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Gold Nugget Special Times Two

robert campbell

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Janice came through with some pics of her "Gold Nugget Special"! The script seems to be in the traditional location for a GT/CS. Her car is identified as a "Gold Nugget Special" just as our car is. It is the same paint code as ours, but Paul's orginal registry denotes that they should be "anniversary gold" vice "sunlit gold." My car has the same color on the body and the tail light panel. A darker, richer, version of sunlit gold. Our car has Marchals, and hers has Lucas lights.

Now we have two cars that are within two days of build date that fit the comment by Lee Gray that cars were staged prior to the build of the of GT/CS's (page 29). Also they support the timeline in Paul's book on page 30. "February 17th through 20th" "Heavy GT/CS production to meet dealer's orders", "Special order "Nugget Gold" specials produced for Southern Oregon" and later connected to DSO 74 Seattle.

I believe that these two cars are "Gold Nugget Specials" a combination of the common "Gold Nugget" and the "GT/CS" option to jump start further sales of the GT/CS in the Northwest. Lee Gray mentioned that this happened. Here are two examples. I will post the Marti report for Janices's car tomorrow on the Marti report thread. It says the same thing as ours. "Gold Nugget Special"

Rob
 

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robert campbell

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Better pics of Janice's GT/CS Gold Nugget Special.
 

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PNewitt

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Thanks, Robert, for posting those photos!!

This is awesome! When I get my head above water (workwise) this coming week, I'll be able to comment better.

Next is a look at microfiche of the Seattle Times, and/or the P.I.'s automotive ads--for that period in '68--for a dealer or two selling the Gold Nugget Special--GT/CS!!

Paul N.
 
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robert campbell

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Paul,
Went through January 1 to March 31 1968. Page by page. No mention in these papers. I think I will send for April 1 through June 31 of 1968. There was not even a mention of the GT/CS cars in California. I did find several ads for the "Gold Nugget" Mustang for the Northwest. It was advertised earlier than 15 February, the debut of the GT/CS.

The interesting thing is we have 2 cars from 2 different dealers in DSO 74. Both are called Gold Nugget "Specials" by the Marti report. Dealer outfitted or ordered special?? The hunt continues, but I have shifted from "are they real" to "tell me they are not".

I will post the basic report for Janice's car today. I still have a contact from the now closed Smith Gandy Ford where my car was sold. He is out of town until June 5th. I have not pestered him fully, but he may lead me to something, although my first conversation with him revealed little. Of note he was very familar with the DSO code for his dealer. The Marti report for my car says the code from Smith Gandy Ford was "A004". He says that is incorrect. He stated that this code was wrong. I think he said that theirs was "A001". I truely belive him on this fact. So I am unsure whether the Marti report is correct and whether my car came from Smith Gandy Ford. He worked there in 1968 and worked at the dealer for many years in the front office. He knows his dealer ID number.

The fun continues Paul! Thanks for you help and support.

Rob
 
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robert campbell

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I have posted the Marti report for Janice Brulc and Tom Shields car in the Marti report thread. It says "Gold Nugget Special" just like the Marti report for our car. Just for reference the following is word for word of the start of the second paragraph on page 24 of Paul's orignal registry.

“You could get a GT/CS in any standard Mustang color, including Anniversary Nugget Gold color (Code Y5) that some early GT/CS cars were painted , destined for Southern Oregon, still within DSO 72 with a few sent to Seattle DSO 74.”

Rob
 

BroadwayBlue

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Hi Robert,

I'm confused or maybe I missed a thread somewhere on this.

Is your car and Janice's car a CS?

I don't see that as an option on the Marti Report.

Did the Gold Nugget Special override that?

EDIT: I guess I didn't read the information above thoroughly enough before - had done a quick scan previously. I'm curious now about what it's all about.
 
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case12

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As mentioned in a previous thread, I contacted Kevin Marti via email and he said "There was a Gold Nugget Special, but it had no connection with the California Special". You might want to check with him on what a "Gold Nugget Special" is from his data - It seems like he knows what one is. Casey
 
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robert campbell

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Rich,
An older thread titled "new member" (3 pages back) has alot about my quest to authenticate these 2 cars. What I have to go by is 2 cars built within 2 days of each other that fit the description of what Lee Gray said that happened in Paul's original book. Janice's car and our car. The existence of these cars is mentioned on pages 24, 30, and page 50 of GT/CS recognition guide.

The Gold Nugget was a NW promotion that actually debuted before the GT/CS. It was a plain 68 Mustang Coupe, painted Sunlit gold, with a black vinyl top, C stripe, black out louvered hood, and a special plaque on the dash with the name of the person that purchased the car. I have ads for these cars from the Seattle newspapers from January of 1968. I have lived in the Seattle area all my life and have inspected many of these cars up close. By the way my car and Janice’s car do not have any evidence of the nameplate on the dash. It was attached to the right side dash piece above the glove compartment. I guess I will post some of the ads for these cars for all to see.

If you have access to Paul Newitt’s first book you can read snippets on the above pages. Lee Gray told Paul they existed, but I guess it is a hard sell for some on this board (not you). Of note, The Marti report for our car is incorrect for the paint code according to the research by Paul in the 80’s. It should be “Anniversary Gold” not “Sunlit Gold”. This is also mentioned in Paul’s book on page 50. I had my car down to the original paint, and it was not Sunlit Gold. It was a deeper richer/brown version of Sunlit Gold. Side by side it is easy to notice.

There is a current thread on 4 speed owners. Don has found an error on his Marti report. I fully support his findings and to the best of my knowledge he is correct. I have talked to the sales manager who worked at Smith Gandy Ford in the late 60’s. He says the dealer code on my report is incorrect. I am unsure as to whether it came from that dealer at this point. Either the code is correct and the dealer name is wrong or vice versa. This guy had his dealer code in front of his face daily. I believe him.

It is very obvious that old records are a great source to work with, but they are not all encompassing. I am very careful when I discount the authenticity of any car. For heavens sake he or she could be the original owner or a car passed down through the family. My doctor in the 80’s and 90’s was a college student in Detroit and worked on the graveyard shift assembling engines for Ford. Rule one was the line did not stop!!! Rule 2 was put anything in that engine that was available. A stock 390 cam in a GT 390 motor. Stock pistons in a high performance engine or vice versa. When in doubt refer to rule 1!!!

Computer records and Ford order sheets are the best source when all else is not available. First hand crawling under examples of the car many times reveals more.

My search continues. By the way, look in my gallery. I have something going on with the holes for my script on the rear quarter panel. There is info on that in new member also. The earlier the car the more chance that it was not “factory” assembled. The first 14 cars at the February 15 debut I bet had all sorts of weird anomalies.

Rob
 

Mosesatm

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Sorry if I missed it earlier but do we know how many Gold Nugget Specials were built? If not can we get that number from Kevin Marti?

Are the GN Specials included in the 4118 figure the same way the HC Specials are included?
 

BroadwayBlue

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Rich,
An older thread titled "new member" (3 pages back) has alot about my quest to authenticate these 2 cars. ... The first 14 cars at the February 15 debut I bet had all sorts of weird anomalies.

Rob

Hi Rob,

Thanks for the thorough reply. I read some of those threads but I've been behind and probably scanned a lot of things quickly and missed part of it.

I wasn't doubting you just wanted to understand the whole story.
Thanks for bringing me up to date and for the info.

I do have both of Paul's book, I have to go back a re-read those sections as well.

Good Luck in your quest! Always looking for new informationa and confirmation on anything that's available.
 
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robert campbell

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Rich/Arlie,
525 Gold Nuggets were produced. I will post that ad. The weird thing is the connection between a few cars that were identified by Lee Gray as GT/CS/Gold Nugget combinations that he told Paul that were early and destined to jump start GT/CS sales in the Northwest. If it was just our car, I would doubt the connection as assembled. But we have 2 cars within 2 build dates of each other. You need to see the Marti report thread. I can guarentee you I have never met Janice or Tom. Tom Shields, according to Janice, went through alot of research to come up with the Anniversary Gold paint.

If Lee Gray would not of told Paul of the possibility of these cars I would dismiss it. I doubt that these cars were included in the orginal 4118 cars that have been identified. And I doubt that these cars were in Marti database as GT/CS cars. I feel that the early cars may have been "hand assembled" on the line. I know that sounds so far out of reach.

Maybe these cars were both hand assembled or dealer assembled. That is the quest I am on. I am not in this to profit and do not intend to sell this car. I have owned it since 1989. If Paul had not interviewed Lee Gray and he identified these cars existense, I would have no reason to explain this.

Rob
 

BroadwayBlue

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Thanks again Rob!

I have to read up on this more now and get up to speed.

I have to go back and look at dates again too, I find it interesting they would be jump starting sales in the Northwest when the original intent was to only sell in California. I wonder if Ford planned on expanding outside of CA early on.
 

Mosesatm

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The 525 number is for the gold coupes without the GT/CS parts, right; not for the "Gold Nugget Specials" like yours.

Since both cars show up on the Marti reports as "Gold Nugget Specials" they seem to have their own identity in Kevin's database. He might be able to perform a search on "Gold Nugget Special" and come up with a number.

This is a great thread. Another cool "Special" to research and search for.

If Lee Gray would not of told Paul of the possibility of these cars I would dismiss it. I doubt that these cars were included in the orginal 4118 cars that have been identified. And I doubt that these cars were in Marti database as GT/CS cars.


Rob
 
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robert campbell

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Arlie/Rich,
Thanks for you support on my quest. I have an ad from a Seattle newspaper from January of 1968. It is a Ford company ad not a dealer ad. It states "Only in the Northwest.... 525 Golden Nugget Limited Edition Mustangs". I took a pic yesterday, put it did not come out great. I will scan into a PDF and see if that is better. Arlie as you questioned the 525-production number is for the "Gold Nugget", or "Golden Nugget Limited Edition Mustang" as Ford called it in their ad. I am unsure whether a Marti report for one of these 525 would say "gold nugget" or "gold nugget special" like my report says. Kevin may be able to answer that, but according to Casey, Kevin says that my car does not exist.

The build dates are another mystery. On page 29 of Paul's original registry in the 5th paragraph down it talks about the wide discrepancy in build dates.

It states: “Actual production dates, (see page 53, no.8) often varied by several days to weeks, as this was a computer pre-assigned production date, and not necessarily the exact date. Reflected in the GT/CS Survey are very early cars dating from 21 December 1967 through January 29, 1968. It is likely that these cars were partially built, and on standby for GT/CS modification, or were just “late” cars. For example, one GT/CS in the Survey (page 54) was special ordered on April 28th, and delivered to the (dealer) and the customer by June 3rd. The cars production date was May 28th, one month from the day it was ordered by the dealer, and three days before actual delivery, which explains how production dates are pre-specified dates of completion, and can vary up to one month”.

This brings me to another thought. If the above is true, then cars may have been pre-staged and taken from the assembly line with the trunks and end caps off. Just standard coupes. Ford did the same thing with the early Shelby’s. Ford sent 1965 “K” code (hipo) 4 speed Fastbacks to Los Angeles with no hoods and such. Then they were finished. These late or staged cars may have all sorts of anomalous that are different from a Mustang destined to be a GT/CS from the start of assembly on the line during the height of GT/CS production. I will submit that the GT/CS’s in the February 15th debut, were very “hand assembled”. We already know that the script for the first 14 cars was hand made. And the position of the “California Script” on these cars is higher than the traditional location. Way down at the bottom of my first thread “new member” I discuss this. My car only has the original right rear quarter and in my gallery I show pictures of original holes I chose not to use. When I painted it I moved the script to the traditional location and installed a complete left rear quarter. Someone had butchered a partial panel on it before I got it.

All and all, I think any of the pre-stage cars that may have existed may not show correctly in Kevin’s database. They may have been destined as a plain coupe or golden nugget and converted after being pre-staged. I bet if you ran a report on the first 14 cars, they would not show as GT/CS’s.

It also intrigues me that none of these first 14 have surfaced! Especially, the ones on the stage during the debut. They must have ended up in the hands of some dealership executive or his wife. Someone must have one somewhere in California! Boy would that VIN and history answer a lot of questions!

Rob
 

nfrntau

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Robert, this last statement brings up an interesting way of looking at things. If the first 14 were not listed as GT/CS cars on the Marti, it could be very possible that an original (1 of 14) has been found, not verified by Marti and then condidered "just a really good clone" and sold or owned as such.
 

case12

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Arlie/Rich,
Kevin may be able to answer that, but according to Casey, Kevin says that my car does not exist.

Rob

Whoa, stop the horses - I didn't say that. I merely quoted Kevin who said there WAS a Gold Nugget Special. Here is his quote again, "There was a Gold Nugget Special, but it had no connection with the California Special".

So, we need to find out what HE knows about the Gold Nugget Special. I will try him again.

I am intrigued by your digging for the history. What you unearth can benefit us all.

The hand built cars for the LA and San Fran shows do not appear to have surfaced yet. So, the history digging you are doing is great! Many thanks, Casey
 

miller511

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Robert/all,

Interesting stuff-

Re: the "14 original, hand-built CSs"-

If there is one or more still around, how would you be able to identify it as a potential early hand-built? The VIN would have to be in a particular (early) range, that is a given. Marti would have no California Special option listed. But maybe there is other data in Marti's database to somehow indicate that it's an early pre-CS CS. Robert Campbells rear quarter second set of mounting holes discovery is interesting data.

Maybe we need to get ahold of that original film of the 1968 CS commercial with the girls swooning over the Charles Grodin look-a-like guy and (with some CSI-type high tech imagery) get a glimpse of the VIN on the dash.

Again, where's Doc, Marty, and the DeLorean when we need them? Let's set that computer date to late December 1967 Milpitas, CA!!!

-Jeff
 

J_Speegle

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Long thread and I'm not sure if I've gotten everything that was written but wanted to post a couple of comments and questions

Interesting reading about another search going on ;)

Arlie/Rich,...... I am unsure whether a Marti report for one of these 525 would say "gold nugget" or "gold nugget special" like my report says. Kevin may be able to answer that, but according to Casey, Kevin says that my car does not exist.

Do you mean by this comment that Kevin states that no such car or VIN was never assigned?

The build dates are another mystery. On page 29 of Paul's original registry in the 5th paragraph down it talks about the wide discrepancy in build dates.

Please remember that this was written long before we gained access to the Ford database. No real mystery, Ford just assigned projected build dates when the order was received at the plant and the car was stamped with that date rather than the date it was produced



This brings me to another thought. If the above is true, then cars may have been pre-staged and taken from the assembly line with the trunks and end caps off. Just standard coupes. Ford did the same thing with the early Shelby’s. Ford sent 1965 “K” code (hipo) 4 speed Fastbacks to Los Angeles with no hoods and such.

The idea that a difference between projected and real build date really has no reflection on how the car were built. Not sure where that conclusion came from.


Not sure what you mean by "pre-staged" or "staged" never heard those terms used with the production of cars. Could you explain?

Yes Shelbys some years were assemblied according to an add/delete sheet leaving some items off and other non-production parts on. But they had somewhere to go. Another plant.

I will submit that the GT/CS’s in the February 15th debut, were very “hand assembled”. We already know that the script for the first 14 cars was hand made.

By "hand made" do you really mean different from the other cars? As for the car how would "hand assembled" accomplished on a production line that would be different from the standard car than was pretty much hand built also?


It also intrigues me that none of these first 14 have surfaced!


Its surprising the cars that are popping up every day. But then again how would they be identified from a fake? Currently a couple of pilot cars (late 60's) have turned up and one must be careful at making claims two early in the discovery process.

From the (my understanding of what has been printed here) in the Gold Nugget Specials that have turned up, do they all have a special order DSO? Is the paint code blank or show a code? If they do have a special order DSO, are they all from the same order/specifications?

Reason I asked is that I turned up a gold door from a 68 coupe about 15 yrs ago at a Seattle show (in the swap meet section) Didn't buy it but wrote down the info

Please do not see my questions as a challenge just reflecting on what has been posted.
 

J_Speegle

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Long thread and I'm not sure if I've gotten everything that was written but wanted to post a couple of comments and questions

Interesting reading about another search going on ;)

Arlie/Rich,...... I am unsure whether a Marti report for one of these 525 would say "gold nugget" or "gold nugget special" like my report says. Kevin may be able to answer that, but according to Casey, Kevin says that my car does not exist.

Do you mean by this comment that Kevin states that no such car or VIN was ever assigned?

The build dates are another mystery. On page 29 of Paul's original registry in the 5th paragraph down it talks about the wide discrepancy in build dates.

Please remember that this was written long before we gained access to the Ford database. No real mystery, Ford just assigned projected build dates when the order was received at the plant and the car was stamped with that date rather than the date it was produced



This brings me to another thought. If the above is true, then cars may have been pre-staged and taken from the assembly line with the trunks and end caps off. Just standard coupes. Ford did the same thing with the early Shelby’s. Ford sent 1965 “K” code (hipo) 4 speed Fastbacks to Los Angeles with no hoods and such.

The idea that a difference between projected and real build date really has no reflection on how the car were built. Not sure where that conclusion came from.


Not sure what you mean by "pre-staged" or "staged" never heard those terms used with the production of cars. Could you explain?

Yes Shelbys so years were assemblied according to an add delete sheet leaving some items off and other non-production parts on. But they had somewhere to go. Another plant.

I will submit that the GT/CS’s in the February 15th debut, were very “hand assembled”. We already know that the script for the first 14 cars was hand made.

By "hand made" do you really mean different from the other cars? As for the car how was "hand assembled" accomplished on a production line from what you understand?

And the position of the “California Script” on these cars is higher than the traditional location. Way down at the bottom of my first thread “new member” I discuss this. My car only has the original right rear quarter and in my gallery I show pictures of original holes I chose not to use. When I painted it I moved the script to the traditional location and installed a complete left rear quarter. Someone had butchered a partial panel on it before I got it.

It also intrigues me that none of these first 14 have surfaced!


Its surprising the cars that are popping up every day. But then again how would they be identified from a fake?

From the (my understanding of what has been printed here) Gold Nugget Specials that have turned up, do they all have a special order DSO? Is the paint code blank or show a code? If they do have a special order DSO, are they all from the same order/specifications?

Please do not see my questions as a challenge just reflecting on what has been posted.
 
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robert campbell

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Wow,
First of all I think we need to set a couple definitions for the sake of this thread. I will take some liberties as to the names and the descriptions. They may be totally incorrect.

“Gold Nugget Limited Edition Mustang”: Plain-Jane coupe with black “C” stripe, black vinyl top, “Sunlit Gold”, with blackout hood and special plaque attached to the dash with ordering persons name on it. Ford ad said 525 produced for the Northwest. Debut before GT/CS. Ads started in January papers in the NW. Special order paint code 741111. No connection to a California Special.

“Gold Nugget Special”: All the below is either from Paul’s first book or research by myself. Lee Gray stated the existence of such cars. Early jump-start for GT/CS sales in the NW. Pages are identified in the thread. Possible early cars staged by Ford for future conversion to GT/CS. Anniversary Gold vice Sunlit Gold. Tom Shield’s/Janice Brulc’s car was restored to Anniversary Gold. According to Janice it was a clean match to the original paint on the car. Our car is was definitely not Sunlit Gold. Casey’s car is an excellent example of that paint. I had our car down to the metal and saw the paint. Much “browner” and darker a bit than Casey’s car. Two cars within two days of the same build date. Both with DSO code 74111. Same as a Gold Nugget. Seemingly, the combination of the Gold Nugget Limited Edition Mustang and the GT/CS. Again stated as occurring by Lee Gray.

So to answer your question first Casey, I am unsure whether Kevin’s database can discern from “Gold Nugget Limited Edition Mustang” and a “Gold Nugget Special”. They may be the same cars in his database or maybe they are two separate options. That is assuming that a “Gold Nugget Special” is a combination of the GT/CS with Anniversary Gold paint and a black vinyl top. The quest continues, but we have two cars with early dates and to the best of my knowledge and the GT/CS option.

Jeff,
To identify one of the original 14!! Would have to be by luck of someone having personal knowledge. Paul Newitt has more photos of the debut at LA. Maybe they can shed some light. I will bet that all of these cars started their journey down the Ford assembly line as non-GT/CS cars. I may be wrong, but the history seems to indicate that cars were “assembled” prior, to debut the idea, before the ordering started. I hope Paul can help or we find one, one day that has the family history to authenticate it. A run on that VIN would result in some interesting information.

J. Speegle,
Sorry I do not have your first name. Below are my thoughts to the best of my knowledge on your questions.

My perception of what Casey said Kevin said was that a Gold Nugget Special is the Gold Nugget Limited Edition Mustang. No GT/CS option and therefore not a GT/CS combination of the two cars with Anniversary Gold paint vice sunlit gold. I have seen the original door plate of a Gold Nugget Limited Edition Mustang with the dash plaque. One of the 525 made. Its DSO is the same as mine “741111”
It also said “Y5” in the paint code and was definitely “Sunlit Gold”. The number 5 after the pint code number to my knowledge means “black out hood”. Ah more confusion.

Date codes are proven to be very unrealistic to actual production. That seems to be a fact.

Paul Newitt’s original book states that some cars were pulled off the line after completion, or partial completion, and staged for GT/CS conversion. All I have to go on. Do you have the book? Also Ford records to my knowledge do not state. “Destined to be a Shelby” They were built as hipo fastbacks and sent to LA. I could be wrong.

The very early cars were already built. They were not GT/CS cars and the line had not built GT/CS ordered cars. So my guess is the first 14 were hand assembled for the debut. When did actual cars come down the line as GT/CS’s? Car 15, 16, or ??. We have photos in Paul’s book showing the first 14 cars with some with drawings on their sides trying to position the rear quarter script. These were not assembled as GT/CS’s from the beginning.

My real thoughts are cars 1-14 may not have had the heavy-duty bracket for the flasher. Wonder if the fog lights even had wiring to them?? The script was definitely higher in the cars on the stage at the debut. Is that the same for all 14 or just the ones on the stage?? Was the tail light wiring spliced in the trunk or original from under the dash? The questions are endless. The final question is whether my car or Janice’s car are car 15 and 16?? Car 21 and 23?? When did the first car come off the line that was ordered when it started down the line as a GT/CS?? Were Janice’s car and my car dealer assembled. Are they both assembled from a wrecked GT/CS donor car?? That to me seems most doubtful. But I may be wrong

Rob
 
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