Some classics leave us scratching our heads at Barn Finds. Take this 1991 Ford Mustang LX as an example. Its presentation is impossible to fault as a genuine, unmolested survivor. That isn’t particularly unusual, but the odometer reading of 486 original miles is. How or why it has seen so little active service is unclear, but that could change once it finds a new home. The seller has listed this Mustang here on eBay in Wayne, New Jersey. They set their BIN at $75,000 with the option to make an offer.
Finding anything to criticize about this Mustang’s presentation is almost impossible, with its condition consistent with a garage-kept car that sports a three-figure odometer reading. How or why it has seen so little use remains unexplained, but its appearance means it wouldn’t look out of place on a showroom floor. The Bright Red paint shines impressively, with no evidence of flaws or defects. The panels are laser-straight, featuring tight and consistent gaps. There are no rust issues and no evidence of abuse. The perfect plastic suggests it hasn’t suffered long-term UV exposure, while the tinted glass and 16″ alloy wheels are flawless. My only disappointment with this classic is the lack of information supplied by the seller surrounding its history. It undoubtedly has a story to tell, and I won’t be alone in wishing to know what it is.
I’m sure none of you will be surprised to discover this Mustang’s interior is in as-new condition. There is no wear on the cloth seatcovers, with the back seat appearing to have never seen occupants. Factory plastic protects the carpet, while the remaining upholstered surfaces appear flawless. There is no crumbling plastic or signs of abuse and no aftermarket additions. Creature comforts and factory options include a driver’s airbag, air conditioning, power windows, power locks, power mirrors, power lumbar support on the front seats, cruise control, and a premium AM/FM stereo radio/cassette player.
After over a decade of automotive misery, motoring enthusiasts had something to smile about when this Mustang rolled off the line. It didn’t recapture the heady days of the First Generation Mach 1 or Boss variants. Still, after years of coping with supposed performance models that struggled to deliver sub-16-second ¼-mile ETs, the 5.0-liter V8 under the hood of this LX offered welcome relief. It sends 225hp and 300 ft/lbs of torque to a Traction-Lok rear end via a four-speed automatic transmission. Faster models were waiting in the wings, but the 15.1-second ET delivered by this pony car confirmed manufacturers were heading in the right direction. Naturally, this Mustang is numbers-matching. With only 486 miles on the clock, its drivetrain couldn’t be considered broken in. It is unclear whether it has received appropriate maintenance during its hibernation, but the seller confirms it runs and drives. It rolls on its original tires, and given their age, I would probably replace them before attempting to hit freeway speed. The Ford comes with its original documentation, including the Owner’s Manual, Warranty Book, and Window Sticker. However, there is no reference to supporting evidence for the seller’s mileage claim.
The Fox-Body Mustang has been one of the star performers in the classic market during the past year. Values have climbed consistently, and the day doesn’t seem far away when they will join some First Generation models by moving beyond the financial reach of mere mortals. However, cars like this 1991 LX write their own rules. The seller’s price is well beyond what even the ever-optimistic Hagery quotes for a Concours example, leaving potential buyers with hard decisions to make. Its designers created this classic to be driven and enjoyed, not to be squirreled away in a garage or museum. Much of its inherent value rests in the odometer reading, and every additional mile accrued will undermine that value. Sadly, I believe its fate is to spend its days as a museum piece or to be dragged around the show circuit on a trailer. Would that be your approach if you became the new owner, or do you believe it deserves to take its rightful place on our roads?
Adam has well-described and well-analyzed this excellent Fox Body. Their allure is in part due to the fact that they were flat-out fun to drive, in a crude sort of way. They weren’t refined sports cars, as illustrated by their cheap as-new prices. But their “Bang for the Buck” was high.
Thus the low miles sets up the issue. Drive it, and it loses both value, and what makes this particular example unique.
Some Foxes have been reaching this ask price, but as far as I can tell, only low mileage Cobras. This one is also hindered by the automatic transmission.
That all said, I really enjoy seeing these low-mileage Fox Bodies, providing examples of what this typically modified model (especially LX coupes) looked like when new.
I remember seeing these in a stick shift, exact same red paint, on the lot new for under 13k Canadian lol great valu. 👍
The seller is high. But the buyer of this car will be someone with endless cash to spend on a car that they’ll only be able to look at.
This is a beautiful foxbody and a neat time capsule for sure. But if you stop and think of all of the other vehicles you could buy (both new and classic) for $75k…. It is fun to look at that brand new interior though and reminisce.
How long can you generally leave that plastic on the carpet before it doesn’t want to come off?
One time I (foolishly) left the protective plastic on a new exterior door too long and it became really difficult to remove. Apples to oranges perhaps but I wonder…
PS I wouldn’t buy this car for $75K, especially being an automatic.
Ive had 5 fox bodies in my lifetime. Such. Fun vehicles all were sticks. I can’t imagine having one and not driving it. This one is an impressive example but not sure the market is there price wise for an automatic notchback for $75k. GLWS
Too bad it does not have a manual trans. Still a nice car! When i was in high school from 1987-1991 the fast cars to have were mustang v8s, camaros, trans am’s or a buick grand national.
Absolutely beautiful. But again, how do you put only four hundred something miles on a thirty year old car? I just don’t get it. I’d be interested to see what this finally goes for though. Maybe I can get twenty-five large for my 1991 LX convertible with seventy five thousand miles!🤔
Beautiful car (minus the automatic). What if you drive it three thousand miles a summer for ten years, only sunny days and kept up with the cleaning and maintenance. You’d still have a 42 year old Mustang with only 30K miles on it. But at $67,000. Nah, never mind.
Having owned an ex-CHP 5.0 notchback, I’d definitely agree with Volunteer State Bob, in that they are a lot of fun to drive, in an unrefined early 90’s type of way, but there is absolutely zero chance I would plunk down seven hundred fifty $100 bills for a 5.0 of late 80’s – early 90’s vintage. No way on the Lord’s green earth. They are fun, for sure, but so many other cars I’d rather own for that kind of coin plus my 5.0 ownership experience concluded on Halloween night 1995 during a light rain as I rolled the Mustang off of a expressway off-ramp, so…we did not part on the best of terms so I may be biased.
My old gal friend Carol Ann had a foxy body…
Drove one with a LS swap that one really ran good
Way high but beautiful and by ’91 the 5.0 Mustangs had all the upgrades to suspension, brakes and roller cam, etc based on the needs customers had in the ’82-89 models. Airbag as well.
Owned new 5.0 HOs in 82, 83, 84, and my ’86 new cost $13,636 loaded with 5 spd – still have the window sticker and order brochures for each of these years.
Remember: Back in the ’80s, especially early 80’s all there were was 10 second to 60 mph GMs. And they cost more.
Ford was really trying, and pulled competitors along to improve their “hot rods”. The sight of an actual Holley 4 barrel on the ’83 was a big jump from the weezing ’78 -81 5.0 with 139 hp.
Owned the ’78 so I remember how hopeless it seemed.
The Fox bodies were affordable, optionable, light and ran mid 6’s to 60 and made new fans left and right. You could take out the metal bars to take up the slack on the traction bars on the ’82 to stop wheel hop.
These were great but this $75,000 is too much..
Unmodified examples not common but this is a crazy sell..
Would snap up several nice Fox 5.0 or ??
Good Luck!!
Ford did not have the money to lower the “Fairmont” roof for this gen back in ’79, let alone retain frameless glass from the prev gen?
(Didn’t they realize the same basic body would be used for 14!!! model years? Imagine how many more cars they would have sold – i was turned off by the high roof of this gen as well as the Pacer, which would have looked a LOT better with a lower roof. Ford & all the car manufactureres USED to change body styles as often as every 2 years!)
Does the R12 a/c actually still work? Vehicle a/c(but oddly not house window a/c) is supposed to be used at least every month, to keep things lubricated – even in the winter.
If this car still has the original coolant/antifreeze, could the additives still be good?! Best to ck with voltmeter & test strip.
Were raised white letter tires available on any mustang after ’78 or any camaro/bird after ’81 or vette after ’82?
The slightly higher roof allowed a lot of us to fit that wouldn’t have fit otherwise. The door frames added a little stiffness that these cars sorely needed. IMO, it worked out ok.
Oddly, all later gen mustang roofs are lower than this one’s & have frameless side glass. & probably r a tite fit for tall drivers.
I am 6 ft tall & have tons of headroom, despite the very low roof on a ’74 firebird. & i’m not sitting very low either, like i would be in a ’71 cuda or ’71 mustang fastback.
Yet my head is very close to the roof in a 1st gen bird or camaro, despite the higher roof on those – go figure.
Pretty smart fella who put this beauty away. The flat deck LX was the one to have. A former CO worker has a blue 93 LX stick car in storage. He’s had it more than 25 years. I just called him to tell him to keep it. California rust free. Don’t laugh. This seller might his price. It’s January and the big auctions have started.
Having one of these and not driving it? Sounds like neutering a race winning stallion to me. What’s the point of having it?
I almost bought a brand-new 1988 stick notchback LX…for $12,800 plus tax and title. Instead, I opted for a 6K-mile 1986 Black/Charcoal Interior GT, stick/T-tops,loaded, w/3.08 gears for $10.500.
At six times the price it was new, this guy is VERY optimistic. The fact that it is an automatic is the kiss of death. It would need 4.10’s to make it any fun, at all. Hard pass for me. $25K car (in my educated opinion)…and that would only be for someone that could stomach the slushbox AOD.
Nothing wrong with trying to make a buck, but I believe this seller is a flipper on a serious fishing expedition. It seems the car changed hands a few months ago moving from Neptune, NJ to Hackettstown, NJ. Can’t be sure what the scoop is, but how many sales around this number could this car have possibly had?
Not my first choice for a long term investment vehicle, but they were relatively inexpensive and perhaps that was all the buyer cared to devote to a buy and park
75k? Must be some good dope in your ‘hood.
Image what 75K would buy in a new Mustang (or Camaro or Challenger) – a car you could actually drive and enjoy and not park in your museum.
Different strokes, I guess.
No more new Camaros or Challengers being built anymore, not that i will miss the former. The former should have had more SIDE glass & room inside like the ’69 & i bet they would have sold a lot more, espec if 2 people could fit in the back seat.
& if Chevy offered a cheaper to insure & less expensive base 175-200 hp v6 Camaro model with less std features & more options & colors available, espec inside.
No more 2 doors avail from GM – except the not so attractive expensive Vette, none from Chrysler, & only the Stang & Bronco from Ford.
How the mighty have fallen.
I am still sporting a 2 door – a Bronco. The take rate on them is so low that I’m sure that Ford will be eliminating those soon enough too.
PRA4SNW, you kinda wonder why today’s singles do not want 2 doors or crank windows, let alone no a/c, yet they are gung ho at the fitness club.
With me, it’s the reverse – at age 69, i’ll still climb in the back seat of any vintage 2 door & crank manual windows over & over & even sweat in old cars with no or broken a/c, but you would have to drag me to a fitness center. lol & also inside any “modern” all ugly 4 door. Or even into a “modern” claustrophobic camaro.
I notice today a lot of people are even too lazy to open up the trunk of their “modern” 4 doors & they just throw groceries, etc. onto the back seat via the 3rd or 4th door. I don’t get it.
Hilarious price.