This story begins late one summer night in 1987…there’s two guys barely in their twenties staring through the fence of American Auto Sales on Brighton Rd in Melbourne, Australia. Their eye is drawn to a dark blue 1967 Mustang fastback. Both swear they’ll own one...one day. One of those dreamers was me - and I did buy a Mustang later that year - but it wasn’t a fastback, it was a 1964 ½ hardtop with the rare Rally Pac option. I owned it for five years and it gave me nothing but trouble.

My 1964 Rally Pac equipped Mustang hardtop

At some point in the hardtop's checkered past, a 351 Windsor replaced the stock 289 V8. The little red coupe had way more power than the chassis could handle, but it sure was fun using the throttle to steer. And with no power steering and seven turns lock to lock - it saved me a lot of arm twirling too. In reality - the car was a pile of junk and just about everything that could go wrong, did - but every misadventure has been grist for the storytelling mill. But that, as they say, is another story - let's get back to the fastback.

The other guy drooling over the navy blue Mustang that summer night over 30 year ago was Jamie Allpress, honoring his pledge 20 years later with the purchase of a ‘68 fastback. But it was me who spotted it advertised online, emailing the link to Jamie thinking it would be out of his price range. I was surprised when he called me the same day to say “Let’s check it out”

This wasn’t just any fastback - it was a 1968 S-code 390 GT 4 speed. If you don’t know your Mustangs - that’s about as good as it gets unless you're talking ultra rare Boss 429s and the like. Even better - the car was painted highland green and came with 15” Torq Thrust mags just like Steve McQueen’s car in the movie Bullitt.

Steve McQueen alights from the 390 GT he drove as Detective Frank Bullitt in the movie with the greatest car chase of all time.

Jamie paid the asking price and has owned this incredible piece of Detroit history for a decade. He’s now selling it, reluctantly, after recently respraying the car a matt green, and giving the engine a rebuild and spruce up (it now sports a 750 Holley double-pumper and electronic ignition)

Easiest way to tell a 67 from a 68? For 1968 all US cars had to have side marker lights - note the red reflector on rear quarter panel.

What’s it like to drive? I’ve borrowed the car a few times so feel qualified to give an impression. It’s worth noting that other than the AM radio this car is as it left the factory - with limited slip diff, stick shift, power brakes & steering. Power assist makes it very easy to drive once you get used to the notchy shifter. Front discs pull it up effortlessly with no pulling or jerkiness, and the power steering is nice and direct with enough weighting to inspire confidence. In short - it’s a pleasure to drive whether in traffic or on the open road. Slightly lowered and with mildly stiff suspension - the 390 handles nicely provided you respect how easy it is to break traction.

What makes the biggest impression, of course, is the 6.4 litre, S-code 390 sitting under the bonnet. It makes a lot of noise - even at standstill there's a brutal, throbbing idle to let you know there’s a big fire down below. It’s the sort of noise that is intoxicating, the chug-a-lug-a-lug idle a hint of what’s in store should you wish to open the four throats in the big four barrel.

The 390 barely fits in the tight Mustang engine bay - but from behind the wheel it all feels right!

Drop the pedal in 1st and the bonnet lifts, the engine growls and the twin exhausts bellow as the car launches with a chirp of the rear wheels. Second gear and some more throttle will pin you to the seat. A bit of familiarity with the shifter and snick-snick-snick - 3rd gear. More acceleration...more revs makes the exhaust settle into a deep chested howl...then 4th gear...ease off the juice, and cruise. It’s all so easy it makes you feel like Steve McQueen - especially when people stop to stare, beep their horns and wave - this car is loved wherever it goes.

Sporting its new coat of matt finish dark green and Torq Thrust mags...

Contemporary road tests of the 390 Mustang were glowing - auto scribes welcoming Ford's move to offer the big block as an option. To get equivalent performance from a small block meant selecting the expensive, high performance 289 - effectively a temperamental, clattering, noisy racing engine. The 390 did it all without the fuss and bother of solid lifters and a radical cam. Sure it understeered at the limit, but the 390 was not intended for road racing. No - it's forte was cruising, and with some cheap and easy modifications - it could be made in to a drag racing champion in the B/Stock class at the drags.

Legendary CARS editor Marty L Schorr rated the '68 Mustang 390 as the best all round performance car available in America

The Marti report Jamie ordered for the car proves it’s as it came from the factory except colours (originally - one of 142 ‘68 Mustangs ordered in 'Gulfstream Aqua' with matching interior). The car was ordered on the 23rd January 1968 from McCoy Ford, 1600 Lincoln Avenue, Anaheim California, with the following options:

GT Equipment Group
Limited Slip Rear Axle
F70X14 Wide Oval White Sidewall Nylon Tires
Console
Power Disc Brakes
Power Steering
AM Radio
Interior Decor Group

Built at the San Jose Ford plant on Friday, 2nd February - 3 days ahead of the scheduled build date, six days later the fastback was picked up from McCoys by the lucky owner, with serial details as below:

McCoy Ford started out selling Ford tractors...

· 02 Mustang 2-Door Fastback

· S 390-4V V-8 Engine

· 63B Mustang Decor 2-Door Fastback

· F Gulfstream Aqua Paint, Ford #3065-A

· 6K Aqua Vinyl Luxury Bucket Seats

· 05B Scheduled for build February 5, 1968

· 71 Los Angeles DSO (District Sales Office)

· G 3.25 Limited Slip Rear Axle

· 5 Four-Speed Manual Transmission

· F Gulfstream Aqua Paint, Ford #3065-A

· 6K Aqua Vinyl Luxury Bucket Seats

Interior trim in aqua - as Jamie's car was originally optioned

As evidenced by the option list - this Mustang was clearly ordered by an enthusiast. The previous owner to Jamie imported the car into Australia in the 1990s where he stripped and rebuilt it, converting it to right hand drive before repainting in Highland green and adding Torq Thrusts to turn it into a Bullitt replica (blacking out the interior to match the movie car)

Walking around the car to admire from all angles, you realise this thing is a mobile work of art - a metal sculpture created by true craftsmen. No modern supercar is as beautiful, or as timeless. It is one of the greatest shapes ever put on wheels - make no mistake. The first Mustang was pretty - the 2nd gen, in fastback guise - is pretty and brutal. Perfection in metal. Pick your top five muscle/pony cars of the 60s and this baby has to be in the top 3 for looks alone. The car had its 50th birthday last February, and will soon go to a lucky new owner. If I had the money - that new owner would be me.

Footnote: Jamie finally sold the Mustang to a collector in Queensland.

Check out more fabulous Tunnel Ram Mustang images in the gallery

By Raph Tripp

About the author

Raph Tripp is a passionate classic car enthusiast and writer, and founder of TunnelRam.net. If you wish to publish this article in part or in whole, please credit Raph Tripp and tunnelram.net . This is an original Tunnel Ram production ©2019 Tunnel Ram. All images remain the property of the original copyright holders.