Late Aug '66 |
1967 Mustang production begins. |
| Sep '66 |
1967 Shelby production begins at Shelby American, L.A. |
| Jan '67 |
Shelby experimental coupe "Little Red" hand built.
|
| Aug '67 |
Little Red shown at L.A. Sports Show at L.A. Coliseum. |
| Aug '67 |
Little Red shown at 1968 Shelby & Ford Performance
Dealer show, Riverside Raceway, CA. |
| Sep '67 |
Regular 1968 Mustang production begins. |
| Oct-Nov '67 |
Nationwide strike at Ford, temporarily halts production. |
| Oct '67 |
Lee Grey visits Shelby American to borrow Little Red for 1
week.
Lee Grey wants to buy parts from A.0. Smith to modify Mustang coupes at L.A. area
dealerships. |
| Oct '67 |
Lee Grey meets with Lee Iaccoca to discuss a Mustang for
California. Little Red is there to illustrate his idea. |
| Oct-Nov '67 |
Little Red air shipped to Dearborn, requested by Henry Ford
II. |
| Dec-Jan '68 |
Shelby Automotive requested by Ford to develop
"California Special." California Mustang gets approval and marketing money
(initial order for 6,180 GT/CS parts sets). |
| Dec-Jan '68 |
Prototype GT/Sport Coupe (GT/SC) concurrently developed by
Ford for possible national sales. Rejected for GT/CS. |
| Jan 15, '68 |
ACSCO, a company in Burbank, is contracted to do hood locks,
side scoop screens, and later, side script. Is also California site for GT/CS prototype
review and detail development. |
| Jan 15, '68 |
Side stripes contracted to Shelby supplier in California. |
| Late Jan '68 |
Final review of GT/CS at ACSCO in Burbank by So. California
Ford executives. Script controversy resolved (approval given). |
| Late Jan '68 |
Secret meeting with No. California Ford dealers, executives
and advertising executives in Pico Rivera (approval given). |
| Late Jan '68 |
Brochure, postcard, and newspaper advertising produced. |
| Feb 1-10,'68 |
Seven prototype GT/CS cars built for Ford dealer
"unveiling" party (handmade "California Special" script by ACSCO). |
| Feb 15, '68 |
Ford dealer party at L.A.'s prestigious Century Plaza Hotel;
1000 GT/CS cars ordered, breaking wholesale record. (AlI cars on hand were sold). |
| Feb 20, '68 |
Unveiled to No. California at San Francisco Fairmont Hotel
Convention Center. |
| Feb 22, '68 |
First purchase order for "California Special"
nameplates by Ford to ACSCO. |
| Feb 17, '68 |
Production of GT/CS cars begin, a few coupes dated as early
as Dec 28,1967 used. |
| Feb 17-22, '68 |
Heavy GT/CS production to meet dealers' orders, special
order "Nugget Gold" specials produced for Southern Oregon. |
| Feb 22, '68 |
First dealer advertising of GT/CS availability, Coberly
Ford, L.A. |
| Mar 1, '68 |
Full page ad appears in L.A. Times. First GT/CS sold at
dealership. |
| Mar 7, '68 |
Full page ad appears in Sacramento and Fresno Bee. |
| Mar 8, '68 |
Full page ad appears in San Francisco Chronicle. |
| Mar 15-20, '68 |
Heavy production of GT/CS at San Jose (many special order
cars). |
| Apr 1, '68 |
Shelby and Ford introduce Cobra Jet 428. |
| Apr '68 |
Shelby Automotive's second coupe prototype "Green
Hornet built from a GT/CS bought by Shelby. |
| Mid Apr '68 |
GT/CS production begins for other sales districts in the
west. |
| May 11, '68 |
GT/CS production cut 22% from 5500 to 4325, due to low
sales. |
| Jun-Jul '68 |
High Country Specials produced for Denver District. |
| Jul 30, '68 |
End of GT/CS (HCS) production. |
| Early Aug '68 |
End of plant production of Mustangs and Cougars at San Jose
plant. |
| Sep '68 |
'69 model year Mustang production begins.... |
History