If you have been considering purchasing an early model (1964.5-1970 mustang) and wondering how you can tell if it is a real GT or GTA, here are some tips.

Here are some tips from a mustang owner and fan. The mustang was first introduced in 1964 on April 17 at the New York World's fair. It was a mid year introduction and these cars were referred to as 1964 1/2.

The GT option was not available until the next year. 1965. The 1965 mustangs were offered in convertible, hardtop or coupe or also called notchbacks as well as fastback model styles. You could get the GT option on any body style. The GT option was an actual option you could order from Ford, unfortunately there were no distinguishing order numbers or vin numbers or anything like that to easily tell you if it is a real GT.

The only way you can tell it is a factory GT or GTA (used in 1967 only and meant a GT car with automatic transmission) is to get a copy of the factory order sheet from Kevin Marti from Marti Autoworks, he only has records for 1967 and up. So unfortunately the only other way to tell on 65 66 cars is with a build sheet. A build sheet was usually included somewhere in the car with the most popular areas being under the carpet of the seats. These sheets of course were paper and rare to find. Also dealers at the time would make there own GT's too so makes it more difficult to tell if it is a factory GT etc.

In 1965 the GT option was added and included foglights, disc brakes, stiffer suspension, GT badges and rocker panel striping and dual exhausts. The GT option called the GT Equipment Group was only available on V8 equipped models and also included a tighter ratio 16:1 steering box HCC-AX for manual steering and HCC-AW for power steering equipped mustangs. The dual exhaust consisted of trumpet type chrome tips coming out of the rear valance, two holes on each side through the valance and chrome trimmed. It was a $165.00 option in 1965.

The exhaust was hung from the undercarriage with hangers and the holes that these hangers were hung from were re-inforced unlike on the standard dual exhaust mustangs. If you are able to stick your finger in and up you should be able to feel a reinforcment hole.

The front suspension was different on GT cars with the front sway bar being larger than a stock sway bar on a mustang. The GT bar is 1 3/16 inches while the stock one is 1 1/16 inches. Also included stiffer front coil springs, heavy duty shocks and stiffer rear leaf suspension. The front brakes are disc brakes on a GT and will also have a brake pedal pad inside that says disc brakes on it.

Foglights are also standard on the GT, there will be two foglights attatched to the bars coming off the mustang in the center of the grille. These foglights were originally clear but sometimes people change them out for yellow bulbs. Clear is original. There will also be a foglight switch under the dash to turn these lights on. It should say FOG on it. There should also be a holes about 1 3/16 inch in diameter through the radiator support for the fog light wiring. There should probably be two holes one for each bulb but it has also been said that sometimes Ford would just stick the wiring through a vent hole or such particularly on the battery side. 

GT mustangs for 65 and 66 also came with GT badging and stripes along the rocker panels as well as a GT gascap. The stripes had the letters mustang inside them and a GT red badge above. On the top of the front fender near the lights would be a 289 or 289 Hi performance badge. Also the rear scoop ornament behind the front doors was removed. The regular mustang horse ornamentation on the fenders was also removed. The 65 GT will also have a 5 dial instrumentation panel similar to a stock 66 dash.

Most GT mustangs from 65 and 66 were also ordered with numerous other options such as styled steel wheels, pony interior,etc. These were all options though and you could order your GT any way you liked, these were not standard to a GT. You just happen to see more GT's equipped like this as these were also popular options of the day.

1967 and 1968 GT's. In 1967 only and the only year Ford did this, you could also get a GTA, a GTA is a 1967 mustang only that came with an automatic transmission. So any 1967 GT mustang you see must have a 4 speed manual transmission. In 1968 they went back to just calling them GT's and you could get either transmission choice and it would still be called a GT. Both model years were basically the same equipped as the early 65,66 models. With foglights, dual exhaust, GT gascap, disc brakes and stiffer suspension, GT badging and stripes,etc. The 1968 GT's also came equipped with GT styled steel wheels.

The 1969 GT was the very last year for this option. There were no 1970 GT's. The 69 GT faced tough competion as an option now as of course Ford was offering the mustang in many different models now including Mach 1, Bosses, etc. They did manage to manufacture about 6700 GT's. Again in all body models and again only V8's. 69's were basically the same as 68's offering the same styled steel GT wheels, GT gascap,disc brakes etc. No GT emblems this time just a rocker panel stripe.

There were no 1970 GT mustangs. Only GT and GTA mustangs from 65-69. 

So some of the easiest things to spot when looking at a GT mustang are it must have disc brakes and the disc brake pedal, foglights, GT gascap and stripes and GT badging and no mustang ornaments on the fender or holes from where they were removed, except on the 69 where there were no badges.

Good luck on your search and hope this helped.