1968 - Possible Red Debut Car?

[Mosesatm]

Ralph ran across this car (Marti Report) in Oregon. It's the earliest red car with black hood stripes we've found and it is loaded. I wonder if it's the stage car in the attached photo.

This also makes the 25th early car that Marti doesn't acknowledge as a GT/CS.

[stangfan]

That is so cool. It is loaded up with options the way they typically did for the promotional cars.

[robert campbell]

Seattle DSO..... It sure is one loaded car. Makes me wonder yet again! The stage cars were assembled before the GT/CS option was available on an order sheet. Again, they may have been pulled from the line, converted into a GT/CS and never ordered with the GT/CS option. And as we have said, a Marti report will not carry the GT/Cs option for the car. Time will tell.

Rob

[hangtendartsport]

The Marti list 'White stripes' whereas the photo is showing black?
Nonetheless, perhaps this car was there...cool if it was!
Are the whereabouts of any of the others known??

[Mosesatm]

The stripe shown on the report are the pinstripes along the tops of the fenders. As far as we've been able to figure out the GT/CS stripe color matches the interior.

It's possible to have a car with white pinstripes, a white vinyl top, and black GT/CS stripes, if it has a black interior. We're not sure what happens with aqua, gold, or green interiors.

The aqua stage car may have been found, but we're not 100% sure it's the actual car.

[robert campbell]

I would love to see this car in person. To see if it carries all the original features of the GT/CS option. Tell tail things like the fog light breaker on the fuse box and the original fog light wiring to the fog lights. To look closely at the fiberglass to see if they are original pieces. And to inspect the hood cut outs for the hood locks and the hood lock receivers. The California Special script being early ones. Finally the grill brackets and the grill if it has been spared front end collisions.

Hopefully Ralph knows where this car is. Maybe Arlie and I could meet up and drive to see it? This could be another car that supports the early conversion of loaded cars into GT/CS cars for the stage or the first batches of cars to the dealers.

Rob

[CougarCJ]

A Deluxe Marti Report would show the selling dealer. I would hope that it was sold in California originally.

[gtcs1]

Originally Posted by CougarCJ

A Deluxe Marti Report would show the selling dealer. I would hope that it was sold in California originally.

The 74 DSO Seattle doesn't look like a good indicator.

[Mosesatm]

We know of at least two other extremely early cars with 74 DSOs. They also don’t show up as GT/CSs on the reports.

[CougarCJ]

My thinking is that the stage cars, were all finished coupes, and were selected based on colors, engines, and options. Then, they were completed as GT/CS's by hand. After the debut, would most likely have been distributed and sold in California.

[robert campbell]

I agree with Scott, except for the reference in the first GT/CS registry that indicated some GT/CS cars came to the NW to jump start sales. As per Lee Gray. The DSO from the original order may have carried over to the Ford record that was then supplied to Kevin Marti. The cars were originally ordered to a DSO, pulled and staged, and then shipped after the GT/CS conversion.

Rob