1968 Ford Mustang "S" Code 390 GT Fastback

Originally supplied in LHD to Venezuela. Just imported from Germany and on a NOVA

A Swallow Doretti, designed by Frank Rainbow, and first owner Mr Martini - you couldn't make it up!

Two-litre, 4-cylinder producing 90bhp and 117lb/ft. Tubular steel chassis and aluminium body

Two owners from new. Largely original - Subtle restoration of body and paint

Recent recommission (£16K) including carbs, fuel pump, wiring loom and electrics

Unrestored car with the exception of a paint refresh (Candy Apple Red) 5 years ago in the States

An original 390 GT. With its Marti Report detailing build and options

Supplied with an original manual, 7 American MOT-style inspections and some old invoices

Showing 46,000 miles on the odometer, believed correct

A really genuine and tidy car. The sort you always hope you will find

Frequently overlooked by those chasing mighty Cobra Jets and K-Code 289s is the 390CID 'S-Code' Mustang, produced with little fanfare between 1967-69. That relative lack of collectors" attention may well make S-Code Mustangs the market"s unsung hero. Although the 390-inch V-8 is a pound or two heavier than the thin-wall 289, its redesigned inlet manifolds and better breathing resulted in an impressive output of 325 horsepower and 427 pounds/feet of torque. That"s within spitting distance of the 428 Cobra Jet"s 335 hp and 440 lb-ft

Ford put the S-Code 390 in a good many Mustangs, 28,800 in 1967; 9,228 in "68; and 10,464 in "69, yet their low profile in the market has resulted in values that are steady, less subject to the whims of fad and fashion. However, that appears to be changing

The 390 was based on the FE-Series V-8s introduced in 1958 for Thunderbirds and Edsels and persisted well into the 1970s, installed in everything from pickups to Cammer-powered drag cars and Le Mans-winning GT40s and really began flexing its muscles in the redesigned 1967 Mustang"s wider engine compartment.

This lovely genuine "S-Code' big-block 390 is a rare GT Specification example from North Carolina in the States where it has resided from birth until arriving on our shores in August 2013. The fact that it has been kept in its original Candy Apple Red lustre and not made into a "Bullitt" clone has allowed it to stand alone and out from the crowd.

Chassis number 8T025204988 was built on May 10th 1968 in Metuchen and was ordered with a 3.25 Limited Slip Differential, C6 Cruise-O-Matic gearbox, Power Brakes and Steering, AM Radio, Tinted Glass, Tachometer with Trip Odometer, and a Centre Console. It retains all of its factory- supplied options and has clearly been looked after all of its life having covered an indicated 45,000 miles, which our vendor believes to be correct but we cannot warrant.

The car was treated to a paint refresh around five years ago just prior to coming over to the UK and the car has been untouched bodily with a clean underside since then. The interior is as Ford intended and has stood the test of time well, still looking very sharp today, almost unmarked. During the current owners care it has had a replacement carburettor and a re-cored radiator giving this "S" Code a clean bill of health. These cars rarely come onto the open market, and this one presented as it does is worthy of a good inspection. It does tick a lot of boxes; S-code 390 Big-block, GT -Spec, Fastback, good factory options, Candy Apple Red, and in excellent condition. As they say in the US of A -"Get in line".