1968 I Did It!! Bought the '68 HCS!!

[68HCS289]

Thank you everyone who helped me as I was deciding on whether to go forth with the '68 High Country Special I was looking to purchase from a fellow MCA member. It is official, I bought her!! She is being picked up by the transport today in Illinois and expected to arrive to me in PA on Tuesday. I am so EXCITED!

289 automatic with PS and PB. She has typical issues with the torque box and a mis-fire in the engine but runs well other than that so I am thinking it can be fixed easily (hoping). One thing I will have to tackle is the owner prior to the one I am buying from had repainted it a dark blue when it was originally Acapulco Blue (which I think is a way better color) so I will eventually repaint it. I have the HCS badges already for car. Right now it'll look like a GT/CS until I can restore her correctly. Here she is, I named her 'Sky' for one day she will be back to the wonderful Acapulco Blue Color.

Exciting the car has travelled from Golden, CO to Illionois near MO to find a permanent home in PA:smile: Anyone going to the Carlsile All Ford Nationals in PA the following weekend? I'll be there, not sure if I will have this one with me but we'll see:wink:

 

[Midnight Special]

CONGRATULATIONS!!
'Can't wait to see 'Sky' in all her true glory!

 

[franklinair]

ALLRIGHT!! That car has GREAT potential. (I had communicated with the seller some time ago, and believe you got a very good HCS.) Congrats.

Neil

 

[BroadwayBlue]

Congrats and best of luck! See you in Carlisle!

 

[68HCS289]

Thanks everyone!!

ALLRIGHT!! That car has GREAT potential. (I had communicated with the seller some time ago, and believe you got a very good HCS.) Congrats.

Neil

He was great to communicate with and everything checked out on her so I went for it. He actually had her cleaned and waxed before pick up which I thought was cool and including alot of additional stuff for me that can be moved in the trunk.

I am so happy to be back in one of these cars. I had a Highland Green one years ago but was so rusted it was beyond my ability to repair so I sold her and regretted it. This one is so much more solid to work with.

 

[aemoo28]

Congrats! Good choice.

 

[sam]

Good luck with Sky........sounds like she has an exciting future !
Sam

 

[Ruppstang]

Welcome to the HCS family. It will be exciting to watch your restoration. Is your car in the HCS registry? If not you should contact Bob Teets on this site. He runs the HCS registry and is very helpful with any thing to do with the HCS. Where did you get the decals? If they are orignials you are very lucky as they are very expencive and hard to find. Best of luck. Marty

 

[68HCS289]

Thanks everyone!! I will be sure to post her progress here.

I'll be sure to contact Bob Teets-thanks!!

 

[68HCS289]

This week was rather eventful The transport said my car would arrive this past Tuesday, no later than Wednesday. Speak with driver transporting car, tells me has has to go to New Jersey first to drop off cars because mine was loaded on the top and had to be unloaded last Offered to meet him in New Jersey Tuesday and said no, they can drop car off by noon on Wednesday. 1:00 comes and no call from driver on Wednesday. Call dispatch comapny, they get a hold of the driver who says their truck broke down, it is in Bensalem which is 40 mins from me, they will try to drop car off at 8:00. I explained it is closer to my house at this point since they were supposed to drop it off at work so I would rather pick it up from ther. Then the run around begins. Driver had another trailer that broke, now using a single one, may not be there and needs to be there to sign off on car, blah blah blah. At one point he agreed to meet at 8, call him at 7 to confirm. Call at 7, no answer. Call from another line, her answers and then blows me off that he couldn't talk. He will call back in a few mins. Half hour goes by, I call dispatch company. They get driver on phone for me, who is now trying to say he will deliver car first thing in the morning. I am now beyond pissed and flipping out only due to tornado warnings for the region and potential hail and I know the car is off the trailer for the driver had to tell me how great the car looked and how well it runs The dispatch did good, told them they need to deliver the car as promised, it was already delayed, and made driver come back to area (who was dropping off a car in New York apparently) to meet me to get my car. I didn't get car until almost 11:00. That was rather an epsiode in itself but I will not bore you further with my rant. Let's just say it was a rather scary lot and I felt like I was in a horror movie when he did finally take me to where my car was located. I am glad I did get it though, the trailer he was using was unfit to even trailer a lawn mower on:icon_pani

After checking car over, I am actually happy with the deal I got. Torque box is bad which I knew, but I can repair it. Ran well but ther is a antifreeze leak I need to fix first. Interior and trunk is immaculate. Exterior is good, I do plan on repainting back to Acapulco Blue within a year or 2. First pics until I can get some in daylight after work:

oh yeah, the driver did not mark issues on order for car for me to know what was previous marks and what could have been caused by them. I will know more when I check car over after work. I was smart and wrote on paperwork unable to inspect car due to time of night and lack of lighting which will makew them liable if I find any potential issues caused by transport. I don't think there is any, but always better to be safe than sorry:wink:.

 

[hookedtrout]

Please do share the transport company so we can learn from your experience.

Good news you have it in your hands!!

Thanks

 

[68HCS289]

Continental Transport was the carrier.

Checked her over yesterday, I am very happy with my purchase. Paint issues whcih I knew about but I will repaint her eventually anyway. Interior and trunk is immaculate. The car runs strong and brakes work a little too well, lol. Such a fun car and runs better than the '66 I had a few years ago. Torque box is first issue I will address and the antifreeze leak I found. Other than that, great car!!

 

[hookedtrout]

Looks really nice!

 

[Midnight Special]

Very Nice! Congratulations on your new HCS!

 

[hcsstang]

Congratulation on getting third place at Carlisle. Keep in touch.

 

[68HCS289]

Thank you, it was a nice surprise and not expected as I had not even had her a week and there is lots to do to get her ready for next year. It was great seeing you and meeting the others who were there. All of your cars are amazing!! I took lots of pics and will be sure to ask for any help I need while restoring her back correctly.

I bought a torque box while out at Carlisle so I will address those issues first and then the engine bay so next year I will not be ashamed to open her hood when I show her again, lol.