They did not have factory installed Hurst shifters at the time since Hurst wasn't a supplier for Ford at the time. That would have been installed as an aftermarket item.
If memory serves me correctly, there were three different colors of plastic caps that rust proofing shops were able to use back then which were black, red and blue. Black was the standard that everyone used. I don't remember the company that would use blue as an aftermarket provider. Ford did not do factory rust proofing either as that would have been a dealer installed item due to the way cars were being built back then (similar to the way now) and could have used the different colored cap for the rust proofing. I checked my dealer books and there are no factory authorized corrosion control items as an option. They did ad a high zinc "wax" to the high corrosion areas or dog legs of the car but that was added right after the car came out of paint from the interior areas. Looks like that was a dealer installed item.
The lack of emissions would make that an off road car only which would have been done by a racer or someone building the car for racing. Someone tampered with the emissions and it was not noted with the inspection in PA from what I can tell.
Indications are that this car was to be raced due to the shifter and the emissions being removed. With the name Kaufman on the card in the photo above, that also indicates that the car was getting Kaufman performance upgrades which would be aftermarket and Ford would have not done any of that. Being that it was PA where this car came from, it would also be likely that people were "up charged" to add the "rust proofing" with the way salt would be used in the winters there. Best explanation that I've got for you.
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