In 1967 the Ford Motor Company initiated a program to create a high-performance 428-powered Mustang. After research and testing, Ford unleashed their new high-performance street terror in April 1968 as the 428 Cobra Jet. The Cobra Jet package consisted of a 428 short-block with police interceptor heavy-duty connecting rods and topped by 427 “low-riser” cylinder heads and a Holley 735 cfm four-barrel carburetor. The Cobra Jet claimed a 10.6:1 compression ratio and used the same hydraulic camshaft as the 390 GT engine, which was a fairly aggressive grind for a factory piece of the day, with 270/290-degrees duration (advertised) and .481/.490-inch lift.

Buyers would have to choose the GT equipment package if they wanted the 428 CJ engine, though both could be applied to a coupe as well as a fastback. Power front disc brakes were also required, and buyers could choose between the four-speed manual, as this car is equipped, or C-6 three-speed automatic.

Ford rated its new 428 CJ engine at a modest 335 hp—only 15 more than the 390 it was replacing. That made it appear as a marginal improvement on paper, and since buyers also had to take the GT package, disc brakes, and the engine, the Cobra Jet Mustang was rather costly. That, plus its mid-year introduction, may have contributed to only 1,299 examples rolling off the line for 1968.

This stunning Wimbledon White 428 Cobra Jet left the factory 18 May 1968 and was delivered to Russ Davis Ford in Covina, California, according to the Marti report that verifies this car’s original production specifications. This Mustang is in very clean condition throughout, and the current owner states it has been the recipient of recent mechanical sorting. These early Cobra Jet Mustangs are highly coveted by muscle car collectors and are seldom offered for sa —le, presenting a rare opportunity to acquire a fine example of a hard-to-find Ford performance car for the golden age of American muscle.