Ford
Mustang 428 Cobra Jet (1968½ production cars)

Why it matters

The 428 Cobra Jet turned the 1968 Mustang GT into a factory big-block performance car. The idea grew out of a 1967 magazine feature in which a Ford dealer showed that parts already in Ford's catalogue could make a much quicker Mustang, and out of the Ford-built Mustangs that dominated the January 1968 NHRA Winternationals. The engine then became a regular factory option and effectively ended interest in the 390 4V.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.

History

In a 1967 Hot Rod article, Ford dealer Bob Tasca showed his own hardtop, modified with 406 heads, a GT390 camshaft and other dealership parts, to argue that Ford could sell a Mustang able to take on GTOs and SS Camaros.

In January 1968 Ford sent five Wimbledon White lightweight fastbacks with a modified 428 to the NHRA Winternationals, where Al Joniec beat Hubert Platt in an all-Ford Super Stock final. That performance set the stage for the 428 Cobra Jet as a factory option on the 1968 Mustang GT.

Bonhams' catalogue states the 428 CJ became available in the Mustang GT on 1 April 1968.

Technical specifications

Engine

Transmission & drivetrain

Chassis, body & dimensions

Performance

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

1. 1
   Martin Auto Museum – 1968-½ Ford Mustang 428 CJ Level B

   • 1299 non-Shelby first-year (1968½) Cobra Jet Mustangs (171 of them from San Jose)

   Accessed 2026-11-12