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21k Original Miles: 1966 Ford Mustang

Occasionally, a classic car will come along that can make some of us feel less worthy than we otherwise should. This Ford Mustang is just such a car. The original owner purchased the vehicle for his wife as a Valentine’s Day present back in 1966, while I have tended to stick with the “tried-and-true” flowers and chocolate offerings. If my wife finds out about this one, then I’m in a world of trouble! The Mustang has been garage-kept for its entire life and is a fairly tidy survivor. The next owner might choose to undertake a light cosmetic refresh on the car, or they could easily choose to leave it untouched, allowing it to wear its “original survivor” badge with pride. If you would like to secure an early (or late) gift for your Valentine, then you will find the Mustang located in Atchison, Kansas, and listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has reached $8,300, but the reserve on this classic hasn’t been met.

The owner claims that the Wimbledon White Mustang is completely rust-free, and its cause has undoubtedly been aided by the fact that it has been garage-kept for its entire life. The only note of caution that I will sound here is the fact that the spare tire looks like it is a snow tire. I would be interested to know why this is so, and whether the Mustang has potentially been exposed to extreme weather or salt. The paint wears a few marks and scratches, but none of these appear to be severe. The panels themselves are straight, with no sign of any significant dings or dents. The owner describes the paint as being 75% original, which suggests that it has received some touch-up work at some point in the last 54-years. All of the external chrome and trim pieces are present, and as is the case with the glass, it all appears to be in good condition. The most obvious non-original item on the Mustang’s outside is the antenna. Still, that has to rate as one of the easiest items to replace, so it isn’t an issue.

Looking around inside a classic like this Mustang and finding it to be so original and unmolested is a real treat. In many cases, aftermarket stereo systems have found their way into cars like this, but the Mustang’s original radio is still in situ. The Black upholstery and trim are in impressive condition, while the dash appears to be faultless. The carpet could be a little bit faded, but this could potentially be a trick of the light. Apart from the radio, the Mustang scores with air conditioning and a remote trunk release.

There will be a few enthusiasts who will gaze into the engine bay of the Mustang and be disappointed to find that it doesn’t house a V8. Don’t be too hasty on that, because it would appear that this is a numbers-matching car. It features a 200ci 6-cylinder engine, along with a 3-speed automatic transmission. It was mechanical combinations like this that made the Mustang an affordable car that was within reach of the average wage-earner. Besides, if I was the original owner’s wife, I would still be pretty pleased to receive a Mustang as a gift, regardless of what drivetrain it featured. The owner says that it runs and drives really well, and while the presentation of the engine bay is generally neat and tidy, I suspect that the engine and some of its ancillaries may have received a repaint at some point. The owner does claim that the vehicle has covered a genuine 21,248 miles, but doesn’t indicate whether he holds any evidence to verify this.

This 1966 Mustang has a few fairly significant attributes in its favor, and these would need to be considered when trying to determine its ultimate value. The first of these is its originality, because so often owners can make changes to these cars that might seem like a good idea at the time, but can negatively impact long-term values. The second is that it is a rust-free car, which is a major plus in a 1st Generation Mustang of any description. Finally, if the claimed mileage can be verified, then that makes it a fairly significant car from that standpoint. Six-cylinder Mustangs are becoming a more recognized variant when it comes to collectability, and while values have been increasing in recent times, they still aren’t a big-ticket item. On face value, an original Mustang in similar condition to this one should potentially sell for somewhere between $12,000 and $15,000. However, if that mileage claim can be verified, then it could go a bit higher than that.

Comments

  1. Avatar ccrvtt

    We tend to forget that this car was originally produced to be a daily driver. In my opinion that would still be its best use. The mechanics are fairly rudimentary and all the common maintenance and repair parts are still available due to its collector car popularity. There’s nothing really special or unusual about its option list. I would certainly prefer a 289 and a 4-speed, but the slushbox and 6 cylinder are probably a big part of its current condition.

    Much cooler to drive than a Camry, that’s for sure.

    Like 21
  2. Avatar Bob_in_TN Member

    I’ve made this point before: if you want to have a low-stress collector car, here is a good specimen. Good, but not show-car condition; basic, simple mechanicals; parts readily available; if you are not into your own maintenance or repairs, most any mechanic can work on it; popular, so you will never be concerned with being the “outcast” at an event; not overly expensive; and even the six cylinder isn’t frowned on (too much), given they were a part of the car’s early success.

    Like 12
  3. Avatar AndyP

    Sad this was not enjoyed and driven more
    But maybe it was enjoyed in the right ways
    Nice thing about these, millions of parts to keep them going a long long time

    Like 3
  4. Avatar Claudio

    I am a canadian, this is the same car that i bought on ebay as an experiment for importing to canada
    The exchange rate was good and the car was in maine so i could trailer it back
    Wow, what a lump, there is no pleasure driving these, no feedback, no cornering, no stopping , lumps ! I would gladly take a camry over this Yeah , they look good but drive the same as a pinto …

    Like 3
  5. Avatar FordGuy1972 Member

    A nice Mustang overall though the paint is looking pretty tired. The white exterior is a little boring so I’d be tempted to change the color to Ford’s Brittany Blue. I like that it’s got A/C and the interior looks very good. I had a similar ’66 Mustang coupe with the same straight six and auto trans which made for a decent daily driver with good gas mileage. This little Mustang would suit me just fine as is.

    Like 2
  6. Avatar 71Boss351

    A nice find. A simple vehicle to drive and maintain. As ccrvtt say I would prefer the 289 with a 4 speed. This one is a good example of workhorse of the the first generation Mustang. If the bids don’t go too much higher(under $12K for me) this would be a good buy and a easy way to enter into the collector car market.

    Like 1
  7. Avatar George M. Louis

    What did I miss? I did not see a picture of the the trunk being open to show a snow tire for a spare? So where did this comment come from/?

    Like 0
    • Avatar James Starks

      If you click on the link to e-bay, you can see the snow tire in the trunk.

      Like 0
  8. Avatar George Louis

    Thank you for the tip.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Ken Fulton

    I restore and restomod early Mustangs. I’m constantly amazed when a customer considers buying a Taiwan aftermarket shell made with poor quality steel with a price tag of around 20K over buying a complete car such as this one for half the price.
    Mind you, the aftermarket shell does not come with a title, motor, interior, front sheet metal, wheels and tires, or glass.

    Like 0

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