To level the muscle car playing field in the pony car space, Ford added the “R” Code option to the 1968 Mustang. That meant Ford’s 428 cubic inch Cobra Jet engine would be under the hood and it conservatively would put out 335 horsepower for insurance reasons (sources indicate it really may have been closer to 410). Less than 1,300 of the 1968 Ford Mustang GT’s also came with the “R” Code powerplant. The seller offers two of these cars in project condition, one may be mostly complete and the other is just a body. The pair can be found in Tom River, New Jersey and are available here on BF Classifieds for the best offer.
For 1968, a Ford Mustang GT offered a visual upgrade from the standard pony car. Most noticeable was a C-shaped stripe that followed the lines on the sides of the body (although you could get the straight stripes from the ’67 GT). The GT also received grille-mounted fog lights, GT emblems on each front fender and on the flip-open gas cap and hub caps. To top things off, they were fitted with a dual exhaust system with chrome quad tips and wide oval tires on styled steel wheels. GT’s with big-block engines got power front disc brakes. Thank to How Stuff Works for GT backround.
If you were looking for maximum performance from a Mustang from this era, enthusiasts seem to agree than the 428 Cobra Jet was the way to go. The 428 was the same engine found in the big Ford sedans, but it had larger valve heads and the 427’s intake manifold along with ram-air induction and a functional hood scoop. The scoop paired with an air cleaner that used a vacuum-actuated butterfly valve to funnel air directly into the Holley 4-barrel.
The seller advertises having two “R” code Mustang GT fastbacks, but one is just a body. Perhaps by buying them together, the second might have some components left to help restore the other one. The transaction comes with a plethora of parts, although we’re not told exactly what they are. We wish the photos provided were better and showed more of what’s here. If you’re looking for a rare Mustang (or more), it looks like just 1,299 were built like these two. We couldn’t get a good consensus on what a primo ’68 GT “R” Code might go for, but “big bucks” would be one term to use. But what are two project cars worth?
Rough, but will be worth restoring by some Mustang aficionado. These are the “holy grail” of production line 68 Mustangs.
Steve R
I’d love to have one of these, but unfortunately not these two.
These are rough field cars. I did not see anything pertaining to titles on cars?
I hope they get restored as salvage or regular titles.
Rare engine in ’68, the first several hundred I believe were “hot” with racing in mind. Maybe a different cam, bigger carb, I can’t remember anymore. It was one of those that screamed through the quarter mile in the 13.5’s at over 100 mph during a publication test, “fastest pure stock known to man”….or something like that they called it.
These will be purchased without a doubt, how they reemerge will be interesting, big bucks for the rare ’68 Cobra Jet Mustangs.
😀i have a 67 q code bird
with that engine running👍😎
I could buy these but, don’t think I could handle the total cost to restore one. Wondering how much that would be.
Oddly, the under hood photo does not show the through the hood air induction.
Ram air was an option.
I bought a GT coupe with the R code new .lime gold ? black vinyl roof . Ram Air , Auto trans. 3:50 gear . according to the Cobra Jet registry there were approximately fifteen made.