1968 California Special Project Car

Posted on Saturday, November 12th

(4 votes, average: 4.75 out of 5)

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1968 GT/CS for sale

This project Mustang was recently posted for sale on the Massechusetts Craigslist for $2000. A pretty good deal for this rare Mustang, assuming it's not about to collapse into a pile of rust.

This Mustang is a 1968 California Special; also known as a GT/CS (which stands for GT/California Special). These were limited edition Mustangs with only 3,867 made, and only for one year; 1968. Actually Ford has since re-introduced the GT/CS in the modern Mustang, but the 1968 version was the original.

The California Special was an appearance package only. There weren't any performance enhancements included. It was only offered on coupes, but any of the standard Mustang engines, options and paint colors could be had with the GT/CS. The package consisted of a blacked out grille with fog lights (Marchall or Lucas depending on build date), fiberglass side scoops (non functional), fiberglass rear deck lid and quarter panel extensions with "duck tail" spoiler molded in, Shelby style rear tail light panel with wide lights taken from the 1965 Thunderbird. The body also got a tripple mid-line body stripe from front fender to rear scoop as well as chrome script on the rear quarters reading "California Special" in cursive font.

If this GT/CS is still wearing it's original paint it looks like it was Sunlit Gold, which was data code "Y". No telling from the ad which engine or transmission it came with, so it could be anything from the little 200 cid six cylinder to the powerful 428 Cobra Jet engine which was introduced in mid 1968.

This California Special looks to have had a hard life. Hopefully a new buyer will trailer it home and give it the TLC it deserves. A rare Mustang like this really shouldn't be rusting away in some back woods lot.