2023 Mustang Round Up highlight – 1968 California Special

After a few years away, the Victorian Mustang Round Up was back in 2023. Presented by the Victorian chapter of the Mustang Owners’ Club of Australia (MOCA VIC), the Round Up hosts the MOCA Victorian State Concours, as well as the Shelby Nationals and Boss Mustang Display Concours. The event has a Show ‘n’ Shine for non-MOCA members and everyday Mustang owners, too.

While the sixth-generation Mustang has a strong owners’ community, fuelled by the availability of the model in RHD (a production Mustang first), the first-generation version (1965-1973) is still the most popular with enthusiasts. As such, early Mustangs made up around half of the 485 vehicles that were entered for the 2023 Round Up.

Over the course of that first generation, Ford produced a bewildering array of special release and limited-edition Mustangs, including regionally-themed variants like the ‘California Special’. 

Officially known as the Mustang GT/CS, the California Special was one of the earliest Mustang special editions and remains one of the best known today, thanks to the name being revived several times, most recently in 2023.

Back in 1968, California was accounting for around 20 per cent of all new Mustang sales in America, so the state’s dealer block had a lot of clout – enough to ask for and get their own exclusive model in the form of the California Special.

To a standard Mustang GT coupe, the GT/CS added the Interior Décor Group and Exterior Décor Group packages, foglamps, a pop-up fuel cap, special bodyside striping and identifying badging on the rear quarters. More significant changes were inspired by the Shelby Mustangs and included DZUS bonnet pins, functional bonnet vents and a fibreglass tail extension that included a ducktail spoiler. Tail lights with sequential indicators were also taken from the Shelbys, which in turn had lifted them from the Thunderbird.

Available in all standard 1968 Mustang colours and with all GT engine and transmission options from that year, too, a total of 5,500 California Specials were planned, but ultimately, only 4,118 were built. The California-only idea was dropped, too, with GT/CS Mustangs being shipped all over the western US. Some went into Canada, while Colorado received 251 units, that were rebadged and sold as the ‘High Country Special’.

The GT/CS shown here, one of two that were on display at the 2023 Mustang Round Up, had an info board showing it had, appropriately, been sold new in Pasadena, California. Finished in Sunlit Gold paint with Parchment trim and fitted with the 289 V8 and Cruise-O-Matic auto, the first owner optioned the car with an AM radio, tinted glass, deluxe seat belts, deluxe wheel covers and whitewall tyres.

For JUST CARS report on the 2023 Mustang Round Up, click HERE.