1968 1/2 Mustang Fastback 428ci Cobra Jet

1968 1/2 R-Code 428ci Cobra Jet Mustang. This is 1 of 1044 rare non-Shelby ''R-Code'' Fastback Mustang. 
 
SOLD, Gone in Perpignan, France
 
**Link for more photos & video at the bottom of the description**
 
Restored to match its original options (see Marti Report)
 
Price Listed in USD
 
All matching numbers, nut and bolt ''Concours'' quality restoration. Extra care was used to keep the NOS (original) parts of the car during the resto, except for rubbers/bushings/vinyls/hardware. Every parts and bits were restored with the same materials and/or processes that were done at the Ford factory in 1968.
 
This is a true collector car
 
 
Let's catch up with the story of this rare and unknown 1968 1/2 428 Cobra Jet Mustang:
In the late 1960's performance had become a major consideration in the youth market, and as the '67 model year wore on, the 390ci ''S-Code'' GT Mustang seemed not so special comparing to the newer big block engines fitted in its rivals at GM and Chrysler.
 
The team at Tasca Ford's dealer in Rhode Island knew this, and they were not pleased. Tasca had been into drag racing for some time with Ford products, and wasn't about to sit idly by while the competition got ahead. So, in a story that has been told many times, the Tasca crew took a '67 Mustang GT coupe that big boss Bob Tasca had been using, and replaced its factory 390 (that one of the mechanics had inadvertently over-revved and blown up) with a police interceptor 428 short-block, topped with a set of 406 cylinder heads, an aluminum police interceptor intake manifold, Holley carb, and some other Ford performance bits. The Frankenstein'd FE engine, backed by a recalibrated C-6 automatic, was strong enough to propel the Mustang to 13-second 1/4mile at 105 mph, better than all the very best factory muscle cars of the time.
 
Tasca took his creation to Dearborn, Michigan to show the folks at Ford, and soon Hot Rod magazine came calling. The story that resulted about the Tasca Mustang prompted readers to engage in a campaign to inform Henry Ford II that they wanted to be able to buy one.
And so it was that Ford Motor Company embarked on a program to create a high-performance 428ci powered Mustang. The result, of course, was introduced in April 1968 as the 428ci Cobra Jet, and though the details of its specs differed a little from Tasca's powerplant, it was quite similar. The 428 short-block used police interceptor heavy-duty connecting rods and was topped by 427 "low-riser" cylinder heads, and a Holley 735-cfm four-barrel, though on an iron intake rather than the aluminum police interceptor casting. 
 
Ford rated its new 428 CJ engine at 335 hp, only 15 more than the optionnal 390ci . That made it appear as a marginal improvement on paper, but of course, it became clear that the Cobra Jet engine was seriously underrated, as illustrated by the 13-second 1/4miles being achieved by magazine tests and drag racers coast to coast of the USA. The real output was around 420 horsepower, but Ford rated it at 335 horsepower in an effort to calm insurance agents and con dragstrip rules-makers.
 
All 1968 Ford Mustang 428 Cobra Jets had beefed-up front shock towers and Polyglas F70X14 tires. Standard 9'' rear end had 3.50:1 gears, with 3.91:1 L and 4.30:1 L ratios available. All 1968 Ford Mustang 428 Cobra Jets came with GT-level touches, such as front fog lamps and a side "C" stripe, but the only other external clue to the armament within was the black scoop and hood stripe also known as the ''Ram Air'' hood.
 
Here's the description of the vehicule:
 
Engine
Matching Numbers 428ci Cobra Jet 420hp / 440tq
Original Holley 4150 4bbl 735CFM 
Original ''Ram Air'' System
Still has the original Smog Pump
Full rebuilt to factory specs
Date code: 8C24
 
Drivetrain
C6 Automatic transmission all aluminum casing matching #’s
9'' 3.50 Standard Rear Axle
 
Body/Exterior
Factory Candyapple Red, showroom quality
Body is free of rust or bondo
All Original Metal
Undercarriage in perfect condition, repainted in ''red oxide'' respecting every original details.
No stone chips, no scratches.
Gaps between the panels are nice and tight all around
''Ram Air'' Hood
Bumpers & Accessories are NOS rechromed
Chrome Trims all around are NOS and in perfect condition
Original Grille with Fog Lights (GT Package)
C-Stripe (GT Package)
Rubbers and seals are new
 
Interior
Parchemin Standard Interior Immaculate condition
Mostly Done with NOS (original) Restored parts EXCEPT for these: Headliner, Seat Covers & Foam, Carpet, Door Panels
Original Center Console
Original Steering Wheel
Original Dash Pad
Original 8k RPM Tach Cluster
Original and Functionnal AM radio
All of the Gauges are Functionnal
 
Brakes
Power Brakes
Front Disc brakes
Rear Drum Brakes
 
Suspension / Handling
Power Steering
Heavy Duty Suspension (GT Package)
Bushings, balljoints and tie rods are all new and tight
 
Wheels / Tires
Original GT Wheels 
Goodyear Polyglas F70X14
 
Electrical System
Original ''repro'', fully functional wiring
 
 
 
Here's the ORIGINAL vehicule information, from the day it left the factory:
8F02R193759 VIN Decode :
8: 1968
R: Assembly plant, Dearborn, Michigan
02: Body Type, Fastback
R: Engine code, 428ci Cobra Jet, 4bbl, ''335hp''
193759: Sequential unit number
 
Warranty Tag:
63A: Fastback / Standard Interior / Bucket Seats
T: Paint Color: Candy Apple Red
2U: Parchment Standard Interior
15E: Build date : May 15, 1968
15: DSO (District sales office), Newark, New Jersey
8: Axle, 3.50 9inch Standard Rear Axle
U: C6 Cruise-O-Matic Transmission
 
 
Click here for more photos
 
Click here for a video
 
 
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