Hunting For A 1968 Golden Nugget Exceptional Inwards A Mustang Graveyard
There’s gold inwards them in that location hills. Recently, Junkyard Life was given a crash course of report inwards rare edition Mustangs. More specifically, the 1968 Golden Nugget Special Mustang. It started when we were having luncheon amongst Junkyard Life brother, Chris Sanderson, as well as he mentioned that his parents owned a Mustang that could rattling good convey been a Golden Nugget. After pretending that nosotros truly knew what that was, nosotros did a fleck of research, as well as learned some rattling interesting things regarding this elusive collectible.
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| Tail lights as well as maybe Sunlit Gold pigment on what could hold out a 1968 Golden Nugget Special Mustang. |
Go west, immature man
One argue nosotros were non aware of this pony packet is because they were non sold in our area. We hold out inwards the southeast the U.S. of A. as well as Golden Nugget Specials were a westward coast promotion. Much similar the master copy gold rush, Ford merely told pony prospectors inwards the Oregon as well as Washington area.
You idea I was going to say California, didn’t you? I yet convey to cry foul, seeing every bit California seemed to acquire all the express editions as well as exceptional packages. Those California dealers would’ve had no trouble finding a Golden Nugget ’Stang as well as offer to exercise some horse trading for one, due to their proximity.
You idea I was going to say California, didn’t you? I yet convey to cry foul, seeing every bit California seemed to acquire all the express editions as well as exceptional packages. Those California dealers would’ve had no trouble finding a Golden Nugget ’Stang as well as offer to exercise some horse trading for one, due to their proximity.
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| Magazine advertising notes that merely 525 Golden Nuggets were offered for sale, some sources claim merely 481 were built as well as sold. |
Golden history
The twelvemonth was 1967 and Ford had a runaway hitting on their hands amongst the versatile Mustang. They couldn’t halt selling them if they tried. During the previous year, they sold their one-millionth Mustang. 1968 would hold out some other blockbuster sales year, despite the slow introduction of the competitive Chevrolet Camaro, and, the fifty-fifty later, Pontiac Firebird. Perhaps Ford maintained a serial of special edition Mustangs out westward to exhibit their appreciation to the automotive-obsessed buyers on the westward coast, who accounted for 20% of all Mustangs sold. The California Special and Golden Nugget Special would lure buyers looking to stand upwardly out inwards a body of body of water of ’Stangs.
Golden Nugget Mustangs were marketed in Seattle’s sales area, which included Washington state, Oregon, as well as Alaska. Vintage magazine advertisements exercise non specifically advert a dealership. To us, that indicates that they were non ordered past times whatever 1 imaginative dealer.
Golden Nugget Mustangs were marketed in Seattle’s sales area, which included Washington state, Oregon, as well as Alaska. Vintage magazine advertisements exercise non specifically advert a dealership. To us, that indicates that they were non ordered past times whatever 1 imaginative dealer.
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| A dark vinyl piece of employment past times was business office of the 1968 Golden Nugget Specials features. The vinyl roofing is long gone but there’s evidence a vinyl piece of employment past times 1 time lived here. |
No gold bullets, as well as so far
The 1968 Gold Nugget Mustang had a few distinguishing characteristics as well as yet leaves a few mysteries. Sources concur on the vinyl top, but non as well as so much a color. Golden Nuggets could hold out exceptional ordered in any available Mustang color. The GNS was non as well as so much a surgical operation option, every bit it was an appearance package. I noticed many unlike engine as well as transmission combos. However, I didn’t read upwardly on a Golden Nugget amongst a 390 engine. That would hold out interesting.
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| Golden Nugget Special Mustangs featured a center-mounted dash plaque, amongst owners call every bit business office of the GNS option. |
There may non hold out gold inwards them in that location hills
Picture this — when Chris Sanderson mentioned that his identify unit of measurement owned this car, maybe an master copy Golden Nugget, nosotros high-fived as well as invited ourselves over for a look. We totally missed the business office where Chris told us the auto was unverifiable. He tried to tell us.
But wait, this Mustang does convey a few options associated amongst a Golden Nugget. Such as, it does indeed convey a vinyl top, as well as a parent window defroster. However, a gold Mustang does non a Golden Nugget make. It has several clues to brand a Golden Nugget prospector suspicious. The one matter that could terminate the suspicion is missing. The most of import clue — the VIN number.
Why, oh why, would Ford position such of import information on the driver’s door? The most often used business office of the entire car. Also, a rattling easily substituted item. One that could hold out replaced amongst an alone unlike as well as wrong VIN as well as cut back codes. Very frustrating for Junkyard Life detectives, indeed. Chris did endeavor to tell us, but nosotros had gold fever as well as couldn’t hold out told anything.
But wait, this Mustang does convey a few options associated amongst a Golden Nugget. Such as, it does indeed convey a vinyl top, as well as a parent window defroster. However, a gold Mustang does non a Golden Nugget make. It has several clues to brand a Golden Nugget prospector suspicious. The one matter that could terminate the suspicion is missing. The most of import clue — the VIN number.
Why, oh why, would Ford position such of import information on the driver’s door? The most often used business office of the entire car. Also, a rattling easily substituted item. One that could hold out replaced amongst an alone unlike as well as wrong VIN as well as cut back codes. Very frustrating for Junkyard Life detectives, indeed. Chris did endeavor to tell us, but nosotros had gold fever as well as couldn’t hold out told anything.
No inquiry nearly it
We may non convey truly discovered a Golden Nugget inwards this stash. The hood was questionable. It did non appear to hold out master copy equipment, hence lacking the dark stripes of a GNS. Also, the driver’s side door had been replaced amongst some other unoriginal door. This 1 was green. Let’s await at it similar this – Junkyard Life got to pass the twenty-four hr menses amongst the Sandersons as well as their awesome collection of Mustang stash. So, fifty-fifty if it is non a Golden Nugget, our twenty-four hr menses was totally worth it!
Ron Kidd
— Junkyard Life
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| 289 emblem on this 1968 Ford Mustang does non attention us create upwardly one's heed whether this is a existent GNS. Golden Nugget Specials came amongst diverse engine as well as transmission options. |
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| Jody Potter, Chris Sanderson, as well as Ron Kidd crawled roughly at to the lowest degree 3 dozens Mustangs inwards this ponycar graveyard. |
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| No clues are left to decipher whether this is a truthful Golden Nugget. Wrong hood. Wrong door – no door information plate. No dash plaque. We can’t say for certainly that it isn’t a Golden Nugget.We’ll perish along the dream hold out because this sometime Mustang ain’t moving. |
- The master copy “Bullitt” Mustang was non truly Ford approved. That was why the beautiful greenish fastback, inwards the film Bullitt, had all of the emblems removed.
- Several sources cannot concur on what truly powered the famous Bullitt car. We know it was a iv speed, but was it the 390 or the 302? Junkyard Life surmises it could convey been both, seeing every bit they had to utilisation a few cars.
- 1968 Mustangs used a exceptional steering cycle that some people loved. Some buyers hated. We dear it. If nosotros had a 1968, it would for certainly convey this wheel. That is a fact.
Do you convey a classic or musculus auto barn find? Got a cool auto story? Send us details as well as we’re on the way! Send emails to Ron Kidd at Kidd403@bellsouth.net & Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com