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Could This Be The Ultimate Sleeper?

1968 Ford Custom Sleeper

This 1968 Ford Custom looks nice, but most people probably don’t think “muscle car” when they see it. The Custom was meant to be an economy cruiser so most came with six cylinders and three speeds, but some enthusiastic buyer checked the right boxes when they ordered this one. The clean green exterior may give off a “grocery getter” vibe, but with a 428 under the hood and 4-speed on the floor that image couldn’t be any further from the truth! The car has suffered a respray, but it appears to be in great shape. It’s located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and is listed here on eBay. Thanks goes to Jim S. for the tip!

428-4v

There’s the 428-4v engine! The seller mentions that it’s the correct date code, but doesn’t provide the VIN so there is no way for us tell if it came from the factory that way. The seller included their phone number in the listing though so I’m sure any doubts could be cleared up with a quick call.

4-Speed Bench

And there’s the floor shift poking up out of the floor. I know everyone wanted bucket seats when these cars where new, but there is just something cool about having a bench in your muscle machine! The seller states that everything is original and like-new in here. Some higher resolution photos would help with verifying that claim.

Ford Custom Tail

This car is lot like the Torino we had a while back. It may have been better adorned, but I would much rather have this unassuming beast any day. The lack of trim and basic dog dish hubcaps give the car a clean purposeful look. Sure, a Cobra would be worth more, but for the money I don’t think this cool Custom can be beat!

Comments

  1. Avatar Bob's your uncle

    I agree it’d be a great sleeper at $5k, but at $18k it’s just another seller’s pipe dream.

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  2. Avatar Charles H.

    It looks like a 2dr. Police Interceptor Package!

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  3. Avatar Jesse Staff

    Unfortunately, I think the days of $5k big block 4-speeds are over. It’s been bid up that high so I wouldn’t say the seller is dreaming entirely. It will be interesting to see if it meets reserve though.

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  4. Avatar JW454

    A buddy of mine had one of these around 1974. Same colors and two door body style but his was a 428 with an automatic. He paid 100 dollars for it and sold it for about the same money. It was a fast car and it would burn both rear tires to the rims. The .69 / gallon gas prices was the reason to sell it. I always wanted him to take it to the local drag strip and see what it would do in the 1/4 mile but that never happened.

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  5. Avatar redwagon

    current bid is 18.1k and the reserve is not met?
    ufda. way too rich for me.

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  6. Avatar Luke Fitzgerald

    Wow – can’t be many like this – of any level of specification

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  7. Avatar JW

    Cool old Ford, looks like one of Dirty Harry’s police cruisers.

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  8. Avatar Doug Crawford

    Am I the only one who remembers the Burt Reynolds movie ” Gator” where the feds sprung him from prison to help catch the bad guys, and equipped him with this exact car ?? ( or at least real close, I’m guessing that is why this car was put together )
    D

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    • Avatar Rocco

      I think Gator McClusky’s car was a ’71 Torino style car with a 429-460 style motor. Sometimes it was an automatic(when he pulls up in a driveway and pops it in park), and sometimes cruising at a 100mph, they have an in car camera showing a 4-speed on the floor. It was so funny.

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  9. Avatar Galaxie Greg

    Very cool old base model 68 Ford. I am sure there was not many ordered this way, and certainly very few today. Too bad seller didn’t mention VIN, If it has a “Q” for engine code, it’s a regular 428,(340hp)… If engine code is a “P”, it’s a Police 428(360hp).. who knows?? Fender badges are in the right spot. Depending on the VIN, it may have started life as a 6 cylinder, 3-speed on the tree and built up as a sleeper car. In any case, it’s very nice. Its got PS , but just has standard brakes. Engine looks correct , only mod I can see is insulating cover(or tube) over fuel line to carb. Love to have this car( but I already own a 68 Galaxie XL fastback with base V-8 , 302-2V & auto)

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  10. Avatar Adrian Clements

    I’m disappointed to tell you all that this car is a total fake.

    This car has the following VIN and production data:

    VIN 8B50V158039, BODY 62E, COLOR I, TRIM 1U, DATE 20B, DSO B1, AXLE 3, TRANS W

    That means that this car was originally built with a 240-1V I-6 engine and a C4 3-speed automatic column-shift transmission. That’s a very long way from the 428-4V/4-speed powertrain the car presently has.

    8B50V158039 was built with the body side molding still on the car, but originally had no power steering, no radio, and full wheel covers. While the car for sale on eBay is a beauty, it no longer bears much resemblance to how it was equipped when it left the factory.

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    • Avatar Joe

      Adrian, great work-thanks for the research. The eBay description says “date code correct 428, date code 4-speed,date code 9 inch rear end,”. This is a hint that it did not come that way from the factory. Date code correct does not mean the car was born with drive train or that the entire car came from the factory with the drive train described. It means that the engine, trans, and rear were made around the same date the body and chassis were made. Buyers need to read between the lines for sure. The price surely is effected by this.

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  11. Avatar piper62j

    Great sleeper.. Let’s hope it is in fact an original.. one repaint, if done right, doesn’t mean a whole lot as long as it’s done in the original color code.. Price IMHO is a bit high, but then a gain, it’s in Canada..

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  12. Avatar Dennis

    One repaint and the motor and trans are not original to the car and lastly it’s green. Nice driver; but not one that will break the bank in value.

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  13. Avatar DENIS

    Like the car-hate the color…lotta dough for this car though…

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  14. Avatar Joeinthousandoaks

    It needs a Detroit locker.

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  15. Avatar tbrenan

    Back in the day the owner of the Winnipeg Free Press, a major Canadian paper often ordered “one off Ford hi performance cars” perhaps this one originated from him

    I worked for the paperas a rural delivery boy, used a Chev 4 door sedan with a Very powerful V8-definatley not a stock 293

    Like 0

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