California Special: 1968 Ford Mustang GT
In the 1960s, one out of every five Ford Mustangs built was sold in California. So, when the California Ford Dealers Association spoke up, the parent company listened. Such was the case when they were looking for a special edition of the 1968 Mustang to sell that had ties to the work that Carroll Shelby was doing. That resulted in a limited production Mustang GT that was marketed as the “California Special.” This is one of those cars and may be in great condition, though it needs “some finishing touches.” Located near Phoenix, Arizona, this pony is available here on craigslist for $25,000. Heads up on this car comes compliments of Barn Finder T.J.!
The California Special wasn’t the first promo Mustang to come out of the dealer association. In 1967, they had something called the “Rainbow Colored Mustang” which came with a bunch of special accessories and options. So, when the CS was proposed for 1968, the objective was to make some of the Mustangs sold in California look unique and custom-made, thus different than those sold elsewhere. With support from Lee Iacocca himself, the Mustang GT/CS features included fog lights, twist-type hood pins, side scoops, a pop-open gas cap, a rear spoiler decklid with end caps, and 1965 Thunderbird taillights (non-sequential). Carroll Shelby’s company worked on the fiberglass pieces.
GT/CS models could come in any standard Mustang color and be available with any 1968 Ford engine and transmission combination. The 289 cubic inch V8 with a 2-barrel carburetor and a C-4 automatic transmission was the most common, which the seller’s Marti Report indicates is in this example of the ’68 GT/CS. Initial distribution of the cars was primarily within the two California sales districts but later expanded to Washington, Nevada, Texas, Utah, Oklahoma, Arizona, Western Canada, and Colorado (as the High-Country Special).
A total of 4,118 of these cars were made in 1968, so they paled in numbers to the overall 317,000 Mustangs produced. The seller doesn’t give us a lot of information or a variety of photos regarding this auto. The odometer reading is said to be 39,000 miles. We assume it runs, but the seller doesn’t bother to take it out of the enclosed garage for pictures. As a result, we don’t know what the driver’s side looks like, the passenger compartment, or the engine bay. We’re told it needs finishing touches, but what does that mean? This could be a really nice, rarely-seen Mustang.
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Comments
Always thought these were good looking cars. Yeah it’s just a few parts slapped on a V8 Stang but they are the right parts, at least I always thought so. Price seems more than fair and shouldn’t last long.
Doesn’t have to be V8
I never cared for these when they were new,but they’ve
grown on me over the years.
Wasn’t that hood part of the package, Russ?
All they did was paint the standard vents.
The side vents were shared with the shelby and made by A.O. Smith.
The average 68 mustang had small vents.
The hood pins which was shared with the Shelby was part of the package, turn signal hoods could come with almost any 68 .
I wonder if any Calif Specials(or similar editions) were made by mistake as fastbacks.
It’s missing the chrome “California Special” script on the rear fender. Something’s fishy here.
It doesn’t appear anything “fishy” is going on here. Evidently, either body work or a respray was commissioned and the car hasn’t been fully put back together. The Marti report confirms it is what it is.
Yes missing all the lettering and rear side markers. Quarters full of bindi?
I own a pair of originals, Several items seem astrue. I wouldn’t mind, if he wasn’t asking a Premium. Be real, don’t go public and misrepresent.. Oldman in Georgia
@ Russ
I thought the tail lights on these were shared with the 1967 1968 mercury cougars not t bird.
The Cougar tail lights were rounded at the upper and lower part. The T-bird lights were flat. Also, the Cougar lights had chrome strips across the entire lens surface whereas the T-bird lights had five chrome bars.
You might want to have a look at 64,65,66 Thunderbirds.
65 thunderbird
The ’67 Shelbys used Cougar taillights, minus the chrome. The ’68-’70 Shelbys and the ’68 California Special used ’65 Thunderbird taillights. None of the Mustangs used the sequential taillight feature of the T-bird and Cougar.
The front side markers began for the year 1968 but Ford didnt add rear one until a couple months in,also applies to the 68′ Cougar.So if you see a 68′ Mustang or Cougar without rear side markers it’s an early build.
All 1968 Mustangs and Cougars left the factory with rear side reflectors. This was required by federal law. All the 1968 Cougars used a simple bolt on reflector. For a part of the year the 1968 Mustang used the same bolt on reflector. The other part of the year the Mustang used an inset style reflector. In 1969 the rear side marker used a bulb and was actually lit up. So if you see a 1968 Mustang or Cougar without rear side reflectors someone removed them.
You are correct. I believe the inset markers were used first and bolt on later in the year.
I have a book on the CA specials. I’ll look but I seem to remember they could have been any body, engine, trans whatever with the CA addons.
Not sure about that. Never seen a CS fastback.
I think you could order a 390 4 barrel and that’s what I called a real California Special I could be wrong
If that is original miles, yes very low. No engine photos, and no good interior photos.
Nice car with a little finish work as stated. The early 68 Mustangs had a recessed style rear side reflector and towards the end of Feb. ‘68 they changed to a bolt on style reflector. I had both type thought the recessed ones looked better. This car according to the Mart report was built 3/6 so it should have had the later style. Be an easy fix.
Nice car. I don’t know if it’s a personal quirk or not, but I always look closely at the car’s surroundings, ie: garage, yard, house, etc. It can often reveal a lot about the seller and how they care about their stuff.
Ford’s use of GT/CS decals causes confusion. The “GT” in GT/CS has nothing to do with the GT package. A California Special could be had with the GT package, but this one does not appear to be equipped that way, judging primarily from its plain hubcaps.
We traded 37 Plymouth for one of these at Manheim auction in Pennsylvania from a guy that re bodied Deusenbergs. Nothing special. Taillights, quarter scoops, and chrome. Clean it up, fixed the rust, and sold it at Dutchland auction.
That’s an obscene price for a car with so few pictures. Is there a reason the drivers side or engine wasn’t shown? The Mustang has so many special editions I will never know them all.