14,000 Mile GT/CS on eBay.

[Mosesatm]

Wow, nice looking car!

There might be one small bug in the whole deal for those of you care about absolute originality. The seller says that the car was repainted using the correct lacquer finish. If I remember correctly Ford did not use lacquer in 1968, they used enamel. GM used lacquer.

Either way it sure is clean. This care might be a good gauge of where prices currently stand.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1968...4619542393QQcategoryZ6236QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[68gt390]

My only question would be with only 14,000 or so miles on it why was the gas tank and exhaust replaced. Wonder if it picked up a lot of surface rust on the exhaust and crud in the gas tank from sitting so long. Still, car does look nice. Plus, they don't mention haveing a Marti Report.

Don

 

[luisa2552]

Nice car! Someone help me with this tail light bezel thing. This car has black trim around the bezels like mine. Why do so may cars have this if it is not correct? And this car is all original.....

 

[Mosesatm]

I can understand the gas tank and exhaust rusting out due to consensation. The lowest point of the fuel system is the gas tank and the lowest point of the exhaust system is that funky vertical muffler.

But I'm still not convinced of this car's authenticity. My guess is that a little serious digging would uncover a car that may not be exactly what the seller thinks it is. It looks, to me, like the car has been restored. Take a look at the washer fluid bottle. It's way too white to be 40 years old, and the GT valance issue, and the bezel issue, and look at how clearn the leaf springs are. I doublt 40 year old springs can look like that unless they were covered in oil for all those years.

Should be interesting to see what others on the board notice.

 

[BroadwayBlue]

Good catch on the bezels. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt on that and they replaced the 15 year old bezels when the repaint was done.

The tires look a little worn for 4,000 miles or could that be from sitting? I wouldn't think the tread would wear while sitting.

The car looks really nice.

Would be interested to know the "several books" it has been featured in.

Assuming the VIN number is a typo B vs 8.

 

[-=MUSTANG=-]

Looks good to me. The exhaust isn't original because someone put cherry bombs on it, the tires and gas tank aren't original because when a car sits for 10 years tires dry rot and flat spot and if there is so much as a gallon of gas in the tank it will turn into nasty turpentine like liquid. My car sat for 5 years and the entire fuel system needed to go. The bottom is the correct color with the correct overspray. If this car was kept in a heated garage, saw no nasty weather, and was properly cared for it's entire life it is entirely conceivable that everything you see is orginal. I'm going to copy the pics to keep as additional reference for when I start my car.

 

[luisa2552]

it is entirely conceivable that everything you see is orginal. .

Then will someone please explain the tail light bezels? Why do so many cars have the trim black? And these are original and as far as I know so are mine but the trim is black.

 

[68gt390]

Then will someone please explain the tail light bezels? Why do so many cars have the trim black? And these are original and as far as I know so are mine but the trim is black.

Sara;
Originally Ford made two different bezels. One for the Thunderbird and one for the GT/CS. After the strike, Ford discontinued making the all chrome version for the GT/CS as a cost cutting measure due to the strike and the CS being a 1 year only car. They produced only the one for the Thunderbird w/black trim. Even the repro versions that are made today have the black trim. Guess they figure it's easier for us to remove the paint than it is for the T-Bird folks to paint the black trim. Don't know for sure but, I would tend to think if the bezels have the black trim they are replacement bezels. Mine were black when I bought my car even though they have the correct part # stamped on them and I believe they are replacements. It is my understanding all CS's came from the factory with chrome bezels without the black paint. This is another reason I would question this car not having been restored at least partially sometime in it's life.

Don

 

[GTCSMustang]

Most (more on the "most" part in a second) of the Ford service replacement bezels have black painted trim. The original bezels (installed on the car when built by Ford) do not have the black painted trim. Many people put the service bezels on and don't know that they are not supposed to be painted black. I have only seen one set of replacement bezels that were not painted black. They were in the original Ford box with an "S8MS" Shelby part number on it. Would be a little odd that a 14,000-mile car would need these replaced, but they do tend to pit easily. I'd be very suspicious of the mileage. Where's the original spare? Why would you need to repaint a 14,000-mile car?

 

[68gt390]

Looks good to me. The exhaust isn't original because someone put cherry bombs on it,

I don't think those are cherry bombs. Originally, all GT optioned cars with duel exhaust used what they called a "resonator" mounted in front of the transverse mounted muffler. Gave the car a throatier sound. But, as always, I would definitely want a Marti Report before any money changes hands.

Don

 

[GTCSMustang]

Don,

Looks like I answered the same question you did...sorry. Didn't see your post. And you are right about the resonator pipes. The ones on the car in question are reproductions. The original ones would be "double-hump" resonators attached to 2-inch pipes. Cobra Jet cars got 2.25-inch pipes.

Scott

 

[68gt390]

I was looking at this listing again and something kept telling me it just didn't look right. Then it hit me like a rock - GT Rear Valance, 302, Styled Steel Wheels but, no "GT" center caps. If the car is a true all original CS then why no GT center caps since it has the GT rear valance.
Another item I can't get past is the trunk mat - isn't that mat in the trunk gray speckeled. I thought in 68 they used grey plaid trunk mats?

Don

 

[Perkchiro]

Anybody notice the position of the sticker on the drivers shock tower?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1968...oryZ6236QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

 

[68gt390]

Don,

Looks like I answered the same question you did...sorry. Didn't see your post. And you are right about the resonator pipes. The ones on the car in question are reproductions. The original ones would be "double-hump" resonators attached to 2-inch pipes. Cobra Jet cars got 2.25-inch pipes.

Scott

Scott;
Not a problem. We were thinking along the same lines at the same time. Didn't we just have a discussion not long ago about the trunk mats used in the 68's. I can't get past that grey speckeled mat. Maybe I'm off base but, I thought they used grey plaid mats in the 68's.

Don

 

[GTCSMustang]

Yep. Funny you should mention mats. I was down in Vista California the other day and looked at a 1968 Mustang coupe for sale (built in San Jose). I didn't buy the car, but the girl sold me the original speckeled mat out of the trunk. And today I bought an original paint GT/CS with an original gray mat in the trunk. I still have never seen an origianl plaid mat in a 68 Mustang. Not saying that they aren't out there, just haven't seen one.

Scott

 

[BroadwayBlue]

Funny you guys mentioned the exhaust.

I was going to give the seller the benefit of the doubt that her or his father passed away 13 years ago and we're going off what they believed to be the truth.

Then I looked at the sellers other items and they're all remanufantured Dual Exhausts with Resonators for different year Mustangs.

Now I don't know.

 

[68gt390]

The car may well be a true CS but, there are too many things sticking out on this car. For me to pay $32,000 they would have to have a Marti Report and some good documentation on the car. Still overall it doesn't look bad. Just a lot of unanswered questions. But then again, I'm not in the market for another car at the present time anyway. I'm still trying to get the engine shop off their ass to get my 428CJ block finished.

Don

 

[GTCSMustang]

Don,

I just went out in the garage and counted my original trunk mats. I have eleven original mats, all from 1968 cars. Some are speckled and some are gray. None are plaid. I read in Pauls book that 95% of the GT/CSs had plaid mats. What are the chances that I keep finding everything but plaid. Something seems odd to me.

Scott

 

[BroadwayBlue]

I was looking at this listing again and something kept telling me it just didn't look right. Then it hit me like a rock - GT Rear Valance, 302, Styled Steel Wheels but, no "GT" center caps. If the car is a true all original CS then why no GT center caps since it has the GT rear valance.
Another item I can't get past is the trunk mat - isn't that mat in the trunk gray speckeled. I thought in 68 they used grey plaid trunk mats?

Don

On the trunk mats ... from another thread where I had posted info from the MCA rules:
According to MCA Rules:
Mat and Cardboard:
Proper style and type material for year mounted in original location.
67 - gray plaid, stitched corners with burtex backing.
68 - gray splatter design with burtex backing or dark gray felt mat (68 San Jose can have gray plaid, stitched corners with burtex backing). 68 San Jose predominate trunk mat was plaid.
All cars with mats have trunk mat underlay

 

[68gt390]

Scott;
Who knows, during the life of these cars so many things have been changed it's hard to say anymore. With Rich's post above and being an MCA certified judge I'm starting to see rules and crap in my sleep. :icon_pani

I still can't get over the GT rear valance and no GT center caps and they say the car is original. I need to get off this thread and read something else.

Don