This car is not for the purist, nor is it for someone looking for an original survivor, nor for someone looking for a perfect car. However, if you’d like a classic Mustang and you don’t mind correcting a few things, this might be the car for you. It’s for sale here on eBay with a buy it now of $8,500. I’m reminded of Josh and Jesse’s project Mustang by this one, although this is an automatic with a V8.
I’m lukewarm about the red paint and stripes on this one, and I really don’t like the added spring mounts on the rear. However, despite the seller calling it a 20 footer, and I’m sure there’s some body filler in there, the car as a whole is quite presentable. In essence, you could drive the car while improving things until you had what you want. I like the wheels, I’m a big fan of white Mustangs, and who knows, I might even get used to the red.
I do like the interior. I’m guessing none of it is original, but that’s not really the goal here, is it. It’s nice to see the new upholstery (the rear seat looks as nice as the front) and that at least some care was taken with the rest of the car. Oh, if only it had a four or five speed!
The door panels are nice as well. A pleasant change from what I typically see. You’ll need to vet some of the new parts according to the seller.
I suspect this is a plain 302 under all the Cobra dress up items, but that’s okay in my book. I do see solid shock towers and I don’t see anything terrible in the way of bent panels. Even the radiator looks like it’s been replaced. Remember, I know it’s not original, I’m fine with that on this particular car. Are you? The seller says it runs and drives but needs brake and exhaust work. Maybe I could slip in a five speed while I was under there replacing the exhaust?
Can’t be as optimistic as you are, Jamie. The car looks as if it may have taken a good hit to both the driver’s side and front at some point, and was not well repaired/repainted afterward. Look at the panel fits….
The 302 doesn’t bother me, though I’m wondering if the car came from the factory with a manual transmission (did automatic Mustangs have small brake pedals? I don’t remember), which I’d prefer. Not a big deal to change.
Altogether, there’s something here that says “stay away!” to me, especially for $8.5K. I’d rather spend more and get a solid original, or look for a rolling shell and just start over from the beginning. As always, Everyone else’s mileage may vary….
I’d put a fair amount on a bet that this car was once a manual, the pedal is bent in a way that there had to be a third pedal in there. Maybe everything but the pedal is still there, most don’t put a small pedal on after removing the whole assembly.
I’m with you, it was a stick at one time or another…….
I agree with you RayT: There is something really wrong here. There are a lot of little issues that all roll-up into what I suspect is a headache on wheels. Panel gaps and alignments are pretty awful, and the red stripes just seem to accentuate the problem. I’m also quite concerned that on a car this clean, there’s a pretty horrible sooty smudge under the rear bumper. I’d give this one a pretty wide berth.
I like the aftermarket shackles on the rear leaf springs! Not! Wonder if they’ve been on there since 1966?
I’d have to dispose of the shackles and exterior red. Otherwise, if proven not to be previously hit, looks like a good buy. The red interior actually works for me.
Sherman, TX, rings a bell…it’s probably Classic Car Liquidators, who is known for re-do/flip (ing) of classic American iron. Extreme caution advised.
“goodoljimmy” has quite a few classics listed for sale. None of them exactly inexpensive.
That Sherman, Texas joint advertises up here in Minnesota on Craigslist. They’re persistent.
Them guys in Sherman Texas been slicking up cars for a long time. The person who does the body work I think works at the local MAACO shop and the paint is usually of the same quality. I have looked at there adds often and just about every time I spot something amiss with what they are selling. My feeling is they scoop up patina cars, get the thing running right, wet sand them and throw a paint job on it. Call it good. If you have a good eye you can spot all this for what it is.
Something’s wrong with it, must be at that price. My dad has a 67 with 289 4v/auto, factory paint(not good) solid everywhere except the floors,original interior. Everything is factory. The doors shut with no effort and a solid “thunk” and he has turned down $8000 oh but it runs an drives like new. Did i mention my aunt bought it new?
While I would love to have a classic Mustang, there is something dark lurking. The front bumper is tilted at an angle. Me thinks they put some lipstick on a pig.
There’s definitely something up with the drivers rear quarter. You can see the bondo in the pics. And yes, this looks like an originally manual car. Sad.
a few thoughts……..
has to be one of the grainiest photo sets i’ve ever tried to enlarge – ever. hard to see anything on the rear quarters.
clearly a small break pedal though this was originally a manual transmission car and it was just good enough to be a donor. makes me wonder if it received the auto from the better car?
lots of panel alignment issues on the front as previously mentioned. 3 different engine shots but no under carriage photos. come prepared with a ppi first.
i actually like the red side stripe but would have nixed the rear valence red. probably would have gone with a slightly darker red. does anyone else think there are two different red colors in the interior?
White is a great colour to hide imperfections, black, not so much.
With all the other imperfections, did any one else notice the missing window crank on the right rear passenger side? Or what looks like wavy fenders in the engine bay in the last pic on this page? Looks like the other side is a bit wavy, non?
Buy it now and just enjoy it! I sold my 64.5 for $2500 back in 80. Did I mention that it was an original Worlds Fair Car? Even though I’d swapped out the spun bearing 260, the 302 DID have 50 more hp. Still regretting the need to sell it for a new furnace. FoMoCo ain’t making any more of these. Parts are available EVERYWHERE!
Too many questions here! $3500 maybe?
The shifter is wrong for a Mustang. Early Mustangs have a curved(to the rear) handle.
I knew a guy who would buy junked cars that couldn’t even pass a safety inspection, give them a quick slathering of Bondo and some other creative “fixes” and flip them to unsuspecting buyers. I’m getting the same vibe from this ‘candy cane’ Mustang.
Yup, agree with most of you. The more I look, the worse this gets. Just some “stuff” to add — front valence missing turn signals and way out of alignment with the bumper, hood front edge doesn’t match the headlight buckets, painted interior panels (think they were normally all black), tape stripes not applied the same both sides (one’s straight, one follows the body line), late model engine (or at least late model ignition system — wonder if the transmission also has been updated which would explain the oddball shifter), residue around radiator cap that makes it look like it’s been overheating and spewing stop-leak out the cap, no chassis pics, plus all the other stuff that’s been mentioned. This really looks like they had a bunch of pieces laying and kind of threw them together. Would guess that this looks a whole lot worse in person. Sorry but wouldn’t touch this for $1500 much less $8500.
Looks like a high-school hooptie, circa 1980.
Relisted for the same price: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1966-Ford-Mustang-/262816738959?vxp=mtr