I am restoring a 68 GT500, I have an interesting car and need some help. This car has a power sunroof exactly like the 68 cougar. The work to put one of these in is very difficult to say the least. This is not just a pop in roof, the whole frame was welded in and drain tube installed down the posts to the floor. The roll bar was cut and lowered. The switch looks factory as well. This is what I know about the car so far. This was built 1/3/68 and on 1/31/68 sent to a dealer California. On 5/2/68 the car was sent all the back to Ionia, Mi. WHY? Was it to install the roof? Also interesting? The car was not listed as sold till 1/23/70. Is this possibly a Ford executive car? I also talked to a guy that thinks he may have seen this car in a magazine. Anybody else? I would love to find it if it is. please help. Thank you
I would think if AO Smith built a sunroof car we would have heard about it. To start, do you have a Marti report? What is the car# (last 4 digits)? If you don't have a registry I can look it up for you. Tim
The sunroof is not registry or on marti report because it was not built with it. However it was sent back to shelby5/2/68 and that is when it could have been installed.
More than likely, when the car was shipped to Ionia, ASC [American Sunroof Corporation] installed the unit. The unit does have drain tubes for the A pillars, but it also has two more that drain into the 1/4 panel behind the inner rear wheel wells. If you can't find dealer documentation that the roof was installed/subletted per dealer spec, then you'll probably spend lots of time trying to convince others that it is original equipment.
I have seen one other 68 Mustang fastback with a sunroof as you described, so, the fastbacks are not immune to the installation. I thought the sunroofs were installed by the ASC company, and, the only way to get one installed was to have the car dealer send the car there. So, much of your story already fits.
The Shelby # is 1503, Does anybody know if American Sunroof Corporation is still in buisiness, Or know of any records? Thanks for your replys Jeff
http://www.ascglobal.com/ Could it be American Specialty Cars? American Sunroof is a company founded out of California Tim
ASC is still in business. I used to order parts from them in Dallas. They have/did have several outlets.
The LATE sale date, really is not a clue, many of the 68s were not even finished until very late 68. My own car was sold new January of 1970. I didnt see any information in the Registry, what color is your car? Auto or 4spd? Stop by my website sometime: www.1968cobra.com
The car is red with saddle int. and an automatic, Marti report says built 1/3/68 released 1/6/68 and shiped to Calf. 1/31/68
ASC is still operating just south of Detroit in Southgate, Michigan. I used to go there to pick up parts for an ASC McCLaren Mustang. The 68 Cougar's with the sunroofs were also (same as your Shelby) built by A.O.Smith, they were known as XR7-G's. Then most (619 built 431 had sunroofs) were shipped by rail to ASC for sunroof installation. I do not know if any records were kept of other cars done at ASC. I the late eighties the dealership I worked at sent a Crown Vic up to have a sunroof installed at the ASC facillity.
