1967 Ford Mustang California Special GT/CS
1967 proved to be a fantastic year for Ford as they introduced a re-styled version of the Mustang that had rocked the world since 1964. The new muscle cars were all the rage and Ford capitalized on their success by releasing special limited editions. The 1967 Ford Mustang California Special was only made available to customers on the West Coast and it quickly went down in history as one of the best Mustangs ever made.
This model was greatly influenced by Carroll Shelby and is considered to be the most loaded Mustang ever produced. Although the 1968 model earned more fame, the 1967 version is one of the rarest Mustangs you can find. The slogan for this special edition was a take off on the original slogan for the car, and stated, “California Made it Happen.”
The features available on this model were numerous and included: special fog lamps made by either Marchal or Lucas, a rear spoiler deck lid, pop open gas cap, special hood pins and a new taillight panel that featured 1965 Thunderbird taillights instead of the standard Mustang lights. Side strips were added, as well as a rear decklid stripe.
The first model that was produced in 1967 is referred to as Little Red. It was based on a Shelby GT 500 with a supercharged engine. Lee Grey, Ford’s Southern California District Sales Manager noticed the car at a show and contacted Ford to create a special California only edition. He met with Lee Iacocca and both decided that Little Red would be taken to Dearborn to be turned into the new California Special.
Development of the edition continued through 1968 alongside the 1968 Shelbys. The Little Red prototype was modified until it fit the bill for what Grey envisioned. In addition to being the inspiration for this special Mustang edition, Little Red is one of only two coupes that Shelby ever produced, with the second being the Green Hornet. Little Red was unfortunately destroyed at a later date.
All told, less than half of the California Specials that were ever produced remain. The two most popular versions include the big block 390 and the Cobra Jet 428 engines, but they are incredibly hard to find. Although you can locate a California Special in need of restoration for as little as a couple thousand, a fully restored one will run into six figures.
In keeping with the inspiration of the original California Special, Ford is releasing a special anniversary edition in 2008. It draws heavily on the 1967/1968 model and features many of same things that made this model so unique. The new GT/CS can be ordered in either a convertible or hard top option and features the same logos on the side as the original as well as a pony center cap. Once again, only those on the West Coast will be able to get this model, and it is expected to become as popular as the original, if not as collectible.
