Open the doors to this barn in Bushnell, Illinois, and what will you find? A 1965 Ford Mustang with a six-cylinder engine and a 3-speed manual transmission. It was a common sight back in the day, as hundreds of thousands of them were built in a relatively short period of time. This one has been sitting for a long time, probably discovered by the seller who has the job of moving it on. Available here on Facebook Marketplace, this project Ford is offered for $5,000 (too bad it’s not a 289 car).
Lee Iacocca was the brainchild behind the Mustang at Ford in the mid-1960s. He envisioned a market for a small, sporty car that was widely affordable. Based on the compact Falcon, the Mustang debuted at the New York World’s Fair in April 1964, selling 1.2 million units by the end of the 1966 model year. Other than the Chevrolet Impala, no U.S. automobile likely had that level of sales during the decade.
The seller admits not having much info on this old “pony”. The car has been sitting for ages, perhaps decades, and much debris lies in, on, and around the automobile. There is ample rust, and the Ford once wore dark blue paint with the black bucket seat interior. The vehicle’s title is MIA, so the seller (or you) will have to file for a new one (let that be part of your decision to buy it for anything other than parts).
As with any barn find, you’ll have to fight with flat tires in extricating the car from its long-term home. A 200 cubic inch inline-6 Mustang with rust may not be the ideal restoration project. If this were an A-code 289 Ford with a 4-speed manual transmission, a different decision might be here. Our thanks to T.J. for this latest tip.
Anyone willing to shell out 5K for this is confirming that the dollar has definitely lost significant value since this pony was born.
Crush me–Please
Here is another lazy seller. You want me to drop $5k on a car I can’t even see because of the dirt and garbage around it. Takes so little effort to pull the damn thing out of the barn and give it a wash and clean the inside out. Might be a nice project under all the crud but who can tell.
Lazy seller! $500.00 big bucks & that is being generous! Guess just the fact it is an early Mustang justifies the ridiculous asking price! Please! GMAB!!!
Well, ok, maybe let’s cut him some slack here. I’ll make his case.
If you look closely at the photos, you can see that he needs to do a 90 degree back-up turn to get it out of there and into the light of day and hose-ready.
Given that the running gear might be locked up at the moment, and on flat tires, that’s a really big ask for a country boy who is basically just telling the wife that he’s finally “put it up for sale”.
He probably knows (but she doesn’t know) that nobody is gonna give him $5k.
But it is now officially “for sale” in that household. Step 1 of the 12 step process.
Honest assessment Bluesman, can’t wait to hear the other 11 steps in the process.
on_and_on…
The other 11 steps are always a heartbreaking story. It’s downward spiral into the abyss, with reluctant actions (like cleaning the thing up) and bloody price cuts being made along the journey, as the seller holds out against the forces of evil. After all, he knows what he has.
Step 12 is always the realization that the market always sets the selling price. Often the result of a forced liquidation. Divorce, downsizing, or worse…
It’s hard to watch.
Since I read your comment I can understand that too. Maybe he really doesn’t want to sell it.
I know you’re right! If they care that little about making money from it why don’t they just give it away!
It is amazing how some of these dusty dirty cars have dust free stuff piled on them,
I like the random bale of hay .
It’s a “Hay Barn Find”! LOL!
Yes sir Imma goin to restore it one day and I kept it in good clean condition in the mean time. Said the old owner
Cars like this are human interest stories, as in, why is this human interested in selling this now?
1k maybe but only because it’s a mustang.
A real “ in situ “. Nice touch is the hay bale on the roof. You got to laugh! We need more levity!
dirty 5k pony with no papers. pass it on.
Last time I checked this site was called “Barn Finds” and not “Found nice and clean in a climate controlled garage finds”.
What’s with the negatively??? Maybe price is a little high but we are talking a real barn find ‘65 Mustang and all the complaining and and talk of crushing? Ease up my dudes! Cars like this make up this site. Would be nice if the price was a little lower and would be cool to see it cleaned up but that’s the privilege of the next owner!
Yup, just double checked. This site is still called “Barn Finds” and this car was literally found in a barn. :-)
Definitely staged for effect. However, if they want to make a positive impression, have before & after pics, when the car is removed from wherever it’s at & given a thorough washing to make it somewhat presentable. Doesn’t take much.
Honey , why yes the car is up for sale like I told you I would sell it …… I am really trying ……….sure buddy .
Or – “How to turn a Mustang into a granite countertop.”
If they would have put the hay in the front of the car where it could nibble, maybe this mustang would have grown into an 8 cylinder. 🤔
I’d like to build a street rod out of it I’d have a v8 for it it’s a 351 bigblock Cleveland!