1967 Shelby GTs With Thermactor/EECS (California Emissions)

California Emissions

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) was established in 1967, combining the Bureau of Air Sanitation and the Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board. Their regulations applied to all new '67 model-year vehicles with large displacement ('big block') engines, including the Ford FE 390-4V Mustang and the Shelby GT 500 with 428-8V Special Interceptor.

The First GT 500 Thermactor Car(s)

As the '67 Shelby program kicked off, Shelby American started placing Domestic Special Orders (DSOs) with Ford in early August 1966. When the SRG reviewed the DSOs on microfiche, we found the first eight (8) GT 500 units ordered with emissions were almost reassigned to be built in Metuchen rather than San Jose. For some time, we wondered why. It was Randy Gillis (RiP) who proffered that the California emissions system on the 428-8V S.I. had not yet been tested and certified yet by the California CARB.

Why redirect their assembly to Metuchen? We speculate that there was a loophole that allowed manufacturers to build cars outside of California and then ship them to California for purposes other than new retail sales. In an abundance of caution, it appears that FoMoCo was prepared to do this. However, five (5) of the eight (8) cars were delayed and then canceled due to a different issue (cooling problems of GT 500 air-conditioned cars).

Rather than build them outside of California, a different solution (loophole) was found. Build the cars inn California, and designate them as 'Engineering' units. This allowed the first three (3) GT 500 Thermactor cars, #0100, #0131, and #0139 to get built in California and remain in California. This explains why their VIN plates have an added "ENG" (Engineering) stamp.

67411F--0100-ENG. (Car #0100) The first regular production GT 500, was ordered with Thermactor, however, it does not appear that this car received an emissions engine at Ford's San Jose assembly plant. The DSO requested emissions, and a Ford Change Notice deleted it. However, the Ford 'as-built' computer record indicates the car did get the Thermactor engine (likely just not updated for the last-minute change). The 411F package code in the Shelby VIN indicates no emissions, and in-period photographs of the engine bay do not show any emissions components. #0100 was expeditiously built 18 days ahead of schedule at San Jose to get it to Shelby American and then into the magazine editors' hands so that the media opportunity window was not missed. That expedition was likely made possible by omitting the not-yet-CA-certified emissions system on the 428-8V Special Interceptor. As outlined above, being manufactured in California with an uncertified (or non-existent) emissions system is likely the reason behind the -Eng[ineering] stamp added to the Shelby VIN plate.

67411H8A00131 (Car #0131), the second regular production GT 500; and the only 428-8V coupe. Built at Ford's San Jose plant just one day after #0100, was also ordered with emissions, and like #0100, the Ford computer record indicates the car was so-equipped. However, the 411H package code in the Shelby VIN indicates the car did not have the Thermactor emissions system. This car never received a riveted Shelby VIN plate, though if it had, it would have likely had the Eng[ineering] designation added as a prefix or suffix.

ENG.-67413C9A00139 (Car #0131),the third regular production GT 500; and the only '67 GT convertible. Built by San Jose about two weeks after the other two cars. #0139 was ordered with emissions and, according to the Ford as-built computer record, was built with emissions. The 413C package code in the Shelby VIN indicates the car had the Thermactor system. It is likely that #0139 was the first GT 500 unit to receive an uncertified emissions system. Regardless, because the 428-8V SI emissions system had still not been tested/certified by the state of California, #0139 also received the ENG[ineering] designation stamped into the Shelby VIN plate.

GT 500 Thermactor Engine Launch Delay

Based on Ford computer record analysis, the SRG's theory is that regular production of the GT 500 Thermactor-equipped was supposed to begin in late December 1966.

It was realized that the 428-8V Thermactor engines (402F and 412F packages) were not going to be ready and/or certified in time, so the scheduled assembly of these units was pushed out into early January 1967.

Apparently that still was not enough time, but it was now too late to reschedule the units, as the chassis assembly had already started. The first 33x GT 500 cars that were supposed to received the Thermactor engines did not; non-Thermactor engines were substituted so the assembly line would not come to a halt. Just a couple of days later, once the certified engines arrived at their station on the line, a 'make-good' operation substituted 33x 428-8V Thermactor engines into GT 500s that were ordered without it.

Notes

GT 350 (289-4V HiPo) units with Thermactor (EECS) were built by Ford's San Jose plant beginning on May 15, 1967. We trust this launch date was in compliance with California regulations.

Not all Thermactor-equipped GT 350 and GT 500 cars were sold within the state of California. In cases where a vehicle was sold outside of California, a credit was typically issued to the dealer for the wholesale price of the Thermactor emissions system.

As this topic's data demonstrates, some non-Thermactor GT 350 and GT 500 units were 'mistakenly' sold in the state of California..'

See Also

Thermactor/EECS (California Emissions) Cars