1st 428CJ convert found

[prototype]

I purchased this car at least ten years ago in CA. The fellow had also owned an automatic.

The car had F (302 2v)on the front aprons



S (390 4v) on the buck tag



R (428) on the door and VIN tags



It had been in CA and TX for its days and was in pretty good overall condition, the paint was a quickie and poor quality. It seemed quite clear that this car was a 428 from the R codes.

I had ordered a Marti report a few years ago(similar to PHS paperwork) and was very happy to find out that the car was in fact for real.




Recently I posted the door tag on the Vintage Mustang forum and a couple of real keeners clued into some info that I was unaware of. Shortly thereafter Kevin Marti chimed in and revealed to me that this was the first 428 convertible. How cool is that......

I've learned a few things that hopefully can expand some knowledge on the blue oval.

The lower portion of the door tag was supposed to be stamped with the same info as the top part then sheared off. It was called a temporary owners card and was placed in the glove box/owners manual.



You will notice that the door tag on this car did not get stamped on the lower portion. The most likely reason is that the car is a Ford pool vehicle as designated by the 89 dso and probably never did get warranty.
The door tag is not for title because 1968 was the first year of "public VINs", the VIN must be visible from the windshield, so that was the VIN for title purposes on any 1968 vehicle regardless of manufacturer.
The second anomaly on the door tag was the 3.50 axle code (H code). This was not available on 428 cars. The paperwork from Kevin indicates that the car came with a 3.00 axle (E code). I've not been able to determine what differential is in the car.
The third is the Feb 16 date code, the cars were not available until April.

When I got the car home I briefly looked through it and pulled up the carpet on the drivers side. The hole in the firewall for the clutch had been cut with a set of tin snips, the piece of firewall was buried in the underlay.

I'm sorry that I could not get any better pics, it is not that accessible. If anyone knows anything else about this car please let me know. My intention is to finish putting the parts together for the planned restoration and get it out of the rack in the next couple of years, for now it is out of harms way.



Fred

[raw muscle cars]

Neat car now lets see more of those racks with all those cars looks like a candy store!!!!!!!!

[njsteve]

How the heck did they get them up there???

[12bolt]

Back to the CJ Convertible, I notice it still has the Tie down bracket that was normally removed at Dealer prep still in place. Canada has always had great FORD Lovers up there. I did notice a black stripe down the center of another Mustang Hood indicating yet another 68.5 Cobra Jet Mustang lurking on the premises..??

[csx289]

Hi, This is Fred. I don't have another 68.5 CJ Mustang. Especially a white fastback. Thanks.

[prototype]

Bruce- what's up....DV gone red and Chad has gone blonde. Great race yesterday, we are so happy to get two this year, Toronto and Vancouver.

Colin- they've been in them for a decade or so, if you think about my carcass walking around on them a car isn't much more.

Only if your CJ guy will take a 6 pack.

12bolt- we don't take the hooks off up here, that way we can tow each other around in the snow. For real fun we could use em for the rental car tug-o-war at the next SCR.

The white car Colin doesn't want...survivor black plate CA, 4 spd, original paint. Needs the hail mary of details but a true barn find none the less. He says they have to have less than 3,000 miles....he keeps raising his standards.

[Charley Lillard]

Ha !!!!Prototype is finally giving you a peek at his Stacks of cars...In the pile is my old 80 Motion Camaro and my old Porcupine headed RS Z28. Also the first Muira I will own is in that pile. Lets all hope there are no earthquakes in his neighborhood.. Prototype has been lurking in the background on this site for years but has finally come out of the closet and apparently brought his cars. I know there are others that silently read the forums but never post that also have have interesting cars...Maybe they will slowly chime in also...

[69hurstSC]

thanks for giving us a sneak peak. its much appreciated!

[prototype]

not even one WOW the first CJ convert found that was the whole point of this, expand your horizons boys, it really is alot of fun, not cheap but fun.

charley: i got none of that stuff, you lie like ashpalt but you know i still don't think you suck.

njsteve: carfuwy vewwy, vewwy carfuwy. done just like a tow truck, a bar in front and behind each tire, then traingulated to a block and tackle at the top of the rack, then pull the chain till you are blue in the face, no big deal. i first saw the system when i got charley's miura , that fella had em five high i recall.

fred

[jfkheat]

WOW, nice find. Is that a 68 Beaumont I see in there? Tell me about it.
James