THE PAINT SHOP


The Best 1968 Shelby Exterior Color Chart
Ford Color Name Ford Color Code Ditzler/PPG Code DuPont Code
Red T 71528 4737
Acapulco Blue Metallic D 13357 4857
Dark Green Metallic R 43644 4869
Lime Green Metallic I 43576 4790
White M 8378 4480
Gold Metallic Y 22833 4874
Black A 9000 88
Not assigned WT 6066 81639 24934
Not assigned* WT 5107 60334 6753D
Maroon Metallic* B 50746 4864
Not assigned* WT 7081 43822 1317
Not assigned* WT 5014 60513 92022
Not assigned* WT 5185 60524 97249H
Not assigned* WT 4017 71649 066H
Brittany Blue* Q 13619 4813
Meadowlark Yellow* W 81584 4878


The above chart shows all the 1968 Shelby colors. The most common colors are at the top of the chart. If the color has a star after it, less than five cars were painted in that shade.

There were a total of 159 special paint cars. These cars are denoted by their special paint codes (WT number). It is believed only 15 cars were colors other than yellow. Please take a look at the special paint pages for more information and photos of these rare cars. The color Gold was dropped by AO Smith and replaced by the paint code WT6066, special yellow.

A few Maroon, Brittany Blue and Meadowlark Yellow cars were built. These cars were not "special paint" cars, but were very limited in production.

Painting the body
This information is for a New Jersey built 1968 Mustang unibody (Shelby). Please keep in mind, each car was different and other model years may be significantly different.

I recommend you totally disassemble the vehicle. Take everything off the car that can come off. Have your body work done and paint the car entire unibody red-oxide primer. In my personal research, I have noticed that the original primer is a little browner than red-oxide. However, the red-oxide is perfectly acceptable.


This photo shows a red oxide unibody ready for body color.



The photo above shows where the body color will go on the undercarriage. Everything to the left of the vertical line will be blacked out by engine compartment blackout paint. There is no clear "cut" line or sharp edges. The blackout will fade into the body color as it rolls under the body.


The area to the right of the vertical line is divided into three zones. They are Zone A, Zone B, and Zone C.

Zone B is the easiest. It will be almost entirely primer.

In Zones A and C, the body color will be heaviest near the rocker panels (outside) and gradually fade into the primer. Every car was different, but these are good basic guidelines. The area immediately above the rear axle will be almost all primer. The Big "D" shows the area where the engine blackout fades out.

If you look at the car when it is on all four wheels, the undercarriage will appear to have a lot of body color overspray. If you were to look across the body to the opposite rocker, you would see almost all primer. You are going to find primer in all the areas marked with an "x". These nooks and crannies could not be reached by the spray guns. The areas marked by a "z" could be a mixture of body color and primer.



Here's some Acapulco Blue on a GT350 fastback. It looks great. Notice how the insides of the rails and bumps are almost all primer, while the outsides are body color. The blackout for the engine compartment is sprayed after the body color.

Inside the car, try for 100% coverage. The factory usually left primer under the rear seat.

I would also shoot 100% in the trunk and the rear wheel wells. Before you paint the trunk, you will need a little sound deadener on the backs of the inner quarter panels. Some of the other sealers and deadener are applied after the body color is on the car. The most notable location is the rear wheel wells. You might also checkout the Ford assembly manuals.




Pre-Paint spots
There are eight spots on the lower body that never received any paint. These unpainted spots are usually referred to as "pre-paint" spots. They are, in fact, attachment points for the dolly that held the car during painting. There are two attachment points on each frame rail. Inside the trunk you will also see two bare spots on the trunk floors.

A few words about "blackout"...


The photo on the left shows the small tab located between the rear, inner fender apron and the cowl. I have found that there is a clear, sharp edge to the overspray in this area. The line is even with the cowl. The left fender is removed in the photo.

The photo on the right is an unrestored low mileage original. You can see the black originally extended rearward around the screw. Because the area is overspray, even a light cleaning can remove the blackout.



The lower air scoops on most cars are blacked out on the insides. This blackout is on the body and the inside of the scoop. If you have a fastback, the inside of the front opening on the upper scoop is also blacked out. The rear opening is left body color.

Under the doors, below the rocker molding is a small lip. It is called the "pinch weld". Ford blacked this out, to make it blend with the bottom of the car. If your car is a dark color, it is not necessary to use the blackout. Because it was sprayed there are no hard edges.



Once everything was sprayed, it was inspected. You have probably seen these inspector stamps on show cars. I have noticed most 1968 New Jersey cars are stamped three times. Usually, the cars were checked by at least two different inspectors. If you are lucky enough to find any of these stampings, please drop me a note. The format is "PAINT O.K." followed by the inspector's name. This is an original stamping. The picture is inverted so you can see the stamping.




The Best 1968 Shelby Interior Color Chart
Ford Color Name Ford Interior Code Ditzler/PPG Code DuPont Code
Black Charcoal Metallic 5A / 6A 32586 9354
Medium Saddle 6F 22787 9359
Dark Saddle 6F 22959 9358

Medium and Dark Saddle are used together on fastbacks.

The color Argent was used on all tail light valances. It is a silver metallic color. This Ford color was used for many years on a variety of parts, including wheels. Argent is Ditzler/PPG # 32520. The Dupont number is 97772.


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