1968 GT/CS Convertible

Hi Mustang friends,

I am a Dane and member of MCD Mustang club of Denmark.

Here in Denmark I have stumbled upon an ”item” which I ended up buying, viz. a 68 convertible, built as a GT/CS Convertible and I am aware the this model was never factory-produced as a convertible. They were coupés only in 1968.

The history behind this car is that a Ford dealer (In Sacramento or Los Angeles, CA, apparently) celebrated his 22nd or 23rd years’ birthday/jubilee by having an equivalent number of models GT/CS Convertibles built/rebuilt.

The only proof of the history behind this car that the previous owner was able to present was a newspaper article from the time he imported the car to Denmark. This article described the above. Unfortunately he has reformatted his hard disk from back then and the guy he had the article from died of cancer in the meantime. Would you be able to dig out this history?

As I have not bought the car from him, I see no reason why the story should not be true, and I would therefore like to give it a chance.

According to the Marti report it was purchased by Midway Ford in Los Angeles CA; VIN# 8R03C116340.

Would some of you happen to be able to help with a contact or two who might be able to confirm or disconfirm the story?

As I see it, the story may as well be true, but before it has actually been proven it will only be assumptions that this particular model is one of the 22/23. How do you see this?

I will very soon have ended the bodywork and I need to decide whether this should re-emerge as a GT/CS or a Shelby clone.

I have googled the stories and come up with some information supporting them, such as:
mr mustang 686970: My Dad worked for erwin ford in Salinas Ca as a special order delivery driver (PT fun job) as he did many times he took me on a delivery run to SJ or some other city in the bay area. The car he delivered was a white convertible GT/CS special with a 4 speed, it a large v8-390, there was no room in the engine compartment. It did have that same roll bar-Tbird sequential tail lights- quad exhausts. It was fast & what I really can still feel & hear is the way it vibrated,rumbled, shook & deep sound of the engine at idle & at throatling up. Im no historian but I did ride in one with my Dad in jr high. That day was and is for ever etched in my memory. I loved that day as a 13 year boy!

jg_54: that's awesome! I have two of them with the 390 and they are a blast to say the least
Again, regarding the GT/CS - they were coupes only, and from the San Jose factory only... With regards to the one you describe - it IS possible that an influential citizen "special ordered" the convertible from a dealer who did the conversion at the dealership (from a standard S-code) using the available parts. However, the VIN#, data plate info and factory build sheet (verified by today's Marti reports) would not say it was a GT/CS. Ford was careful not to compete directly with the Shelby line and there simply were no convertible or fastback "California Specials" produced from the factory! Many researchers including former factory workers have verified this time & again upon seeing a myriad of cloned and otherwise modified Mustangs listed on Ebay etc... as originals. Feel free to join us and pose the question again at: www.californiaspecial.com where some 1,200 members routinely discuss this unique Mustang

Thanks Peter

Wecome.

Never say, 'always and never' when it comes to Fords.

I would order a Deluxe Marti Report. That San Jose convertible VIN, predates all GT/CS production.

There is a thread here somewhere that talks about the possibility of "production" GT/CS convertibles. Probably over four years old. You can try and use the search function to find it.

I exchanged emails with Paul Newitt about this a year of so ago. He said:

o 0% chance Galpin made them...they had a hard time selling the original cars
o In all his years looking and asking, he has never come across one that was documented as original.
o He asked Kevin Marti, Lee Grey, and Fred Goodell and was told none were ever made.

Take it for what you think it is worth. It would be pretty cool if one did pop up, though.

David

Peter,
Kinda late tonight. This is way cool and as Scott said. Never say never. More later! Busy tonight!

Rob

Very possible a dealer decided to do this, but would have been a costly conversion. as the orignals sold "poorly" a higher cost one-off (roll bar, tail panel, hood, grille, etc) would seem a throw-away cost for the dealer, but as an anniversary present to himself who knows?

Is the grille correct GT/CS or 68? Over the years many were repalced but if its a true OEM its a sign it was done long ago... other tell-tales in how the wiring or other bits were added may lend credence to a period-correct conversion, or something done much later....

From the web, looking for Midway Ford, maybe the same firm still around? Take a punt and contact them...??? Long shot, but...


Midway Auto Center
3737 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90040

Mon-Fri 8am-6pm
(877) 909-9797
(213) 385-1411

About Us : We have been servicing the city of Los Angeles for over 50 years. We have the best prices on pre-owned cars of all brands.

Thanks for your reply.
I already have a Deluxe Marti Report; it says nothing about the GT/CS, only the usual information.

I have searched a little in the threads already, and also found some threads about this, but just not the thread you mentioned, I have to search again.

What I found so fare was these:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/blondygirl/2669975132/in/photostream/
http://www.californiaspecial.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4084&highlight=galpin
http://californiaspecial.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7530
http://justacarguy.blogspot.dk/2009/04/two-guys-couldnt-get-what-they-wanted.html
http://justacarguy.blogspot.dk/2006/11/can-you-tell-what-makes-this-gt-cs-one.html

The car has been in an accident, and is damaged in the front, see picture, and I bought most of the car in a cardboard box, so most of the wiring was removed.

What are the special features I should look for on the grille if it is a correct GT/CS or 68?

I found the e-mail address to Midway Auto Center, and I will send them an e-mail with my story, and try the long shot…..:grin:

Besides, is it possible in CA or US, to find the first owner through a "car-registry" or something like that?

Peter

From what I can see in the photo it looks like the foglight brackets are missing, and if those are Marchal lights they are attached incorrectly. They should be attached to the missing brackets in the grille instead of to the bottom grille trim panel.

The build date is more than a month before any California Special was built, and two months before the reveal, so I'm not sure a dealer would know how to build one, unless it was a car that had been in the lot for a few months that they decided to modify after the reveal.

This is certainly an interesting mystery.

If it had been produced as a GT/CS (which it wasn't according to the Marti Report), the grille would have the Marchal fog light brackets still attached. The photo appears to be a standard 1968 grille.
Still, a nicely optioned car.

Neil Hoppe

Sold date is Jan 10, 1968. Anything with the GT/CS program would have been later. Proto-type, mule or otherwise.

Peter,
A good place to start is the “fiberglass” panels on the car. If you remove the side scoops it is easy to tell a repop side scoop from an original piece. They even have part numbers embossed on the back side facing the car. Next the taillight panel, truck lit and quarter extensions. If you remove and study them, it is easy to tell if they are original pieces. I have a Gold Nugget Special that has all the original GT/CS fiberglass with the exception of one scoop. It may have ben a dealer conversion or a possible car staged on the assembly line and completed prior to the GT/CS debut.

Next is the rear wiring harness that starts under the dash and goes all the way down the left side of the car to the tail lights, backup lights and gas tank. If it is one continuous wire harness with the old Ford “netting like” cove with no splices it is probable original. There is also a tag on it in the trunk area with a part number. The grill is never a good bet on these cars to still be there. You also have the early Marchal fog lights.

Now, we know this is not a factory GT/CS as ordered and conventional wisdom says they never made a convertible. Nor could a convertible be ordered as a GT/CS from the factory. There was a strike in the fall of 1967 and many cars were stalled on the assembly line.

If the above GT/CS specific stuff is all Ford and not repop, the next question is whether a GT/CS doner car was involved. A possibility, but the rear wiring harness was many times splice rather than to dig the complete harness out of both cars. But again that may have happened. If all of the GT/CS stuff is repop, then it is a build that happened years later. But if it is not, it could have been done by a dealer, or.... Maybe a convertible was taken off the line after it was completely built and send back to the GT/CS area and the conversion was done. This has been documented to have happened with the first coupe cars that were on display at the introduction of the GT/CS to the public. These cars would not be authenticated by Marti as they were already built. But the factory may have built them. Now that is a huge burden of proof to find as many owners of the car as far back as you can.

So lets first try to identify the above mentioned parts. You, like me, have the burden of proof to find some connection or early owners or photos. I have always tried to keep an open mind to this stuff. Never say never.

Rob

Conventional wisdom would indicate this car is an early, well optioned 1968 convertible. Whether it was modified by a dealer or individual owner is a moot point. NO 1968 convertibles can ever have the pedigree of a GT/CS.
Do I like the concept? You bet!! I'd consider building one of these simply because they look GOOD, and are a novelty unto themselves. As one of the earlier threads noted- they really can't be considered as clones, because they were never manufactured in the first place.
As an aside, I'm nearly done with my Highland Green CS so I'll be looking for my next project soon. Hmmm.... Perhaps....?

Neil

Built Dec 13th, sold Jan 10th.

Would seem unlikely that the dealer would turn the conversion around that fast.

Let alone, as noted, the dates are before GT/CS production so seems unlikely a dealer would have pre-production/prototype parts.... sounds like a good story, but....

Neil, here's some inspiration.

Oh, and don't forget about the Okie Special.
Maybe you could call yours the, "Carolina Special".

You guys know that I am a concours guy but if I were ever to cross over to the modified side it would be for one like this. Marty

I was ready to build a Shelby Clone, if I was unable to find proof of my story, but you guys have convinced me that I should build it as a GT/CS anyway. Since I have an original 67 convertibel in advance, and as Niel writes simply because they look GOOD, they look really good.

I wanted to build it as authentic as possible, as the original GT/CS, where can I find information about this, some links or books you can recommend?

Peter

Lots of stuff
<--------over there on how to identify and all the "special-ness" of GT/CS's and HCS's.

I'm new to the site, having just picked up a used 09 GT/CS on Monday. But I'm already loving the passion that everyone has about our cars. I'm thinking of going with a retro stripe mod to more look like a '68. Already priced the tail stripes today. Might even have to pull the trigger on the retro tail lights that fit the S197's. (But that's a ways off.)

Didn't mean to hijack the thread.

Kurt

Peter,
Good call! Now continue to look at the GT/CS parts on this car. My guess is an early conversion if it is the real GT/CS stuff. Dealer?? Who knows!! Heck, who cares, it is so cool!!!

Rob

Ruppstang said:

You guys know that I am a concours guy but if I were ever to cross over to the modified side it would be for one like this. Marty

Click to expand...

Marty, I think you might find it kinda of funny, the guy who built the car originally, had all the factory markings added to the engine bay and undercarriage.

Just wish he had put on the california special scripts correctly and removed the running horse emblem on the front quarters.

David

Here is another nice GT/CS Convertible. With a 428 CJ. Owner also has a 68 Fastback GT/CS.