Originally posted by tim_morrison82
Guys, i was just wondering if somone had info in when production started for the 68 models, and when the J-code 302's took over the 289's position. were J codes commonly available in the first half of production? or are early J codes rare?
i ask the question so i can find out a bit more history about my car. its an early december car and i was wondering how hard it'll be to find an early dated engine to retro fit it into my car.
one other thing i am curious about. i have a deluxe marti report which gives me the statistical break down of the 68's for my specific options etc. once it hits the bench seat interior, the numbers drop from thousands, to 8. i know that the bench seat was a rare option and that its not that highly sorted after as a "rarity", but i want to find out the breakdown of a similar car just with the standard buckets to see how how rare the colour combo's are over the entire fleet. is that possible?
Kevin Marti has a book out, "mustangs by the numbers". would it be in that? and is it available at all? i am quite interested in it as i am sure alot of enthusiasts are also...
Ozbuilt, you seem to know Kevin and a hell of alot about the production stuff, you have any insight to this stuff?
(p.s. my marti info is in my sig to see what i am talking about with the stats)
So your car's VIN would be around the 127500 range.
Production usually started August 20 of the year preceding the model (ie; Aug 67 for the 68 model year) after a few days of "pre production" to make sure the line would run smooth & the workers trained for the new model. Very stressful time for management!
To give you an idea of the "rarity" of the J code engine, consider this; 317,411 Mustangs built for 1968. In Tim's coupe breakdown Kevin states 317,423 Mustangs built for that year (The other 12 missing from these numbers could be recent discoveries or he was counting the pre production cars).
5,108 J codes were coupled to a 3 speed, 8,003 to a 4 speed wide ratio, 25,312 to a C4 auto.
28,073 C codes were coupled to a 3 speed, 3,857 to a 4 speed wide ratio, 1 to a 4 speed close ratio, 139,808 to a C4.
Of those 249,448 were hardtops.
2,847 J code hardtops were 3 speeds, 2,851 were 4 speed wide ratio, 15,985 were C4.
22,230 C code hardtops were 3 speeds, 2,200 were 4 speed wide ratio, 1 was 4 speed close ratio, 114,968 were C4.
There was no 4 bbl 289 (A code or K code) for that year, the 302 4 bbl (J code) had replaced them.
However the F code (302 2 bbl) is the rare engine for that year with only 1 fitted to a coupe with a 3 speed (1 to a fastback & 0 for convert) & 1 to a coupe with a 4 speed wide ratio (0 to fastback & 0 to convertible). None were produced mated to a C4.
Wimbleton White 68 hartop with Parchment coloured.....
Standard buckets 2U - 427
Decor bucket knitted 5U - 12,
Decor bucket 6U - 40,
Standard bucket knitted 7U - 27,
Standard bench 8U - 48
Decor bench knitted 9U - 10
I believe Kevin's book "Mustang by the Numbers (1967-1973)" has been updated as he gave me mine in 1999. I will ask when I talk with him next.
