46K Original Miles: 1968 Ford Mustang California Special

To my mind’s eye, this is still one of the best values out there in the world of classic muscle cars: the 1968 Ford Mustang California Special. Factory-installed Shelby styling, truly limited production, and respectable standard horsepower all combine to make it a car that checks all the right boxes. This is esepcially impressive for an automaker that was known to build special or limited edition models that really weren’t either of those things when you got down to it. This 1968 Ford Mustang C/S listed here on eBay also shows under 50,000 original miles and is listed for $59,995 or best offer.

The upright styling of the notchback design was another bonus here, if you’re a fan of coupes like I am. If you’re a fastback or convertible fanatic, the abrupt drop-off in the C-pillar and the miles-long trunk lid likely isn’t your jam, but when it comes to a real-deal C/S, beggars can’t be choosers. The Mustang’s unique GT hubcaps, badges, and decal kit were other aspects of the California Special you didn’t see combined on other models. And of course, that rear sequential taillight panel was the most significant detail and direct call-out to the monstrous Shelby that still sat at the top of the Mustang family tree.

The car was limited to West Coast sales and found 5,000 buyers when new. The inspiration behind this interesting limited-edition was the “Little Red” concept car, which we discussed here on Barn Finds a few years ago. In short, Ford was looking at different packages and options to entice buyers into the showroom. They also came up with the High Country Special in Colorado, but you hardly ever see those come up for sale. The California Special truly was an outstanding combination of features and standard equipment, along with the option to choose from a range of engines.

This California Special features the venerable 289 V8, which is one of the most usable engines in the classic Mustang range. Power is around 200 b.h.p. and 285 lb.-ft. of torque, and is paired to an automatic transmission. The seller claims this C/S has been fully restored, which is a bit of a shame considering the low mileage. However, if some of the original package details were missing or heavily weathered, I can see the appeal of restoration in order to show off all of the things that make a California Special stand out look as healthy as possible (decals, lighting, etc.) However, the hardest car to rebuild is a C/S missing those details, so finding one with the proper boxes checked is likely far less of a headache.