage, floor boards, etc
*Mostly original preserved interior
*Very correct trunk area with factory original trunk mat, jack, mfg sticker and original painted areas still present and complete all the way down to the Firestone  “Wide Oval” spare tire.
VEHICLE HISTORY
-
Built on May29, 1968 and delivered to -
Sutton-Brock Motor Co
a Ford-Mercury dealer in New Mexico. Appears upon the availability of the
GT/CS
option outside of the CA sales district that the dealership special ordered this Mustang which closely replicated the Shelby-Ford SCCA Trans-Am winning race car plus its GT390 High performance drivetrain as a promo vehicle.
1st original owner
Sept 1968-’80
New Mexico
(12yrs):
2nd owner
1980-’82
Colorado Springs (2yr):
retired couple who recognized it as a very special collector Mustang  at the beginning of the Mustang show and collector craze purchasing this 390GT/CS with the expectation to show it. They treated the GT/CS to a quality exterior respray & detailed it for show while preserving as much of the originality as possible. An unexpected downturn in health forced its sale.
3rd owner
1983-2022
Missouri (39yrs)
purchased by a serious Ford enthusiast / collector who collected Shelbys, Boss 2s & 9s and other special Mustangs & special interest Fords. The GT/CS was last registered in 1984 then stored away in a temperature controlled warehouse as part of his private collection for nearly 40 years. By his mid 80s, he decided to start selling his 40 year acquired collection.
I am
the 4th owner
of this amazing GT390 GT/CS. It is now registered and back on the road after a 42 year hibernation!
Body
-absolutely gorgeous. Doors, trunk, hood, switches, etc… all open, close, operate just like on day #1. Original factory installed weather stripping is excellent and still show worthy.  Doors sound amazing when you close them and just like a brand new car! All the trim appears original and is in amazing condition. The bumpers appear to have been triple chrome plated for show duty and are beautiful.
Paint-
exterior had a respray around 1981 to make it show ready with original paint preserved and remaining in many areas such as door jambs, under hood, fender lips, under trunk lid, undercarriage, under dash, floor boards, etc..etc... The paint remains in excellent condition to this day and I would say presents very well. Being the paint is 40+ years old expect a couple small chips here and there and some patina, but still impressive and gorgeous. All and all, a better than original factory exterior paint job with nice original paint in many areas that you will be very proud to show with hood up, trunk open, doors open, and even mirrors showcasing the beautiful original undercarriage.
Interior-
Absolutely stunning gorgeous and very classy tuxedo two tone parchment & black interior that is mostly original. While it is not faultless, it is exceedingly impressive and show worthy. I think it is one of the most beautiful interiors you can find on an early Mustang. Open the ashtray or the glove box, look up under the dash, look under the back seat at the floor boards and you will find it is very original and still looks amazing!
Trunk-
very correct in details as to how it left the factory. Still has the original paint under the trunk lid with original weatherstripping & messy original slopped on glue remnants, even the original trunk mat is still present. There is a concourse correct new trunk mat placed over the born with original trunk mat for protection from further wear. Trunk is complete with jack and Firestone Wide Oval spare.
Engine compartment-
Super clean and very original in appearance. Even has all the original wiring looms, retainers, sealers, chrome valve covers, battery tray, born with nuts, bolts, etc... Appears to retain original Meadowlark yellow paint underside of hood and on fender inner jamb aprons with original assembly line quality inspection paint stamp still present and visible. Smog pump and related smog items were removed early in its life and no longer present. A rare and very desirable factory original GT390 H.P. unsilenced air cleaner with the correct rare oil cap breather are present. Overall a very impressive engine bay presentation (rather than the typically over restored bay) close to how it looked the day after it rolled off the assembly line with some use.
Undercarriage-
All original, untouched and a spectacular benchmark underside straight off the CA Ford San Jose assembly line from nearly 55 years ago. Still has all the factory originally applied under sealer paint, original factory Meadowlark yellow over-spray, black-out, seam sealer, undercoating, factory paint markings, factory original finishes, etc…complete with all the runs and drips!!  Textbook & benchmark perfect, one of the best original untouched undercarriages to exist on any early Mustang or Ford or 60s era vehicle you can find! With just a little cleaning, detail and touch-up it could easily be trailered concourse show ready. The incredibly clean rust free perfect original condition undercarriage of this Mustang
absolutely validates
the outstanding overall near perfect rust free condition of the rest of the vehicle. New Mexico where this GT/CS originated from has one of the driest climates in the USA and it is 100% clear that this Mustang never saw a harsh weather day, cold conditions, was always garaged from day #1, driven only on perfect sunny days and has rarely if ever seen water from rain or even a hose.
Under the dash area-
Just like the undercarriage, it is
untouched, looks perfect, benchmark perfect survivor and appears just like the day it left the assembly line with all the original factory finishes and part number tags! No cut wires, no cut dash, nothing molested, absolutely perfect!
Mechanicals-
Engine
runs flawlessly-very smooth and powerful. Always starts easy and runs cool. If you give it more than a gentle touch of the throttle from a standing start, you will be burning rubber. If you step on the throttle while rolling under 30MPH-you are burning rubber. If you step on it at 45 MPH, it jumps to 70 then 80 MPH quickly. It is a true ultra low mile S code GT390 date code correct with factory castings date code of 8C18 (8- 1968 C=March 18= 18th day in March) that perfectly corresponds to the mfg build date with correct part C8ME-A casting number indicating a true GT390 engine. But to be perfectly clear, while all the casting and date numbers match the car build dates and options, the motor is not the factory installed origianl motor. The C6 transmission shifts perfectly, will chirp and burn rubber into 2nd gear under acceleration, and appears to be the original. The rear end is quiet, smooth, functions perfectly and appears original. Brakes work perfectly and stop straight and have been gone through with a new power booster and master. Steering is very tight with no play at all. When I purchased the GT/CS it still had its original shocks on it which are now in a box with new shocks installed. Every item I can think of down to the smallest item such as back-up lamps functions flawlessly. All the switches, window mechanisms, turn signals, locks, etc just operate like new on day #1. This car is just a joy to drive and is as close to driving an original 1968 GT390-4V 325HP with 427 FT-LBS of torque  Mustang off the showroom floor as you will ever find.
NEEDS:The only mechanical need I am aware of is that the trans will sometimes leak fluid when parked. Sometimes it won't, so having it gone through is recommended. The tires
hold air 100% perfectly, look good, and have great tread but
are around 30 years old with flat spots from its long term storage.
Radio-
I upgraded the stock AM radio to a new retro AM/FM radio that looks factory stock plus has bluetooth capabilities with external mic & aux capabilities. (Comes with the original FoMoCo AM radio that was in the car when I got it)
BOTTOMLINE
- This is NOT a 100 point flawless rotisserie restored concourse trailer queen car with zero miles. To me, it is way better than that because it is a well preserved 50+ year old survivor having escaped the raveges of time making this a very impressive vehicle on every single level. It is a vehicle with incredible survivor qualities that is rarely found that can stand tall when compared to a flawless restored 0K rotisserie Mustang or Shelby. It is very nicely detailed, very original in its appearnce, and I personally would consider it very show worthy. It is a beautiful survivor and nice enough to be displayed with mirrors under it, hood / doors / trunk all open to display its amazing originality that includes the patina gathered from time and use. This all of course is my personal opinion so in-person and professional inspections during the auction run time are a must as this vehicle is over 50 years old and there is no warranty expressed or implied and it is not
being sold as a perfect car but a well cared for 50+ year old survivor type vehicle with its flaws. I believe all the information stated to be correct but it is up to the buyer to verify for himself as it is sold as is. I will make the 390GT/CS available at your convenience for inspection.
NOTE: I may end this listing at anytime as I will have vehicle listed locally for sale or I may choose to not sell it as circumstances change.