The 1968 Mustang GT/CS California Special was Ford's way of giving
West Coast buyers a Mustang with Shelby-inspired looks without the
Shelby price tag. It was created for California Ford dealers and
sold as a limited-edition coupe during the 1968 model year. The
package was inspired partly by Shelby styling and Ford's regional
special-edition success, including the earlier High Country
Specials.
What made the California Special stand out was its unique
appearance package: Shelby-style rear quarter extensions, a
fiberglass decklid with built-in spoiler, side scoops, special
striping, blacked-out grille, fog lamps, pop-open gas cap, and
Thunderbird-style sequential taillights similar to Shelby
pieces.
Ford planned to sell more, but only about 4,118 were produced,
which is why original GT/CS cars are collectible today. They were
not all actual "GT" performance cars despite the GT/CS name; engine
and drivetrain options varied, so a Marti Report is important for
verifying how a specific car was built.
This 1968 Ford Mustang California Special offers distinctive
limited-production styling with classic small block performance.
Powered by a 289 Small Block Ford V8 paired with a Ford C4
automatic transmission, it sends power to a Ford 9-inch rear end
with 2.79 gears. Finished in pebble beige exterior paint with a red
stripe and black leather interior, this Mustang has a clean,
standout appearance. Features include 4-wheel drum brakes, 15-inch
Shelby 10-spoke wheels, BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires, aluminum
intake, Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor, Flame Thrower coil,
OEM-style ignition, OEM radiator, belt-driven cooling fan, and an
included Marti Report.
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