Here we go again with the “sell you a shell” show. This one is in the Yakima, Washington area and appears here on craigslist for an asking price of $19,800. It’s a documented 1969 Mustang Mach 1 390 S-Code. Sounds tempting. But it’s a bare skeleton. Thanks go to TJ, once again a master tipster, for finding this one for us.
If you look at this hulk and think, “I need something to do this winter, and rebuilding this into a car would be good,” then fine. But know that the last guy gave up on the job, to focus on family. Maybe. Or maybe it all became too much, as this effort is about like buying a Dynacorn body—every single other component needs to be sourced or fixed, and that’s going to take skills, money, and time in abundance. Some of the missing panels are in primer in the garage, note, and, funny enough, there’s a Dynacorn box, perhaps the source of the fenders pictured in front of it. But “starting from scratch” is the way to label this build.
When you’re done, you’ll have a 4-speed with the S-Code 390 4V, and in a color, Acapulco Blue, that’s one of the iconic Mach 1 shades. The only problem is that reading the ad exactly tells you that this is a “correct period block”—meaning it didn’t come out of this car, and thus might have powered anything up to and including a station wagon. It was rebuilt a year ago, the seller says, which would be just a couple of months into his tenure with the car, which he bought in July of 2021. But in the image of an engine, the alternator clearly has not been off forever, the valve cover is missing bolts, and in general, “rebuilt” is not the word that comes to mind to describe this powerplant. You might as well assume a redo at best. As for other systems, they simply don’t exist, which is why seeing new front-end componentry and a shiny brake fluid reservoir and associated bits is just more strangeness.
The seller claims a rust-free body, and indeed the floors look good, though I’ll wait for you Barn Finds welding experts to weigh in on whether the seat risers, and possibly the floors, have been replaced. While you’re at it, please tell me how a car gets this much sand in it. It doesn’t come from the Sahara, nor a seashore. Is this media blasting material? Well, nothing looks like it’s been stripped, so that can’t be it. In the end, all of this is aside from the two key questions: how much patience do you have, and how deep are your pockets?
Nope, and nope. It will take skills indeed rewelding the rear qtrs back along the factory welds. It is pure surgery. I had a military engineer help me do qtrs on a 66 Fastback and will never go thru that again. Sand is probably whats leftover from some sand blasting
That’s a good buy! NOT!! What is going on with a most of a car (being generous) going for these prices. Seems like spend some more and have a little more car to work with. Going to be many hours to get this one over the line. I do like these cars though.
And seeing rodent scat and a 40-year-old Pepsi can stuffed into the front of the engine ain’t calming any nerves here either.
It’s Halloween! “A Mustang Skeleton!”.
I don’t know about you, but I am very scared…
(I think I’ll skip this house.)
🧻 don’t get the cleaning supplies
Forget
A quote from a “Harry Potter” movie fits here. A skeleton? “There’s hardly any bones left!”
The old “Shell Game” is for suckers and rubes.
20k. The weed and Washington IS pretty good I suppose.
Wholly trash can Batman!!!!
The nice thing about “asking price” is that you can always come down…and in this case, it better be a lot!
Compared to the trashed shell of a Boss 302 selling for 12.5 k that was listed a few days ago, this seems like a bargain. At least it has parts included !
Uh, No.
This is either an misplaced April fool’s joke or seller put the decimal point in the wrong place
I’ll assume the VIN# is already gone.
Project is an understatement
Sorry Charlie no Deal for $19.8K. As is with the amount of work needed Value would be closer to $19.80
What was the thinking (he wasn’t)?
This guy’s asking g a crazy price for a Mustang in this condition. If that supposedly rebuilt engine and trans were installed and working, maybe. But the engine surely doesn’t look rebuilt to me. The soda can and still attached alternator is pretty much a giveaway.
I wouldn’t buy it however if I owned this thing I would do the same put it out there on some websites and see if it sticks worst thing it doesn’t sell
I bet this guy has a nice restored Mustang sitting in his garage from all of the parts he used from this one.
$19.80, I would think the metal is worth that much. What? It’s not $19.80, it’s $19,800. Just one question, are you out of your F#*%ing mind?
What a joke (again).
Trash.
In 1980 my neighbor buddy had this exact car except it was pristine it was an awesome car he traded in after a few years for a new gmc S15 jeez what’ve as he thinking
While this is a heap I believe Brian K is king of negative reviews
Looking at this makes me wonder if the owner was paying someone to do the bodywork and decided to stop the hemorrhaging as far as the labor $$$. It’s a shame because it looks like the parts list has the other pricey stuff covered. I am doing a Nova right now and I cannot imagine what the bill would be for the complete trunk floor replacement labor. I spent all summer kicking the schizz out of the rust and it feels good to get the upper hand with it without the sticker shock of paying for the labor. I hope the guy isn’t pricing the car to cover his losses because that in itself is a lost cause. I wish I had the cycles, because this car would be a real accomplishment to bring it back .
Is this a joke?