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17k Miles? 1965 Ford Mustang Convertible

Ford made nearly 560,000 Mustangs in 1965 and, of that, less than 12 percent were convertibles. This one was last registered in 1988, so it’s been off the road for quite a while, prompting a recent rebuild of the engine. It can be found here on eBay in Flint, Michigan where the bidding is set to begin at a healthy $20,500. But if you click the Buy It Now button, you can have it for $25,000.

The Ford Mustang was nothing short of a phenomenon when it debuted mid-year in 1964. Built on a Falcon platform, the car was an instant sales success. Ford production lines must have been running non-stop for the next 2 ½ years, pumping out nearly 1.3 million copies of the hot little car by the end of the 1966 model year. While there were some special variations, like the GT, the K-Code V8, and the Carroll Shelby version, most were sold as two-door coupes and convertibles, with a minimal number of frills. You could take one home for as little as $2,427 plus tag, tax and license.

We don’t get a lengthy sales pitch from the seller for this 1965 Mustang convertible. It was first sold in North Carolina and last registered there in 1988. We assume it disappeared from circulation until last year when it ended up in Michigan. A mechanic with race car experience performed a rebuilt of the numbers-matching engine in 2019. The 289 V8 with 4-barrel carb and 4-speed manual is said to run well. But if the motor needed a rebuild at 17,000 miles after all these years, what else would need attention? Nothing is mentioned about the rest of the car.

We’re told the Mustang has some rust which isn’t “too bad,” but the photos don’t show any, and the seller isn’t more specific. The dark blue paint is spotty at this point and will need a respray. The chrome looks decent, but not perfect and the convertible top might be serviceable, although the rear window will need replacing, at a minimum. I wish there was more than just a claim to back up the mileage. 17,000 miles between 1965 and 1988 is hard to believe and some story about what the car has been up to for 32 years would help sell it.

Given the generally good condition of the car, is this Mustang worth $20-25,000? There are a lot of Mustangs out there to choose from, including convertibles. If a new paint job is all this car needs, is this a good buy?

Comments

  1. Avatar Fred W

    Mileage claim seems bogus, should be no need for a rebuild at that mileage unless the engine seized or overheated.

    Like 1
  2. Avatar Mike

    This car looks familiar. Seen it before, but can’t remember where.

    Like 0
  3. Avatar HC Member

    More likely, 117,000 miles on it and then the rebuild. If theres minimal rust involved maybe not a bad car.

    Like 0

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