2007-08 (09) CS Appearance Upgrade Kit?

I'm working with a company that is interested in making some new, exclusive parts for the late model GT/CS Mustangs.

This could include:

- Reduced size rear quarter "California Special" script (adhesive, no pins)
or-- more contemporary style rear side emblems
- Front Fender "Mustang" script
- New, accurate, ducktail spoiler (closer to '68 type)
- accurate rear decklid stripes
- Dash & steering wheel emblems
- Faux gas cap emblem centers
- Rear panel between taillights with emblem.
- Lower front grille piece
- Rectangular Foglights
- Talillight extensions (wider taillights)
- Quarter turn hood pins with dedicated brackets
- Side Scoop grille inserts

Since I've noticed owners with great interest and honor to the original cars--in their choices of detailing-- I was wondering what your desires for these kinds of parts might be like. This may be offered as a set for owners...like an "official GT/CS appearance upgrade kit".

Any comments are welcome...please give your thoughts and other suggestions!

Thank you,
Paul N.

Just My Thoughts

Paul I think a "kit" is a wonderful idea and I am sure there would be many takers. However not everything on the list will please everyone, so I would recommend making the individual parts available as well.

I am sure there will be many interested parties.

Peter.

I agree totaly, and you know me. The rear panal "California Special" emblem is a must, I do have the the front Mustang script, just need to apply. Thanks for listening to us late model GT/CS's, Like I have said from the start, if this is a GT/CS it needs to look as close to the original as we can get it.

hotrodgrany said:

I agree totaly, and you know me. The rear panal "California Special" emblem is a must, I do have the the front Mustang script, just need to apply. Thanks for listening to us late model GT/CS's, Like I have said from the start, if this is a GT/CS it needs to look as close to the original as we can get it.

Click to expand...

Hi GT/HRG...!!!

So, in your opinion (and anyone else's), would the script, in a smaller size, on a back panel satisfy the need to put it on both sides?? Would that work for owners??? How far would you like to go "original looking" on your new CS?

I feel that the late model CS didn't get to include what some there in Dearborn really wanted...and this kit is a tasteful way of bringing those original ideas to happen. I feel that the car needs to be more distinctive as a GT/CS--in a thoughtful way, next to the other Mustang variants while on the road.

And yes--these parts would be made available separately. I would make a basic kit to qualify for some sort of dash emblem or under hood emblem, stating that it has the GT/CS appearance kit--and it would then be recorded in the registry as such. It would be along the lines of the "Branded" kit in 1968.

Paul N.

PNewitt said:

Hi GT/HRG...!!!

So, in your opinion (and anyone else's), would the script, in a smaller size, on a back panel satisfy the need to put it on both sides?? Would that work for owners??? How far would you like to go "original looking" on your new CS?

I feel that the late model CS didn't get to include what some there in Dearborn really wanted...and this kit is a tasteful way of bringing those original ideas to happen. I feel that the car needs to be more distinctive as a GT/CS--in a thoughtful way, next to the other Mustang variants while on the road.

And yes--these parts would be made available separately. I would make a basic kit to qualify for some sort of dash emblem or under hood emblem, stating that it has the GT/CS appearance kit--and it would then be recorded in the registry as such. It would be along the lines of the "Branded" kit in 1968.

Paul N.

Click to expand...

to answer your question about both sided of the rear panal:thumb: to this and I love the other sugestions as well.

hotrodgrany said:

to answer your question about both sided of the rear panal:thumb: to this and I love the other sugestions as well.

Click to expand...

So, would that mean that you (and anyone else) would be happy with ONE Calif Special script on the rear panel--instead of--having script on both sides of the car?

Paul N.

PNewitt said:

So, would that mean that you (and anyone else) would be happy with ONE Calif Special script on the rear panel--instead of--having script on both sides of the car?

Paul N.

Click to expand...

no,just like the original ones, both sides of the car, sorry I misunderstood you. At least this would be what I want for mine.

Some great ideas, I think the side script would look better as a contemporary design in the same font as the stripes and maybe as a decal instead of chrome. You know how it goes, you ask 20 people, you'll get 20 opinions. A panel that attached to the trunk and had the T-bird lights on it would be a big hit. Blank color keyed block off plates would hide the holes from removing the original lights.

I am not for decals here, I prefer the emblems on mine as the scriped emblems I have and will add to mine. Here are the emblems on , I believe Teet had pictures of. Here as you know is mine, just check out the scriped emblems. You can buy these and will fit on the front of your side panal just like the original 68's have, just like this one, by the front tire, and will go on both sides of you car.

Paul,

I agree with GTCS07. Definitely do the taillights.

I was looking at the rear taillight assembly last night to see if there is room to do something to make the rear lights more true to the original. At the very least there is room to put another stock Mustang taillight lens next to the existing one, then create a wiring harness that could light up 2 taillight sections at once, like the T-Bird lights did. It would take a bit of work to do it, and would not look as nice as a one piece unit. But I think you'd have a lot of takers for it. At the very least, in my opinion Ford should have put sequential lights in these cars, even with the stock taillight lenses. The sequential lighting kits are already available to plug into the stock rear light houses, and I'd prefer one with the OEM lights not the extra bright ones. You'd have to go from 3 to 6 bulbs per side. I'll be waiting to see what you come up with.

Next idea, how about as part of your kit a cross brace with either the # of the each car in an insert in the middle of the cross brace (expensive to do?) or an engraved version of your windshield decal with the same colors as on your decal, right in the middle of the cross brace as on the Bullitts. It would help on the twisties and look very cool at shows!

I really appreciate your ideas and input.

I think that there's a lot of potential for owners to "retake" the GT/CS with some sort of established, authentic "kit' to make these cars the way they should have been made. The problem at Ford was NOT the design team--since they are the same gearheads that we are....it was the bean counters at Ford that minimized the costs, and that eliminated a lot of very cool items that the team came up with.

Once my book is done, I would really like to really go after the late model GT/CS ownership to establish a base to offer these items--and know that a minimum number would be willing to buy these things--to make production worthwhile.

The late model Mustang market is still in a fluid state of accessories, etc...and my hope is (as a designer, also) to somehow make the modified GT/CS consistent, so when you see one, it's got all the cool stuff together.

I'm not knocking anyone who does their own thing, just that a complete mod kit would (I feel) give the marque a better defination in person., and it would stand on it's own a lot better against the other variants.

It was ownership that now defines the GT/CS as a stand-alone Mustang, no longer in the shadow of the Shelby.

I saw the Merc version of the Edge last night...anyway, I thought that the taillights all the way across, with lighted grooves was cool. I wondered if a lighted center panel, between the taillights would be a nice addition to define the CS on it's own from a distance at night.

Thanks--Paul N.

Paul,

I haven't seen the Merc version of the Edge but will look for it.

Would it be possible to light the center cap that is on the rear of our cars now?

The center of the cap could be replaced with a clear plastic, but still have the same emblem silkscreened on it. Then a clear white or colored light bulb could be inserted to give an added effect. That way just the (now) chrome letter areas would be lit. The black would be opaque.

RP51 said:

Paul,

I haven't seen the Merc version of the Edge but will look for it.

Would it be possible to light the center cap that is on the rear of our cars now?

The center of the cap could be replaced with a clear plastic, but still have the same emblem silkscreened on it. Then a clear white or colored light bulb could be inserted to give an added effect. That way just the (now) chrome letter areas would be lit. The black would be opaque.

Click to expand...

Here is a site with pics of the Lincoln MKX. Pretty neat vehicle.

http://www.truckblog.com/story-1359-2008_lincoln_mkx_setting_new_standards

Note the taillights across the rear. I was thinking that a similar lighted panel could be made for the CS Mustang. I think it's accomplished by bright LEDs at each end lighting up the frosted tubes within the assembly.

As for the lighted faux gas cap, --neat idea-- but I don't know if something like that, all by itself would be considered "legal" as a lighted object on a car. There is a thin line of acceptible lighted stuff on cars... I think it has to do with people falsely thinking it would be a police car, etc...

Paul.

gt/cs

Ford didnt go far enough with the cs .. yes sell add ons seperately, to suit different tastes. I look at it this way i would have paid and extra 500 to 600 bucks for more cs options at the dealership!! We all wanted and paid more for this option anyway!! Whats another 500 or 600 bucks when yer paying 32000 to begin with!!!:grin:

You know..... When the late model GT/CS came out, I recall wishing Ford made a special hood for the GT/CS. Something that resembled the air extractors with turn signal indicators used on the 1967/68 Mustang.

The louvered hood, a carryover option for 1967 was actually supposed to be a standard item for ALL '68 Mustangs, but the late '67 strike cut that idea, and the hood went back to being an option for '68 after Jan 1, 68.

The Louvered hood was actually part of the CS package, but it wasn't made especially for the CS.

On another note...

Who knows just how the hood locks work in the new GT-500KR? Are they faux on the top, or do they reallly work?

and...who knows where the company is that makes those '65 T-bird light retrofit panels for the 2005-08 Mustangs that someone else found photos of? (and do they meet the SAE specs for 2005-08?)

thanks, Paul.

Paul and all members,

Regarding the taillight question, I think we have another option...
While buying some door parts at the dealer, I picked up a 1:18th scale model of this car for $24.00 because of the taillights, then went home and checked the web.

Ford did these taillights on the Concepts, both the fastback and the convertible. Could these be modified to work?

What are the chances that they would work "out of the box"?

What would it take to get permission from Ford to use these in the kit Paul?

Here is the taillight image and more views of the car.

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...illights&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&sa=G

Mark

RP51 said:

Paul and all members,

Regarding the taillight question, I think we have another option...
While buying some door parts at the dealer, I picked up a 1:18th scale model of this car for $24.00 because of the taillights, then went home and checked the web.

Ford did these taillights on the Concepts, both the fastback and the convertible. Could these be modified to work?

What are the chances that they would work "out of the box"?

What would it take to get permission from Ford to use these in the kit Paul?

Here is the taillight image and more views of the car.

Mark

Click to expand...

You're absolutely right!! I LOVE those lights!! I don't know why the aftermarket taillight people haven't made this for the late model Mustangs. These are the taillights they should have made in the beginning--or have made them available as a Ford accessory.

It's an inventment thing...lots of money to make molds, then maybe a Ford license, etc... But it's something that SHOULD have been made. If lots of GT/CS Mustangs began using these, they would upstage the Shelbys immediately.

Maybe we can get that company that makes the add-on sequential T-Bird lights (Pony??) make these for us??

A great suggestion--thanks!!

Paul.

Paul,

You're welcome! :smile:

Here is a site where they may have an interest in getting this done...

http://www.mustangproject.com/

I'd modify my car instantly if these were available, looks like they could be lit w/ 3 lights or 6 like the Shelby lights on this site...

Mark

I am very interested in these things to make out our GT/CS look more like the older style. Please keep us all posted, those tail lights are awesome.