"GT Facts, Fallacies, and Unsolved Mysteries"

 article by Jerry Heasley
from the
April 1995 Mustang Monthly Magazine

FACT
1965 GT date codes.
Ford introduced the GT Equipment Group on April 17, 1965, exactly
one year after the Mustang's debut. Production began in late February 1965,
so it is safe to say that Mustangs with a build date prior to early February
1965 cannot be factory GTs.

FACT
Over-the-counter GTs are not factory GTs.
Immediately, Ford capitalized on the popularity of the GT by
offering literally every component - from the Special Handling Package to the
GT tape strips and badges -over-the-counter.  It is a fact, however that
these cars can never be factory GTs. You can add all or part of the GT
option, but the Mustang will never be a factory GT.

FACT
The 1965 GT instrument panel is unique to the 1965 GT.
When Ford introduced the GT Equipment group in the spring of 1965,
the most welcome addition was the new fide-dial instrument panel, replacing
the Falcon-like horizontal speedometer/odometer with "dummy" lights. 
However, this five-dial instrument cluster was also introduced with th4e
Interior Decor Group. The latter has a walnut finish with chrome mylar,
while the GT has a camera case black finish with chrome mylar. Other than
that, their designs are the same.
No other 1965 Mustang other than the GT has this unique camera case
black instrument cluster in front of the driver. It's common to mistake a
car with the Interior Decor Group for a GT, especially if a past owner added
GT stripes. These luxury Mustangs could be optioned with the GT package, in
which case the five-dial instrument cluster comes with the wood grain finish.

FALLACY
Special reinforcements for dual exhaust document a GT.
Throughout the GT era, Mustangs with dual exhausts came with special
plates - one spot welded to either side of the read of the unibody frame
rail. These unique plates do not denote a GT, as is commonly thought. 
Instead, they denote a factory dual exhaust system. 
Specifically, this is an extra reinforcement bracket on the forward
side of the access hole. All Mustangs have the little bracket toward the
read of the access hole, toward the rear spring, but the one hole that faces
the front of the car is present only on true dual exhaust Mustangs. You've
got to stick your little finger in there and push up to feel it.

FALLACY
Steering gear part numbers document a 1965-66 GT.
Most non-factory `65 - `66 Mustangs built to include the GT Equipment
Group lack the quicker steering gear ratio that was part of the factory GT
option.  Never-the-less, since the quicker steering gear ratio was optional
separately, as part of the Special Handling Package, the presence of this
gear box does not document a 1965-66 GT. Its' also possible that somebody
did install the quicker steering gear.
Although the part numbers in the following chart don't document a
GT, they do provide more evidence that a car was a GT. Also, if these
numbers are not present, and the steering box is original, you can be sure
the Mustang is not a factory GT.

FALLACY
Punched holes for fog lamp wiring verify a factory GT.
When the factory installed fog lights, the punched a pair of holes,
on on either side of the radiator core support, to route the wiring for the
fog lamps. Since fog lamps were available as a separate option, however,
the presence of the holes does not document a factory GT. On the other
hand, since all GTs had fog lamps, and this accessory was seldom ordered
separately, these holes are a pretty good indication of a car that was a
factory GT.

FACT

Although we have no breakdowns by body style, in our experience, the
fastback was the most common GT, followed by the convertible and, finally,
the hardtop. Perhaps the rarest GT is the 1968-1/2 convertible with the 428
Cobra Jet engine. It's estimated that less than 50 were built.

FALLACY
Styled Steel wheels are part of the `65 - `67 GT Equipment Group.
Styled Steel wheels were not part of the GT option in 1965, 1966, or
1967, although they were a popular option with this car.

FACT
Styled Steel wheels are part of the 1968 - 1969 GT Equipment Group.

FACT
Lack of special reinforcements for dual exhausts prove a non-GT.
If a `65 - `66 model Mustang did not come from the factory with the
special reinforcing plates (mentioned previously) then their absence helps
prove that the Mustang in question could not have been a factory GT because
for the first two model years every GT came stock with a four barrel V8 and
subsequent dual exhaust.

UNSOLVED MYSTERY
Could the GT stripes be deleted?
We have seen at least one Boss 302 with the stripes deleted by the
factory, but we have yet to find such a GT.  We tend to believe GT stripes
could not be deleted, but would like to hear of reader documentation on the
subject.

FACT
The 1966 GT gas cap is unique to the 1966 GT.

FACT
1966 rocker panel deletion for GTs.
In 1966, Ford added a rocker panel molding to the list of standard
Mustang equipment, but this protective strip was deleted with the GT, which
had rocker panel stripes. Factory rocker panels, therefore, rule out a
factory GT. However, we know of several 1966 GTs that were fitted with rocker
panels at the dealership when the cars were brand new.

FACT
A 1967 Mustang GT with Thunderbird wire wheel covers?
In 1967, Ford offered a "Competition Handling Package" that was
optional for GTs only- in which cars it upgraded the regular Heavy Duty
Suspension that was standard with the GT Equipment Group. The Comp Handling
Package was expensive and seldom ordered. It consisted of extra stiff front
and rear springs and adjustable shocks, an extra thick stabilizer bar, a
16:1 overall steering gear, a low speed rear axle (no lower numerically than
3.25:1) in a Limited Slip differential, and 6x15 in. wheels with wire wheel
covers. 
The strangest part of this option was the set of wire wheel covers,
which are unlike any ever seen on a Mustang. They were actually sourced
from the Thunderbird line because Mustang wire wheel covers fit 14-in rims.

FACT
Mistaken 1968 GTs.
It's common to mistake a 1968 Mustang as a GT when it has the
Special Decor Group. This package consists of a woodgrain instrument panel
appliqué, two tone painted hood, knitted vinyl inserts in the bucket seats
(hardtop and fastback) and bright wheel lip moldings. If the car was a V8
it also came with argent painted slotted steel wheels with bright trim
rings, but with no GT insignias on the hubcaps. Whenever such a car has the
optional C-strip, as seen on the 1968 GT, it looks even more like a GT.

UNSOLVED MYSTERY
1969 Shelby was to be the new GT?
This angle has never been discussed in magazines, but the Shelby for
1969 was cataloged as the "Shelby GT" series, leaving us to wonder if the
Shelby was to replace the Mustang GT in the regular production lineup after 1969. 
For the 1968, the Shelby series was officially cataloged as the
Shelby Cobra for the first time. That's because the 427 Cobra ended
production in 1967, and this famous nameplate was up for grabs. Then, in
1969, Ford attached the Cobra label to the Fairlane.
1969 was also the first year of the Shelby GT series, and the last
year of the GT in the regular Mustang lineup. Had Ford not ended Shelby
production due to low sales, the GT might have continued in production as
the Shelby GT. For this reason, some may argue that GT production extended
in to the 1970 model year because the Shelby lasted through 1970.

UNSOLVED MYSTERY
What does "GT" on the build tag mean?
For years, the hobby has claimed that no numbers on a Mustang
document a GT, short of a factory invoice or broadcast sheet that lists the
components.  But what about "GT" stamped into a build tag? Build tags,
also known as Body Buck tags, were first used late in the 1965 model year
by the Dearborn and Metuchen assembly plants (but not San Jose), and were in
general use from 1967 forward.  They are usually bolted to the radiator
support or the driver's side inner fender well.
We have unconfirmed reports of a 1969 Boss 302 build tag stamped
with GT, and we can speculate why. It appears that the components stamped
on the build tags are there because they apply to extra holes that had to be
drilled or stamped into the body. For example, AC (for air conditioning) is
there because the assembly line had to knock the plugs out for the AC. If
you had a stereo, it was stamped on the Build Tag because assembly line
workers had to cute holes in the door panels, A GT required a hole in the
radiator support (for the fog lamps), as well as cut-outs in the rear
valance for the trumpet exhausts. In 1968, tilt steering is stamped on the
build tag, but it is not in 1970, when no extra holes are required because
the tilt steering was incorporated into the column. 

GT Equipment Group Components By Model Year

1965-1/2

-Special Handling Package
        Increased rate front and rear springs
        Larger front and rear shocks
        Faster 22:1 steering ratio
        Larger diameter front stabilizing bar
-Font disc brakes
-Fog lamps and grille bar
-GT stripes
-GT fender badges
-Bright hood lip molding
-Five-dial instrument cluster
-Dual exhausts with chromed "trumpets" exiting through the rear valence
-Optional for these engines:
        A-code, 225 horse 289-4V
        K-code, 271 horse 289-4V
NOTE:  rear bumper guards are deleted.

1966

Same as 1965-1/2, but add the following:
-GT gas cap
NOTE:  Bright hood lip molding and five-dial instrument cluster become
standard Mustang equipment.  GTs delete the rocker panel molding and rear
bumper guards.

1967

-Heavy Duty Suspension
        Stiffer front and rear springs
        Larger front and rear shock absorbers
        Larger diameter front stabilizer bar
-Power front disc brakes
-Dual exhausts with chrome "quad" outlets (Hi-Po 289 and 390-4V)
-GT stripes
-GT fender badges (GTA with automatic)
-GT pop-open gas cap
-F70-14 wide oval WSW tires
-Optional for these engines:
        All V8s

1968

-Heavy Duty Suspension
        Stiffer front and rear springs
        Larger front and rear shock absorbers
        Larger diameter front stabilizer
-Dual exhausts with chrome "quad" outlets (Hi-Po 289 and 390-4V)
-GT "C" stripes
-GT pop-open gas cap
-GT fender badges
-F70-14 wide oval WSW tires
-Slotted and painted 14-in Styled Steel wheels with GT hubcaps and trim rings
-Optional for these engines:
        All V8s except the 289-2V
NOTE:  Chromed Styled Steel wheels optional, still with GT hub caps.  The
390-4V has that chrome engine dress up kit.

1969

-GT Handling Suspension
        Stiffer front and rear springs
        Larger front and rear shock absorbers
        Larger diameter front stabilizer
-Dual exhausts (with chrome "quad" outlets on 4V engines)
-GT racing stripes
-GT pop-open gas cap
-E70-14 wide oval belted tires
-Argent Styled Steel wheels with chrome trim rings and hub caps
-Pin-type hood-lock latches
-Non-functional hood scope with integral turn signal indicators

Mustang