The turbocharged Ford Mustang SVO is a classic 80s performance car that has been catching more collectors eyes over the last few years. That being said, it’s still not the most sought-after Fox body you can buy, and I suspect prices are soon heading for a plateau after a steady run-up over the last few years. The seller claims this cosmetically-challenged example listed here on eBay is a genuine low-mileage example, with just 65,500 miles on the clock.
Bidding is light at the moment, with the current number sitting at just $2,325 and the seller’s reserve unmet. While I understand the sentiment behind knowing that a lower mileage car is always going to be sought after, the poor presentation of this SVO is undoubtedly going to hold it back. This is especially unfortunate given how readily older paint jobs like this tend to bounce back with a good cut and buff job, and I suspect this Mustang would be attracting far more interest with a proper detailing.
The truly unfortunate thing is that even with the low mileage, we’re not treated to a minty interior. If the outside were tired and the inside was mint, that’s a different story altogether. But with work to be done inside and out, the vibe is just different. However, there could be an excellent opportunity for the next owner to do that work and make this SVO truly “pop” which could absolutely lead to a stronger sale price. I’m surprised the seller isn’t making that effort on this go-round, and given how tight the seat bolsters still appear to be, I have little reason to doubt the low-mileage claims.
The engine bay doesn’t look much different from the rest of the car, which is to say it’s stock but cosmetically tired. The seller has thrown a bunch of new parts at it, including a fuel pump, brakes, injectors, valve cover gaskets, tires, spark plugs, ignition cylinder, and more, so this has clearly been an ongoing restoration project. Beyond the cosmetics, it still needs an exhaust system and an electric fan. What do you think: is there a diamond in the rough with this low-mileage SVO?
I would suggest that the interior IS “minty”, that is, compared to the exterior! Water doesn’t even help the appearance of the car’s exterior, a common ploy to make tired paint look better. The best part is this from the seller: “The exterior is a striking red and the title is clean. The owner has had it for 3 years and it has been well-maintained.” It does appear to be a solid body, although it needs everything. Under the hood also makes you wonder about his “well maintained” comment.
These do have a following and can be a fun alternative to the usual V8 Fox Body. This one has had some mechanical work and doesn’t look crusty with rust, but otherwise it looks quite tired. With nicer ones available for low five figures, I’d expect this example to be a hard sell at anything over a low price.
A different alternative at the very least. Fun can be had with this car without going totally broke.
The most I’ve ever thrown at a car with around 65k miles is a set of brake pads.
Where are the buff it out comments? I like it and with a good detailing, inside, out and under the hood. You’d be ready to roll. The dash has a crack. That’s the only thing I see wrong with the interior. Maybe I’m not that picky although you would want a respray at some point, and it has that magical five speed stick. Can you imagine one of these with the modern 2.3 liter, turbocharged and intercooled. But then your talking some serious cheese for the crate engine
Looks like it was a special A/C belt delete model.
Hopefully the parts where properly installed not thrown in,wonder if timing belt was replaced???
Low mileage doesn’t always mean a good thing..lol
“Yeah grandma’s 66 Impala has 40k miles on it”, but will need $40k to restore it if not properly cared for and…if that’s the route people choose.
Same goes here Yeah…low mileage, but probably not much has ben changed…and probably will need to be changed due to age of the components. Vehicles are meant to be driven…not sit and rot. Like a body. To keep it in good shape..you need to move around. If not…you fall apart.
Cheers!
Are we sure that the mileage isn’t 165k? If it is “only” 65K, this bad boy has been “ridden hard and put away wet”, as they say. If you can fix most the condition issues with a dose of soap, water and elbow grease, great, but if not, this thing could become a money pit really quickly. I noticed that one of the headlight assemblies appears to have a hole in it, and both units are cloudy and sandblasted. If the other headlight has leaked, then there’s a good chance that the metallized plastic reflector has peeled away from the plastic, and a quick hit with a headlight restoration kit won’t cut it, replacement of one or both headlight assemblies are your only option to fix it. That’s what happened to my 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata, and new units on line were about $180 each, they cost over $350 each from the dealer! Ouch! Oh, and BTW, you will have to fix it to pass the mandatory state safety inspection and get an inspection sticker, so there’s that.
BTW, a new crate Ecoboost 2.3L motor will set you back about $7500, plus tax, including the mandatory Control Pack, which includes the engine ECU and all of the wiring harnesses you need to hook everything up, but doesn’t include a new exhaust system or anything else you might need to hook everything up, such as a new transmission, driveshaft or shift linkages, to name a few items.
Source: https://performance.ford.com/
How does the seller prove that this only has 65K? From the provided AutoCheck report? In 1989, mileage reported as 16,627 and then in 2020 reported as 65,527.
In between, the speedometer rolled at least once if not twice on this one.
Maybe the owner just left it parked outside, under a tree, for a decade or two.