This 1968 Mustang Fastback might not come with an engine or transmission, but it is an extremely solid car that represents a blank canvas for its next owner. That person might choose to return the car to its original specifications, a restomod project could potentially be the chosen path, or they might decide to let their imagination run wild and build something extremely potent. If you look at this car and can feel those creative juices flowing, then you will find the Mustang located in Holden, Missouri, and listed for sale here on eBay. The price has reached $14,100 off the back of some very strong bidding, and the reserve has been met.

You can’t help but think that this Mustang might have led an interesting life. It rolled off the line wearing Lime Gold paint, but at some stage, it has undergone a color change to its current shade of dark blue. If I am to be honest here, I do prefer the blue, and I wouldn’t object if the final product of this refurbishment wore that color once again. This is a car that really is a case of “what you see is what you get,” and what you do get is a 1st Generation Mustang Fastback with virtually no rust problems. The frame looks really nice, while the floors wear little more than some surface corrosion. Having said that, with the Mustang in its current largely dismantled state, I would be very tempted to complete the dismantling process and place the body on a rotisserie so that I could do a thorough job of addressing that surface corrosion permanently. Finding a Mustang project this solid is a bit of a treat, so doing a thorough job now could potentially save on some unnecessary heartache a few years down the track. The owner does identify a small spot of rust near the passenger-side door, but this is hard to see in the supplied photos. Not only are the panels rust-free, but they are also clear of any significant dings or dents. There are plenty of parts missing, so the shopping list is going to be pretty long on this one. It will include a hood and a trunk lid, bumpers, a grille, plenty of trim pieces, and virtually a full set of glass. However, with a fresh coat of paint and all of these new pieces fitted, this is a classic that could potentially look like it has just rolled off a showroom floor.

The engine bay contains a lot of fresh air, but there used to be a C-Code 289ci V8 and a 4-speed transmission there. Once again, this is where the next owner will be able to make a few choices, depending on what they would like to achieve with this Mustang. It shouldn’t be a real problem sourcing a correct 289 and transmission if a faithful restoration is the ultimate goal. Of course, something a bit larger and with more ponies could be just what this pony car needs or something more modern and refined could be a part of a restomod project. One bonus of purchasing a car like this is that it allows the owner to do whatever they want without that pesky little voice in their head questioning whether it is a smart move to molest a numbers-matching survivor. Anyway, with no engine to obstruct our view, we can see that the shock towers appear to be solid, and surface corrosion on the battery tray seems to be the only sign of rust.

Whoever performed the exterior color change on the Mustang also waved their magic wand inside the car as well. The trim was originally Ivy Gold vinyl, but it has been swapped for this blue trim. Here we find a mismatch between the upholstery on the front and rear seats, but that is probably irrelevant because I suspect that a full interior retrim will be on the cards. Once again, the shopping list here has the potential to be pretty long, because apart from a trim kit and carpet, there are plenty of items that are missing from the dash itself. I can’t help but feel that by the time the next owner has purchased all of the components that are missing, he will have helped to put the parts supplier’s kid through college. A Deluxe interior would certainly make this car sparkle, but if the next owner isn’t fixated on complete originality, leather seat upholstery, or a combination of leather and cloth, could make a bold statement and add a real touch of luxury at the same time. Of course, this could just open the flood-gates, because there are also some very high-quality power window conversions available, along with power lock kits. Add those along with a nice stereo and air conditioning, and this could be a thoroughly modern 52-year-old Mustang.

I look at this ’68 Mustang Fastback and can see so many possibilities. If I’m honest, I would really like to buy this one myself, but I suspect that this would stretch the friendship with my wife to somewhere beyond breaking point. That means that this car represents an opportunity that I will be letting pass me by. I don’t know whether some of you will see this car as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but if you do, will you let it pass you by as well?