California Special Mustang
Encyclopedia
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
Dealers (Ford Dealer Advertising Fund) began to market a factory-built, limited-edition Mustang
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early on April 17, 1964, as a "1964½" model, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A...
, called the GT/CS, or "California Special". The hope was for a targeted production run of 5,000, but actually, 4118 were made, which included 251 units that were remarketed in Denver, Colorado, as "High Country Special '68". Production ran for only 5.5 months from mid-February 1968 to early August 1968.
California made it happen
The marketing theme for this limited edition was "California Made it Happen!", a variation on Mustang's national marketing theme and commercial jingle, "Only Mustang Makes it Happen!"This was all in response to the new pony car
Pony car
Pony car is an American class of automobile launched and inspired by the Ford Mustang in 1964. The term describes an affordable, compact, highly styled car with a sporty or performance-oriented image.-Origins of the breed:...
competition for the upcoming 1968 model year from the Camaro
Chevrolet Camaro
The Chevrolet Camaro is an automobile manufactured by General Motors under the Chevrolet brand, classified as a pony car and some versions also as a muscle car. It went on sale on September 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year and was designed as a competing model to the Ford Mustang...
, Firebird
Pontiac Firebird
The Pontiac Firebird was built by the Pontiac division of General Motors between 1967 and 2002. The Firebird was introduced the same year as the automaker's platform-sharing model, the Chevrolet Camaro...
, Javelin
AMC Javelin
The Javelin was a production version of one of the AMC AMX prototypes shown during the 1966 AMX project nationwide tour. Intended to rival other pony cars such as the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro. American Motor's Javelin debuted on 22 August 1967, for the 1968 model year...
, and even from Ford's Torino
Ford Torino
The Ford Torino is an intermediate automobile produced by the Ford Motor Company for the North American market between 1968 and 1976. The car was named after the city of Turin , which is considered the Detroit of Italy...
and Mercury Cougar
Mercury Cougar
The Mercury Cougar is an automobile which was sold under the Mercury brand of the Ford Motor Company's Lincoln-Mercury Division from 1967 to 2002. The name was first used in 1967 and was carried by a diverse series of cars over the next three decades. As is common with Mercury vehicles, the Cougar...
. The state of California, alone, was responsible for the sales of 20% of all Mustangs and Thunderbirds
Ford Thunderbird
The Thunderbird , is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States over eleven model generations from 1955 through 2005...
in the country, which gave the regional dealers there the clout to ask for and market their own Mustang.
Lee Grey was the Southern California district sales manager for Ford and he was looking for something unique to spark the sales of Mustangs in Los Angeles. Ford dealers had tried promotions like the "1967 Rainbow Colored Mustangs", as well as by adding accessories and options to dress up cars for public view. The objective was to make the Mustangs sold in California unique and to look "custom" made, thus differentiating them from the standard models available elsewhere.
Little Red
Lee Grey attended the Ford Preview event for the new 1968 Fords at the Los Angeles Coliseum in August 1967, where he saw a Shelby GT-500Shelby Mustang
The Shelby Mustang is a high performance variant of the Ford Mustang which was built by Shelby American from 1965 through 1970. Following the introduction of the fifth generation Ford Mustang, the Shelby nameplate was revived in 2007 for new high performance versions of the Mustang.- 1965–1966 :The...
prototype coupe nicknamed "Little Red". This was a supercharged
Supercharger
A supercharger is an air compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine.The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be burned and more work to be done per cycle,...
428, C-6
Ford C6 transmission
The Ford C6 transmission was a heavy-duty automatic transmission built by the Ford Motor Company between 1966 and 1996. It featured three forward speeds and reverse, and was built around a Simpson planetary gearset....
automatic coupe that was dressed up in bright red paint, and a vinyl roof
Vinyl roof
Vinyl roof refers to a vinyl covering for an automobile's top. This covering was originally designed to give the appearance of a convertible to models with a fixed roof, but eventually it evolved into a styling statement in its own right. Vinyl roofs were most popular in the American market, and...
, as a formal, yet high-performance vehicle. It was on display to gauge market response as a possible Shelby lineup Mustang. Lee saw this as an opportunity to use the elements of this prototype to market his "California-Only Mustang". He met with Lee Iaccoca
Lee Iacocca
Lido Anthony "Lee" Iacocca is an American businessman known for engineering the Mustang, the unsuccessful Ford Pinto, being fired from Ford Motor Company, and his revival of the Chrysler Corporation in the 1980s...
in L.A., and the decision was made to bring the car to Dearborn to develop into a limited edition Mustang. First, it was known as the "GT/SC", as a nationally available Sport Coupe, then, after some discussion, developed as the GT/CS. The 1968 Mustang Sprint became the springtime edition available nationally.
Shelby automotive and the GT/CS
ShelbyCarroll Shelby
Carroll Hall Shelby is an American retired automotive designer and racing driver. He is most well known for making Mustangs for Ford Motor Company known as Mustang Cobras which he has done since 1965...
Automotive, now part of Ford, was assigned the task of designing and engineering the necessary parts and assembly procedures for the GT/CS. This was done right alongside the development of their 1968 Shelby. The fiberglass parts were crafted at A.O. Smith, in Ionia, Michigan, in steel molds. A.O. Smith was also the same OEM manufacturer for the Corvette
Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
fiberglass bodies. The completed fiberglass parts for the GT/CS included: the rear decklid and end caps, taillight panel, and side scoops (RH and LH).
Green Hornet
In April 1968, during production of the GT/CS, a second Shelby coupe prototype, the "Green Hornet EXP-500", was built by Shelby Automotive based on a GT/CS purchased from Ford. Its main purpose was as a test vehicle for independent rear suspension and fuel injection."Little Red" and the "Green Hornet" were the only two Shelby coupes produced (other than the race-only '67 coupes). Both were prototypes. All other Shelby Mustangs were either fastback
Fastback
A fastback is a car body style whose roofline slopes continuously down at the back. The word can also designate the car itself. The style is seen on two-door coupés as well as four-door sedans.-History:...
s or convertible
Convertible
A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away having windows which wind-down inside the doors, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle...
s. "Little Red" was later crushed. "Green Hornet" survives today.
Features
Spoiler (automotive)
A spoiler is an automotive aerodynamic device whose intended design function is to 'spoil' unfavorable air movement across a body of a vehicle in motion. Spoilers on the front of a vehicle are often called air dams, because in addition to directing air flow they also reduce the amount of air...
decklid with end caps, and taillight panel with 1965 Thunderbird taillights (non sequential). Side stripes with the "GT/CS" die-cut logo, along with a rear decklid stripe were included, and were available in white, black, red, and metallic medium blue only. It was available in all standard Mustang colors for 1968, all Ford engine and transmission
Transmission (mechanics)
A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a...
combinations (except 427/C-6, which was dropped for all '68s). Most produced were the small-block 289 two-barrel (2V) carburetor
Carburetor
A carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
with C-4 automatic transmission
Ford C4 transmission
The Ford C4 was a three-speed, medium-duty automatic transmission introduced in the 1964 model year and produced through 1986.It featured an aluminum alloy three-piece case . This was significantly lighter than earlier cast iron Cruise-O-Matic designs...
. All regular production factory and dealer options for 1968 Mustang coupes were also available for the GT/CS, other than options that would conflict with the GT/CS package, such as fog lights or C-stripes. The GT option package was available on the GT/CS so some, but not all, GT/CSs are also GTs. The "GT" in GT/CS has nothing to do with the GT package.
Target market
Distribution of the Mustang GT/CS was primarily within the two California sales districts (DSOs 71 & 72); but was expanded to sales districts in Washington, Nevada, Texas, Utah, Oklahoma, Arizona, Western Canada, and Colorado (as the High Country Special).The most prized versions are the big-block 390 and Cobra Jet 428 versions, of which only a handful were made. The GT/CS has become one of the most owner-appreciated classic Mustangs, since it has both the qualities of a Shelby GT, and a Mustang coupe. Its uniqueness, and rarity draws great attention on the road, and at car shows. Values can range from as low as $8,000 for a restorable small-block driver version, to up to $150,000 for a Concours
Concours d'Elegance
A Concours d'Elegance dates back to 17th Century French aristocracy, who paraded horse-drawn carriages in the parks of Paris during Summer weekends and holidays...
428 CJ version.
Timeline
- Jan '67: Shelby experimental coupe "Little Red" built from a '67 Mustang coupe
- Sep '67: Regular 1968 Mustang production begins.
- Oct '67: Lee Grey visits Shelby American to borrow Little Red for one week. Lee Grey wants to buy parts from A.0. Smith to modify Mustang coupes at L.A. area dealerships.
- Oct '67: Lee Grey meets with Lee Iaccoca to discuss a Mustang for California. Little Red is there to illustrate his idea.
- Dec-Jan '68: Shelby Automotive requested by Ford to develop "California Special." California Mustang gets approval and marketing money (initial order for 6,180 GT/CS parts sets).
- February 17, '68: Production of GT/CS cars at Ford begins, a few coupes dated as early as December 28, 1967 used.
- February 22, '68: First dealer advertising of GT/CS availability, Coberly Ford, L.A.
- March 15-20, '68: Heavy production of GT/CS at San Jose (many special order cars).
- Apr '68: Shelby Automotive's second coupe prototype "Green Hornet" built from a GT/CS bought by Shelby.
- Mid Apr '68: GT/CS production begins for other sales districts in the west.
- Jun-Jul '68: High Country Specials produced for Denver District.
- July 30, '68: End of GT/CS (HCS) production.
- Sep '68: 1969 model year Mustang production begins.
2007-2009 GT/California Special
The 2007 colors (All side GT/CS stripes were black (85X)):
- Redfire (G2)
- Vista Blue (G9)
- Performance White (HP)
- Black (UA)
- Grabber Orange (U3)
The 2008 colors (All side GT/CS stripes were black (85X)):
- Vista Blue (G9)
- Performance White (HP)
- Dark Candy Apple Red (JV)
- Grabber Orange (U3)
- Black (UA)
The 2009 colors (GT/CS stripes were black (85X) or white (852)):
- Vista Blue (G9)
- Performance White (HP)
- Dark Candy Apple Red (JV)
- Black (UA)
- Vapor Silver (ZY)
The same front and rear fascias (bumper covers) for the GT/CS were used on the Shelby GT-H and Shelby GT (see 2006-2007 Shelby GT-H).
2011 Mustang GT/California Special
In 2011, Ford reintroduced the California Special package for its 2011 Mustang GT models. The new California Special Package (402A) is the first built on a 5.0 liter engine in a Mustang GT. The California Special package 402A includes a unique chrome billet grille with a tri-color Mustang pony logo, GT/CS faded side stripes, unique lower fascia with fog lights, unique "GT" 19-inch rims, California Special decklid emblem, premium GT/CS floormats, pedestal rear spoiler, unique rear fascia, California Special interior with unique carbon finish on door panels, instrument panel and leather seats. Available in coupe or convertible body styles with a manual or automatic transmission. The MSRP for the 402A California Special Package is $1,950.00 USD.The 2011 colors (faded GT/CS side stripes are black or stripe delete)
- Black
- Race Red
- Red Candy Metallic with tinted clearcoat
- Performance White
- Ingot Silver Metallic
- Grabber Blue
2012:
- Yellow Blaze