Did All 1968 Fastbacks Have Rear Sidemarkers?

lauras70mach1 · Aug 25, 2006

I'm looking at a 1968 Fastback and it doesn't have rear sidemarkers. The Mustang Red Book says "Mustangs built before February 15, 1968 came with a rectangular rear reflector while those built after had a bolt-on refelector with oval chrome trim."

I don't have the VIN but I know this is an early '68 because it has a 289.

So, were the early ones just stuck on the car or was there a hole in sheet metal for them?

zookeeper · Aug 25, 2006

As far as I know they all had them. My car was built on Jan. 20, 1968 and had the markers with the indentations in the quarter panel. I've seen others which had the Cougar-style reflectors, which I assume means they just mount on top of the regular (no indentation) quarter panel. Mine didn't, which means I had that much more work to do to eliminate them.

geostang351 · Aug 25, 2006

It should be an idication that the rear quarters have had some work done to them and the owner who did the fix did not reinstall the rear lights. Look inside the trunk at the 1/4 panel to see if you can see a body seam from a patch panel. If not, then it could be a full 1/4" replacement as they do make repo's for 68 without the refector light indentation.

lauras70mach1 · Aug 25, 2006

I know the car's been re-painted, I was just wondering if the early ones had reflectors that just stuck on or something.

geostang351 · Aug 25, 2006

This looks like 67 even though its listed as 68.

http://mustangsunlimited.com/itemdy01.asp?T1=87840F+01&Category=&catkey=EMUSTANG

THese are coupe early and late

http://mustangsunlimited.com/itemdy01.asp?T1=87841B+01&Category=&catkey=EMUSTANG

http://mustangsunlimited.com/itemdy01.asp?T1=87841B+01&Category=&catkey=EMUSTANG

1966conv · Aug 25, 2006

The early coupes did not have the indent for the reflector. Possible WAG is that when there were no repro fastback panels a early coupe panel was modified for use.

Jester67 · Aug 25, 2006

By law all 68 and later cars MUST have side markers

ultrastang · Aug 25, 2006

The early '68 Mustangs (like mine) came with recessed, surface-mounted quarter panel reflectors that had body colored bezels around them.

The later model '68s came with surface-mounted reflectors that had chrome trim around them --barrowed from the Cougar parts bin.

It seems backwards that the quarters would go from recessed to flat, but that's the way it was. The UAW strike of '68 caused some other changes to the '68s Mustangs as well within that year. Due to the strike, some of the later model '68s didn't come with padded A-piller trim or the knee pad over the radio/glove box, as well as some other items that were deleted on some of the later model '68s.

The side markers on the rear of the 68s weren't lit. They were only reflectors. Lighted rear quarters didn't come out until '69.

You could either have a later model '68, or it's possible the quarters were replaced with the flat panel design.

www.ultrastang.com

lauras70mach1 · Aug 25, 2006

ultrastang said:
The early '68 Mustangs (like mine) came with recessed, surface-mounted quarter panel reflectors that had body colored bezels around them.

The later model '68s came with surface-mounted reflectors that had chrome trim around them --barrowed from the Cougar parts bin.

It seems backwards that the quarters would go from recessed to flat, but that's the way it was. The UAW strike of '68 caused some other changes to the '68s Mustangs as well within that year. Due to the strike, some of the later model '68s didn't come with padded A-piller trim or the knee pad over the radio/glove box, as well as some other items that were deleted on some of the later model '68s.

The side markers on the rear of the 68s weren't lit. They were only reflectors. Lighted rear quarters didn't come out until '69.

You could either have a later model '68, or it's possible the quarters were replaced with the flat panel design.

www.ultrastang.com

This is the info I was looking for. If the 289 engine is orginal that would indicate it was an early build since they stopped putting 289s in Mustangs about halfway through production (according to the Mustang Red Book anyway). Of course, it could be an overrun both ways so it had the flush quarters and 289.

I'm hoping the quarters are original.

zookeeper · Aug 25, 2006

I think all 2 barrel '68's were 289's and the 4 barrel cars were 302's.

ultrastang · Aug 25, 2006

zookeeper said:
I think all 2 barrel '68's were 289's and the 4 barrel cars were 302's.

Ford didn't produce a 4-V 289 for '68, but they did make 2-V and 4-V 302s.

My '68 is an early model that originally came with a 289 2-V carburetor. The engine code for this was "C". (fifth digit over on the VIN tag).

The later, regular, '68s came with 302s. The engine code for a 2-V 302 '68 Mustang is "F" --(or "G" for low compression engine).

The '68 GTs came with 4-V 302s, and their engine code is "J".

www.ultrastang.com

Did All 1968 Fastbacks Have Rear Sidemarkers?

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