I sent an email and a message through eBay asking for photo of the windshield vin, engine block numbers and title vin number and asked if the title was clean. I also asked if the car was listed in the GTE registry. I feel they knew the car is a rebody prior to listing it. The words “we think” and “data plate” correct stand out. No mention of the windshield vin tag, and that is what is used to register and title a car. The data plate says that if I recall correctly.
Here is the listing quote: “This is an extremely rare 1968 Cougar GT-E 7.0 L, With a Shelby 427 power plant. All the data plate information is correct, with a 3.50 Traction-Lok axle ratio, and a C-6 Select Shift Cruise-O-Matic transmission. The previous owner has owned it for about 10yrs, it is an older restoration we think 10+ years ago. But the car is in extremely great condition. This is a rare find and would look great in any collection.”
Still no reply from the seller as of this posting.
All said I don’t think rebodied cars are bad they just need to be disclosed. A rebodied car in my opinion can be like saving a fine piece of artwork. Most of the original pieces are there but it’s laid on a new canvas to keep it together.
Steven
Notice they do not com eout and say it is rebodied. You have to read the very samll in print in the appraisal. If the driveline is not original either, I wonder what it is. Interestingly, I am out in San Diego in a week and if the car is still there, I may go look at it, just for my own education.
That’s a big NO, same price. The way I read the apprasial it just states, engine correct for year. What does that mean? A 302, 289, 390 and a 428 are correct for the year. But it does not say that the engine is for sure a 427 side oiler. Am I missing something or could this be a 390 dressed up? I compared photos of a 427 GTE’s engine with this car and Bill is right there is a difference.
Steven
I read the appraisal as stating it has a 427, very first line.
You cant tell the difference btw. a 427 and a 390 by looking at the exterior of the engine, just because the alt. is high instead of low, that’s just a bracket, and different pulleys for the belts… It does look like the PCV tube is incorrect also, but that could be my computer.
I have only a 390 to look at and I’ve never actually seen a 427 side oiler. That being said can’t you see the screw in freeze plugs and the cross bolt mains on the 427 side oiler?
Steven
The alternator is where the air pump should be for the smog system. That was my point. That belt arrangement and that bracket set are for some other application. My guess is that it is an earlier build of the 427.
Yes you are correct, the smog pump is high, and the alt is low on a GT-E that has the smog equipment. But this car doesn’t have any smog on it, so you can put the alt. anywhere you desire, high or low. Doesn’t matter if it’s a 352, 390, 428 or 427. With the correct pulleys and brackets, you can set it up 10 different ways. My original 427 Cobra had the alt in the low position.
Just because the alt is high, that doesn’'t tell you it’s a 390 or anything else that is an FE.
I agree, I am just trying to make an educated guess about what is really there. The high alternator mount, if it was original to the engine, just gives us a little bit more information about the origin of this particular 427. I am guessing that the engine might have been an earlier build 427, maybe a '66 or so? Do you know if there was a 427 build that would have used the dual belts and the high mount alternator? One other possibility is that the pulley set up is 428CJ or PI (dual belts) and the bracket is just off a truck or something. Figuring out if it is a 427 is easy, look at the head casting numbers (valve spacing requires larger bore than 390) and the cross bolts and you are pretty much there. It would just require a few more pics or the chance to see it in person. I am pretty sure that it is a 427 so I am not disputing that. If it is a '66 build it could be a pretty strong runner.
In general, the work on this car was very nicely done, and I think it deserves to be taken a bit farther. Or you could just buy and drive the snot out of it which would also be a lot of fun. It is what it is. I am not bogged down by the re-body part, it effects value but that might be a good thing depending on how you look at it. An original numbers matching car (Brian Austs GT-E at Barrett Jackson) might be out of reach, and this looks like a pretty good alternative to get really nice car for maybe a lot less money. I don’t advocate misrepresentation, but presented honestly, this is still a very attractive car.
The GT-E has the dual pulley for the alt., it’s just that the alt. is positioned low. Perhaps the owner, not having the smog, decided to place the alt up high, to “fill in” the empty space. Very simple operation, only need the high bracket, and you use your dual pulley’s.
Seems to me that anyone who is smart isn’t going to pay the full going price for a GT-E to buy this car. In fact, I would say no more then half the going rate.
, that’s good. Did they drop the price any, though…LOL