1968 1/2 - Ford - Mustang - High Country Special - Produced only 251 Limited Special Editions. Both my cars I consider twin sister cars built in San Jose California on 20 June 1968.

Image of factory Side Scoop Logo and factory installed Lucas Foglight.

1968 GT/CS California Special Produced only 4,118 Limited Special Editions and of these -251 were HCS cars. The 1968 Shelby Cobra Produced only 4,453.

Most folks in the Mustang hobby know about the ’68 California Special and to a lesser degree, its cousin, the ’68 High Country Special (HCS). This knowledge stems mostly from the Mustang Recognition Guide, published eons before we even realized that Ford had been producing the HCS since 1966. What makes these cars even harder to find is, unlike the ’68—which used the same scoops and graphics (outside of the distinctive badge) as the California Special—these cars bore only a badge, special paint, and 51 DSO for the Denver sales district.

Throughout the years, once the badge was removed and the paint changed, there was little to let folks know that the hardtop was a HCS. Sadly, there just isn’t much info out there on the ’66-’67 HCS cars.

As stated above, the Mustang HCS program started in 1966 and ended in 1968. The only difference between the 1968 1/2 GT/CS and HCS is that the decal on the side scoop got the familiar GT/CS for the California cars and High Country Special badging as seen above for the Denver Colorado district cars. The GT/CS has the California Special Script on the rear quarters. It is confirmed that there were only 251 HCS Mustangs built in 1968. Like the GT/CS, it too was available in any engine size and color combination. The 1968 HCS has all the same distinguishing features as the California Special.

I purchased this car from Jim Coburn out of Cookesville, TN on 19 March 2005. He sold this one and two other California Specials in order to buy a 1968 Shelby Cobra. Bob Teets of Colorado informed me he was one of the owners of this car. I know the first owner was Ethan R. Smith of 4546 W. 36th Ave., Denver, Colorado 80212. Ethan purchase the car originally from Johnny Harper Motors out of Wheatridge, CO on 18 July 1968. I have the original documentation with his name on it.

The picture below was my first Mustang, a 1965 Mustang Covertable Export Model. It was originally exported to Europe, spent time in Italy, Germany, and Spain.