Original California Special "blueprints" on ebay

[PNewitt]

What's neat about getting and seeing these new prints is that it will add pieces to the GT/CS History puzzle. We'll know in what order they worked on these projects, and how they went together.

I guess you could call it...GT/CSI ? LOL

Paul N.

 

[Mustanglvr]

I might not get a lot of time on the site these days, work keeps me busy, but I still try to do a quick surf of ebay every once in a while.

Doug

PS - After the New Year, I will be absent from the sight for a while, have another trip to the "big sandbox" but this time it will not be in the air but on the ground and I am commanding 200 troops.

I hope you have a safe trip there and back. Thank you for defending our country Doug. :smile: :flag:

 

[joedls]

Way to go, Casey!!! Thanks for helping to preserve the GT/CS marque. :thumb:

 

[CougarCJ]

Hi Casey, I sent you an email.

Can you please share the Lucas fog light drawing with my Cougar group?:grin:
We also are trying to assemble the collection for an on-line archive.

As you know, the Lucas lights were installed on the 1968 XR7-G.
These special edition Cougars had their final assembly done at the A.O. Smith Company, the same shop that did the 1968-1970 Shelby Mustangs.

 

[XR7G428]

Hello folks! Another Cougar person here.

My main interest is in the 1968 Cougar XR7-G and GT-E. Both of these cars are closely related to the the CS. Many of the parts for both cars were sourced through the same vendors and a few parts were shared. The cars all came into and out of existence at the same time and represented a period of experimentation that Ford has not duplicated since. The biggest difference is that the Cougars sold in far fewer numbers. There were only 619 XR7-G's and 394 GT-E's. The XR7-G also shares a lot of Shelby legacy as all of the G parts carry Shelby part numbers.

A Cougar isn't a Mustang, but I think we can both learn a lot from each other. I have been working on securing the XR7-G drawings from the same seller that had the CS drawings. The plan is to make these drawings available to the classic car community in general. I haven't received the drawings yet, but when they arrive I will be posting them on www.classiccougarcommunity.com for every one to see. I think that the dates and signatures will be of interest to CS fans as well as Cougar fans. I would be happy to share these drawings with the CS community. Just let me know how.

Thanks for letting me post.

Bill B.

 

[case12]

I won all the ones on eBay and worked a deal with the seller to buy the balance of GT/CS ones as one lot - almost 40 original 1968 documents/blueprints (BP) - some BPs are 70 inches long!! They have all just arrived last week. I have been emailing with Scott (CJCougar) about what we will do with the one Cougar BP I won. For obvious reasons, I bid on it since it specs out the Lucas lights we use on GT/CS (it even shows the exact glass markings!). I have spoken with Paul and we are working out how to get all this information summarized into the book. I too empathize that we keep this historical find together and why I spent a great deal of $ to buy it all. Scott and I will definitely figure something out on the one Cougar Lucas light BP.

For the GT/CS family here - this is an awesome find if you like history (Thanks Doug for pointing me to it!!!). The detail is enormous for solving many puzzle pieces we have searched for (part numbers, developers, paint codes, paint markings, angles, drill sizes, primer colors, material types, etc).

A couple of observations from just a scan:

Fred Goodell signed off on every GT/CS BP (called the "California Mustang" then). As you may know Fred Goodell was Shelby's chief engineer. It is very clear that this is a prototyped and developed car by Shelby's chief guy - there is no doubt from this paper work - NO DOUBT - that this was designed with the Shelby. The brake scoop BP alone shows both the Shelby and California Mustang on the same BP with different suffix.

This brings me to my second observation from the paper work. The XR7-G, California Mustang and Shelby were all designed by the same people. A.O. Smith and ASCO were the main people designing and building the actual parts and FORD was calling ALL the shots. These cars were being designed and signed off by the same FORD team, including an extra sign-off always done by Fred Goodell. History has made Shelby and his cars famous - but in 1968 all three of these cars were equal. Shelby was not some power house and the CS and XR7-G were NOT "second fiddle" - they were considered in the same designs. (think about it - if Shelby was so great back then, then everyone would have rushed out to buy one - only time has made the name so 'holy').

More to come.......Casey

 

[Midnight Special]

...Very exciting and confirming Casey. THANK YOU very much!
'Staying tuned...

"The XR7-G, California Mustang and Shelby were all designed by the same people. A.O. Smith and ASCO were the main people designing and building the actual parts and FORD was calling ALL the shots. These cars were being designed and signed off by the same FORD team, including an extra sign-off always done by Fred Goodell. History has made Shelby and his cars famous - but in 1968 all three of these cars were equal. Shelby was not some power house and the CS and XR7-G were NOT "second fiddle" - they were considered in the same designs."

...This info and other research should be included in any future articles that we have anything to do with IMO...

 

[wally05]

This is... awesome.

 

[admin]

Casey,

Excellent job. Thanks for nabbing those! I just sent you a PM.

 

[PNewitt]

Casey is definately our hero! I can't thank him enough for all the things he's done to help the book project.

The XR7-G is definately a close cousin to the GT/CS, and laid the groundwork for the design process. Shelby Automotive was assigned several projects, including sunroofs for T-Birds, and the '69 Shelbys! I intend to have a sidebar abour the XR7-G in the book, since we share the same part numbered Lucas lights on the CS.

I think when you see everything together in context, you'll sit back in amazement with what you have. There's more "Shelby in your GT/CS" than you might realize. I think that this info will increase values, too. As a result, this might inspire more total restorations of the CS.

ACSCO (A.C. Stearns Co.) in Burbank made a lot of the emblems, and Lucas brackets for the Cougar. They made all of Shelby's emblems, including the Cobra roadster emblems. The owner is a good friend of mine, and has provided a lot of new information to go with these prints. I feel that there is no doubt, that we'll have the most documented classic Mustang ever.

I've also worked out an article for MCA's Mustang times about the book and CS history, to be out sometime this coming year. Enthusiasts will really eat this stuff up! (and then everyone will want a GT/CS!)

Thanks again to Casey. What a great guy!!

Paul N.

 

[nates68]

Casey, Thanks to you finding these BPs I might have to go back STOCK!!!!!
Good work anyway. CarsonCitys Nates68.

 

[XR7G428]

This brings me to my second observation from the paper work. The XR7-G, California Mustang and Shelby were all designed by the same people. A.O. Smith and ASCO were the main people designing and building the actual parts and FORD was calling ALL the shots. These cars were being designed and signed off by the same FORD team, including an extra sign-off always done by Fred Goodell. History has made Shelby and his cars famous - but in 1968 all three of these cars were equal. Shelby was not some power house and the CS and XR7-G were NOT "second fiddle" - they were considered in the same designs. (think about it - if Shelby was so great back then, then everyone would have rushed out to buy one - only time has made the name so 'holy').

More to come.......Casey

Casey, I could not agree more.

I think we need to share the XR7-G materials we have with the CS community. We don't know enough about the CS to know what is meaningful, and what's not. I would be happy to start posting scans of this stuff if it would not be an imposition on the CS board. In short, would posting Cougar stuff here be considered spam? We have several letters regarding the creation of the G. Included are a letter from Hertz proposing the European Cougar, Specifications, Sunroof installation tips, Problems with the Rader wheels, etc. Let me know if you think this would be of interest. I realize the majority of this might be too Cougar specific.

Thanks, Bill B

 

[Stacey Enderle]

Great Job!!!!

I won all the ones on eBay and worked a deal with the seller to buy the balance of GT/CS ones as one lot - almost 40 original 1968 documents/blueprints (BP) - some BPs are 70 inches long!! They have all just arrived last week. I have been emailing with Scott (CJCougar) about what we will do with the one Cougar BP I won. For obvious reasons, I bid on it since it specs out the Lucas lights we use on GT/CS (it even shows the exact glass markings!). I have spoken with Paul and we are working out how to get all this information summarized into the book. I too empathize that we keep this historical find together and why I spent a great deal of $ to buy it all. Scott and I will definitely figure something out on the one Cougar Lucas light BP.

For the GT/CS family here - this is an awesome find if you like history (Thanks Doug for pointing me to it!!!). The detail is enormous for solving many puzzle pieces we have searched for (part numbers, developers, paint codes, paint markings, angles, drill sizes, primer colors, material types, etc).

A couple of observations from just a scan:

Fred Goodell signed off on every GT/CS BP (called the "California Mustang" then). As you may know Fred Goodell was Shelby's chief engineer. It is very clear that this is a prototyped and developed car by Shelby's chief guy - there is no doubt from this paper work - NO DOUBT - that this was designed with the Shelby. The brake scoop BP alone shows both the Shelby and California Mustang on the same BP with different suffix.

This brings me to my second observation from the paper work. The XR7-G, California Mustang and Shelby were all designed by the same people. A.O. Smith and ASCO were the main people designing and building the actual parts and FORD was calling ALL the shots. These cars were being designed and signed off by the same FORD team, including an extra sign-off always done by Fred Goodell. History has made Shelby and his cars famous - but in 1968 all three of these cars were equal. Shelby was not some power house and the CS and XR7-G were NOT "second fiddle" - they were considered in the same designs. (think about it - if Shelby was so great back then, then everyone would have rushed out to buy one - only time has made the name so 'holy').

More to come.......Casey

:smile:

Casey,

All I can say is WOW and GRRRRRRRRRRRRREAT JOB!!! That is absolutely AWESOME!!!!

Stacey

 

[Diesel Donna]

Wow Casey! Very impressive score for all of us! Thank you!

 

[admin]

In short, would posting Cougar stuff here be considered spam?

Not at all. Please do post them.

 

[XR7G428]

Okay, here goes. The Mercury marketing folks wanted to build a Shelby Cougar. They were trying to push the car up market. Mercury did not have a version of the Thunderbird. The idea was that a high feature version of the Cougar might fill the gap. The emphasis would be more on the luxury end of the scale than on the performance end. The GT-E Cougar came with the 427 side oiler so the pure performance base was covered. The XR7 was being sold as being European influenced. The XR7-G would be the luxury plus performance leader. A solid order from Hertz was what it took to get the product started. Here is the letter that kicked things off:

 

[XR7G428]

Note the time-line. Ford moved pretty fast back then.

Hertz indicates interest on August 3rd
Product definition is done by August 7th
Tooling needs to be ordered on October 6th.

Here is the request to cut PO's for tooling:

 

[XR7G428]

The California Special connection so far is in the names and the time line. Notice the first name in the "cc" group.
Fred Goodell. Fred was the chief engineer for Shelby at the time. it is also interesting to note the period when this was occurring. Ford production was shut down by a UAW strike, but product planning was going full steam ahead.

You should know his name because he built the immediate predecessor to the CS, Lil' Red. Lil' Red was a 67 Mustang hardtop built to Shelby specs, with a Paxton supercharger feeding a 428. It also had the duck tail deck lid and endcaps. This is the car that Lee Grey took to Lee Iacocca to create the CS.

Fred also got an early production CS that he equipped with independent rear suspension an electronic fuel injection. This car was known as the Green Hornet. In my opinion, Fred Goodell is the creator of the CS. The green Hornet is currently owned by Craig Jackson (Barrett Jackson).

 

[robert campbell]

This Cougar stuff is so cool and so closely related to the Shelby and GT/CS!!!

Where did you find that paperwork?? Boy, did Ford move fast!!!

Now my ignorance and thrist for the off the wall. Did they build these cars?? I know some sun roofs were available.

None of this is spam!!! I am blown away by the actual Ford paperwork and the timing of all of this. The cost to build the tooling and the time needed. WAY COOL!!

Rob

 

[Mosesatm]

Here is another blueprint on eBay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1968...009QQitemZ190186436759QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW