Both the '68 Shelby and GT/CS parts were made side by side at A.O. Smith. This includes the fiberglass, and the metal parts, lke the grille, and fog light brackets, etc. A.O. Smith secured the Marchal and Lucas lights, too. They would load the GT/CS parts on pallets and railship them to Milpitas. Comparing GT/CS--Shelby VINs between assembly plants is really a moot and irrelevant point, anyway.
The paperwork I have describes discussions about the "California Mustang" along with the Shelby parts, percentages, projected number of parts, etc. I could go on and on....
But I've never said that the GT/CS was a Shelby. It was a Ford project assigned to Shelby Automotive. This was not the same as what happened at LAX; it was a FORD line of cars that they built just for California. It's all about historical context, and how Ford saw these cars back then. No room for a value judgement 40 years later.
You can't catagorize the GT/CS as "nothing special". It is what it is. Thousands of owners have enjoyed them, and have seen a lot of attention while driving them. And besides, they ARE special, because it says it right there on the body, not once, but twice! LOL!
If you or anyone else want to get into comparisons, you'll stir up the Shelby Food Chain, and the 427 Roadster and Ford GT guys will be reminding everybody just where they stand.
Paul N.
Lucky for me that the Ford decided to build the CS? My 68 Shelby might not ever have come into being otherwise? Thanks for pointing it all out to us Paul.
