Discovered! '68 GT/CS "CX-1"

[PNewitt]

I just found out about this today. This is big news.

I've been working with Galpin Ford in Los Angeles, and they found a couple of newsletters from the '68-'69 time period.

In an issue they just sent me today, they talk about a customer that bought a "California Special CX-1". It included a lowered, performance suspension, and shock, and a hi-po racing exhaust. You'll notice in the photo that they took off the chrome taillight frames for more of a custom look.

I'm wondering if anyone out there knows about this GT/CS CX-1, and if anyone in Los Angeles might remember this special edition. it was either a one-off, or they may have built a few for sales.

Pretty neat stuff! Needless to say, this is going into the book!!

Paul N.
(photo copyright Galpin Ford, and Paul M. Newitt)

 

[ahainline]

VERY cool.. looks like it was quite unique. stripes, tail lights..

 

[davidathans]

is this cx-1 included in the 3867 CS's or does this make it 3868 CS's?

Paul, did you try to get in contact with this "Paul Lesser" of Van Nuys who bought it?

 

[Perkchiro]

Paul: Were there any service records going back to that time period that would show if that special edition was created at Galpin's dealership? It sounds like there could be more than one according to the description in the ad. How did they come up with the CX-1 name? Pretty cool find Paul. Keep us posted if you find out more info. This is really interesting stuff!!!

 

[joedls]

Could somebody own this car and not know it? Do you have the VIN?

 

[wally05]

That's what I'm thinking. I doubt it stayed in great condition all these years unless the original owner has it. Somebody might have bought it, thought the shocks and such were bad, and returned it to original "GT/CS" condition without the extras. A VIN would be great!

 

[gt bandit]

Last time i was in Hollywood , some 6 months ago - i did see a GT/CS with racing stripes down the middle with a jacked rear end and very throaty loud exhaust.

Not sure about the lights ---------------- I thought it might be Davids ?????????????

Perhaps this car is alive ?????????

shaun - inspector clouseau

 

[GTCSMustang]

Galpin Ford has been modifying new cars for decades. I'm sure this is just another one of their "dealer modified" cars, and not any sort of special-edition GT/CS. I've been going to their dealership for years (bought many cars from them) and you can see 6-15 "Galpinized" cars in their showroom at any time. "Galpinized" is their term for their dealer-modified cars. There is a poster in their showroom showing pictures of Galpinized cars from the late 60's and 70's. I recall seeing a 67 Mustang on the poster along with Pintos, Vans, and others. It is not uncommon for Galpin to invent a name for one of their Galpinized cars...they are still doing it today on new Mustangs.

Scott

 

[Diesel Donna]

Hot Stuff.
I tend to concur with Scott.

 

[GTCSMustang]

Women never agree with me. I'm making a note on my calendar.

There is a Paul Lesser living in Van Nuys, California. He is 84-years old.

Scott

 

[Diesel Donna]

Women never agree with me. I'm making a note on my calendar.

There is a Paul Lesser living in Van Nuys, California. He is 84-years old.

Scott

MORE hot stuff!! I wonder if he's single? :grin: :wink:

 

[davidathans]

Last time i was in Hollywood , some 6 months ago - i did see a GT/CS with racing stripes down the middle with a jacked rear end and very throaty loud exhaust.

Not sure about the lights ---------------- I thought it might be Davids ?????????????

Perhaps this car is alive ?????????

shaun - inspector clouseau

I doubt it was me...my CS never leaves the valley unless im racing it...so if you saw one down in hollywood...it wasnt me...and my rear is not raked up

 

[robert campbell]

Years ago there was a bunch of flack about true “GT” cars. Centered mostly around the 65/66 Mustangs. Some dealers found themselves with Mustangs on the lot towards the end of the “year” and wanted to move them. More than a few cars with most of the options necessary to become a true GT were converted at the dealer. They added the stripes and fog lights and other appearance stuff to make them look like a GT. Some buyer’s even asked for these add on’s prior to purchase. By chance some of the cars from an option standpoint had everything that a GT should have.

So the question was…. “If you bought it off the showroom floor is it a true GT”? Certainly all of this proceeded the Marti reports, but at the time Mustang Club of America (MCA) had a dilemma in concours judging. This is how it came off the show room. To my knowledge they decided to allow cars converted at the dealer to be “judged” as a GT car. Certainly in this day and age, with the Marti reports, there is better info out there and lots of cars that were converted after the sale. We all know how we feel about cars maliciously misrepresented….

MCA backed away on such items as only clear fog light lens as factory stock on 65/66 GT’s. They found instances of the amber ones on one-owner cars. Lots of changes have occurred over the years in our hobby on what may pass as stock.

Ah the one-owner or verified low owner cars. The ones that displayed that the cars were built by humans and sold by humans….

This car that Paul found. Is it a converted GT/CS? Were all the items added by the dealer?? We need more info before we pass judgement on the car. Maybe we will never know. I have learned to use the phrase “to the best of my knowledge” “conventional “Mustang” wisdom says” when I talk about originality of cars. Never know when you will run into a one-owner and get your mind blown away.

I had a close friend that went to a car show with his one-owner 65 Falcon Futura. They removed “points” in the judged portion for his window regulator handles. They said they were from 63 and they were right. Later we found Ford documentation of a shortage on the line for the 65 handles and 63 handles were installed. Go figure.

Rob

 

[PNewitt]

is this cx-1 included in the 3867 CS's or does this make it 3868 CS's?

Paul, did you try to get in contact with this "Paul Lesser" of Van Nuys who bought it?

Hi David,

I'm sure that this CS was part of regular production, and that Galpin modified it--because into the '69 model year, they still had some CSs on the lot. They probably took one of them, and modified it for the newsletter--to get more folks to want one.

I should try to contact Mr. Lesser. It could prove interesting! Age 84 makes sense...as he might have been 44 when he bought this CS.

I will be talking to Beau at Galpin soon, and will ask about how many of this "CX-1" (Calif. Experimental-One) edition that they made. I wonder if they made CX-1 emblems (it would be neat to ressurect that name for those of you with modified CSs). I'll try for the VIN, and data plate info, and will include it in the Registry.

Not to make a plug--but Galpin is the greatest Ford dealer... When you go there, it's a very relaxing place to buy a car. And they have a restaurant to sit and consider your purchase. They have great buffalo chili, too.

One other thing I don't yet want to show you (saving it for the book) is a '68 Galpin color postcard with two photos--one of the dealership from the street--and an insert of the service dept, with (guess what?) a white CS in the foreground being worked on in bay #1!! This is a vintage 1968 postcard.

We need to have some sort of CS get together at Galpin this year!

Paul N.

 

[PNewitt]

Years ago there was a bunch of flack about true “GT” cars......

So the question was…. “If you bought it off the showroom floor is it a true GT”? Certainly all of this proceeded the Marti reports, but at the time Mustang Club of America (MCA) had a dilemma in concours judging. This is how it came off the show room. To my knowledge they decided to allow cars converted at the dealer to be “judged” as a GT car. Certainly in this day and age, with the Marti reports, there is better info out there and lots of cars that were converted after the sale. We all know how we feel about cars maliciously misrepresented….

MCA backed away on such items as only clear fog light lens as factory stock on 65/66 GT’s. They found instances of the amber ones on one-owner cars. Lots of changes have occurred over the years in our hobby on what may pass as stock.

This car that Paul found. Is it a converted GT/CS? Were all the items added by the dealer?? We need more info before we pass judgement on the car. Maybe we will never know. I have learned to use the phrase “to the best of my knowledge” “conventional “Mustang” wisdom says” when I talk about originality of cars. Never know when you will run into a one-owner and get your mind blown away.

Rob

Hi Rob,

MCA should determine a "time frame" in which the cars are to be judged. This would set a point in which to work from for judging. Would it be set at the moment the car was driven off the lot? Or, when the owner came back in a week or so, and wanted dual exhaust? Dealer options and accessories are certainly legit. And what about Shelby or ('68 vintage) perf parts that dealers were willing to add to the car? More than one Mustang had Shelby parts added at the LAX facility "on a weekend", and now these cars are offered as "Shelby Modified" Mustangs when they go on sale. Where does one draw the line?

This CS was motified at Galpin (and I bet it was a really cool lookin' Mustang on the street!). Wait until you see the newsletter (in the book) I have of the premiere of the GT/CS! You could add a paisley vinyl top, wheels, or custom paint (even pink!), etc., etc...

I think that if the owner can prove the accessory or dealer mods in some sort of paperwork, it should be accepted at an MCA show. This will bring (more) fun of Mustanging back into MCA judged shows. No one with these neat things--common in the day--should be penalized for having them.

I believe, too, that if you can bring along a period-correct issue of Hot Rod, etc., to a MCA show, with an advertisement of an aftermarket item that's on your Mustang, it should be allowed--with no points deducted.

Paul N.

 

[PNewitt]

MORE hot stuff!! I wonder if he's single? :grin: :wink:

If he is, you might want to take the ambulance on the first date...

 

[Diesel Donna]

If he is, you might want to take the ambulance on the first date...

:grin:

 

[dpheyes]

A close look at the picture Paul posted leads me to ask for some advice.

My CS is just now going to the painter for a full-up rotisserie job. I have decided that I will have him put on the "LeMans" style racing stripes like those in the picture of the CX-1. It's just something I've always wanted, so I'm agunna do it! Bright shiny Candy Apple Red with those white stripes just makes me want to go fast!

Anyway, I've been wondering how to do the rear end. I'm pretty sure it would look funny with both the regular CS rear stripes and the racing stripes. Any ideas? Has anyone else out there done this?

Doug in AK

 

[@Holmes]

I remember someone posted pics of a blue CS last month with racing stripes that they just picked up from the painter. It looked nice but I can't find the post.

 

[nates68]

Doug, I put these sripes on mine about two years ago. Black/whitestripes. It
was the best thing i ever did to the car. Every one seems to love it this way.
I lowered the GT/CS stipe down like on a 350 Shelby. I still need to post my
pictures. Iv won lots of Best of Shows with the new look of my gt/cs. Being
modified is cool,and you could always paint it back to stock if wanted to. My
car stipes look alot like the car Paul found. But this was my idea years ago to change the looks from bone stock to this,im sure glad i did,it gets lots more
attenion now with this new look. Best of luck,Nates68