1969 Ford Mustang Convertible Cobra Jet Q-Code
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The brilliance of the Mustang concept is that it has always bridged the gap between mass appeal and performance. While huge numbers of six- and eventually four-cylinder lower trim cars have been sold, dyed in the wool performance enthusiasts have been treated to a wide variety of exciting high performance Mustangs.
In 1969, there was a dizzying array of performance-oriented options ranging all the way from what was only slightly more than a trim job in the Mach 1 to the fearsome Boss 429 with its NASCAR homologation big-block motor. High-performance open Mustangs were always rare and in 1969, if you wanted serious big-block shove and a suntan simultaneously, you had two options, both powered by the same 428 cid Cobra Jet motor: either the standard Mustang Convertible or the Shelby GT500 Convertible. By this point, the Shelbys were basically cosmetic only in nature, being mechanically similar to the standard 351 Windsor (GT350) or 428 Cobra Jet (GT500) Mustangs and built in Michigan rather than at Shelby American’s Southern California facility. In the GT500, you got a roll bar, unique front and rear end treatments, stripes, vents, and other extraverted cosmetic treatments.
The alternative high performance option is the classic sleeper approach, perfectly epitomized by this car, a 1969 Q-Code Mustang Convertible built in April of 1969. Although it has the 428 cid Cobra Jet engine, the car has a stellar under the radar spec otherwise: standard steel wheels with dog dish hubcaps, 4-speed manual transmission, competition suspension, and no hood scoop to give the game away. Inside the car, the story is similar: no interior decor package, no 3-spoke steering wheel, no center console, no power top, no AC. In fact, the only other options on the car are the AM/FM radio and wide oval tires. Equipped in this fashion, the car originally stickered for $3,893.89 including transportation to the original selling dealer, Paul Sicolas Key Ford in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
Only 50 1969 Mustang Convertibles received this engine, of which just 20 had 4-speed manual transmissions. Of those, three were finished in this car’s lovely shade of Acapulco blue. The car saw street use for the first two or so years of its life before being acquired and successfully campaigned by the Dubowick-Baldassari racing team. Its 11.76s @ 115.26 mph run secured an NRHA national record in the E-Stock Eliminator class in 1971, and the car was transitioned to Super Stock in 1973. The car remained in the same ownership until 1999 when it was acquired by a new owner who fastidiously spent 1,100 hours restoring the car to as-delivered condition, perhaps even better. Barrett-Jackson CEO Craig Jackson saw the finished car and was so impressed by its stunning restoration as well as its extraordinary history and specification that he purchased it for his collection. He retained it for a few years before selling it to its current owner in 2018.
The car remains in superb condition with high quality paintwork over straight panels, which fit and operate well. Aside from a chip near the fuel filler and a handful of other small blemishes, the paint’s condition is extremely difficult to fault. The brightwork and trim are in excellent condition as well, as are the glass, lights, and convertible top. The car has seen minimal use since the restoration and presents extremely crisply.
Inside the car, the story is similar with unmarked upholstery, dashboard, and very nice carpets. The instruments are crisp and in excellent shape, as are the other switches and controls with the exception of the winder knob for the passenger window, which is missing.
The engine compartment, trunk, and undercarriage are all extremely nice as well. The attention to detail is superb, with properly reproduced inspection markings and stickers, vintage style Autolite battery, and Goodyear Polyglas tires, all of which give the car an authentic period feel. The correct type vinyl trunk lining is present and in excellent condition. The undercarriage is detailed to a high standard and extremely clean. The car comes with a Elite Marti report confirming the car's original configuration and production details.
This is an exceptional opportunity to acquire one of the most desirable and unusual 1969 Mustangs produced. 428 Cobra Jet convertibles are rare to begin with, even more so with 4-speed manual transmission, and this car’s gorgeous color combination and refreshingly simple and understated specification make it all the more noteworthy when paired with the Q-code motor. Coupled with the period competition success and world-class restoration, these attributes make this Mustang unlike any other.
