Sunlit Gold is a color not often seen in the shows. Most folks tend to center their work on the standard reds, blues, and whites. There are even a few people out there who change the color of the car to suit their fancythat fancy usually being red. So the show is not really a typical cross section of what the average Mustang sales lot harbored in the big sales years from 1964 to 1973. For instance, take Scott Nelsons 68 GT. His sporty car is one of 8,908 Mustang hardtops that wore the Sunlit Gold color and bore the Nugget Gold interior. In fact, Ford sprayed nearly 25,000 Mustangs in this hue and never looked back. Neither did Scott, who hails from Gig Harbor, Washington. I found the car through a friend, who owns a classic car dealership in Tukwila, he said. I had a basic 68 hardtop and I was looking to upgrade to something a little more flashy. He called and said I might be interested in a car that hed gotten from Las Vegas recently. As anyone in the hobby knows, Vegas is one of the magical places where you can get Mustangs that are basically rust-free, though possibly in need of some interior work. Scott was interested enough to stop by his buddys location and check out the car.
I went down to his shop and was stunned at what he had gotten in, Scott said. We proceeded to make a deal and I drove home in my 68 GT. What Scott had been wowed by was the Sunlit Gold hardtop you see pictured. Outside, the car is pure GT with the foglamps, Styled Steel wheels wrapped in Eagle ST Goodyear radials, and that distinctive yet understated GT badge. The black vinyl top and C-stripe only serve to add an air of macho to the hearty gold color. Another option that adds convenience as well as appeal is the louvered hood with integral turn signals. Of course, the options dont back off from there. Under the hood is the capable 302 4V backed by the ever dependable C4 automatic and stoplight-ready 3.55 Traction-Lok rear gears. Scott decided that the engine bay was a bit drab, so he took the time to add the Cobra dress-up kit and an Edelbrock carb. Original items under the louvered hood include air conditioning, power steering, and power disc brakes, all of which serve to make Scotts car a more happy environment in which to work and play.
Though the interior is still in need of some work to get it up to snuff, it has several options worth noting. For instance, the car has the trip odometer but lacks the tacha fascinating and perplexing fact since most cars that came with the trip odometer also had the rpm gauge. There also is the optional clock, making us wonder if the original use for the car was amateur time-speed-distance rallying. For driver comfort, the GT also has the center console and Convenience Group. All these items serve to make Scotts drive a pleasurable one.
For sure, Scott was in a gold rush when he saw this car, and it seems to have paid off for him in enjoyment and time spent toying with the hardtop. Yep, thars gold in them thar hills!