Here’s something you don’t see every day. A Ford Mustang coupe that someone decided to turn into a fastback. I’m no sheet metal guy, but the body work looks to have been done pretty well. But the car is basically a shell now, so I suspect there are some challenges waiting when you begin the rest of the transformation as this ’65 Mustang “Coupeback” sits quietly in a shop. Located in Terra Bella, California, this ‘Stang is available here on eBay where the bidding has reached $3,649. But there is a reserve to be met or you can pass-go and click the Buy It Now for $8.000. Thanks, Larry D, for sending this tip to us!
Given the prolific nature of production for the Mustang in the mid-60s, you have to wonder what prompted this project. After all, Ford built 71,300 “standard” Mustang fastbacks in ’65 plus another 5,800 “luxury” versions. So, the available pool to begin with isn’t terribly thin to motivate someone to transform a coupe into a fastback. There’s probably more to this than meets to eye, like maybe making this into a 2-seat GT like AMC did with the AMX. Or some sort of resto-mod. Whatever the direction, this car is virtually a clean sheet of paper now for whoever buys it.
Let’s start with what’s there before we consider what’s not. It has two new doors and a hood. It’s been sandblasted and has a Heidt Pro G crossmember installed. The same is true with a new floor pan. And the seller has a new apron to go with the car. On the other hand, there are no fenders, suspension or interior pieces plus no drivetrain either. Then add a couple of small rust spots that still need to be worked out. For now, the car is mobile by way of a dolly underneath the shell.
We’re told this was automatic transmission car before all this started and I’d be inclined to say it was paired with a 289 V8. At this point, you could put most anything you wanted under the hood, depending on what your vision might be for the car. The shopping list for parts and components is going to be a long one, so the ultimate investment in this car won’t be cheap. Would it be better starting with a more complete car that was a fastback to begin with?
Annnnd THIS is part of the reason why you see dilapidated fastbacks go for good money.
I’m looking forward to reading all the pony hating comments. *NOT*
There is a Mustang supply house coincidently located in the same city, Terra Bella, sells kits to convert coupes into fastbacks for not only 65-66’s, but also 67’s, 68’s and 1970’s They also sell Dynacorn Mustang bodies.
Steve R
Why not? Life is a challenge these days. A challenge that’s fun to take on and creative to boot sure relieves the pressure. With the virus still with us and no vaccine yet we’re building a second race car we probably don’t need but it sure beats doing nothing. I’d bet money a lot of you folks are doing projects like ours with your cars and filling the gaps in life we are experiencing now. Stay safe and have some fun.
This is a car for the guy who likes to go “hands on”, while the asking price may be a bit more than most of us would pay, it would also seem that the really hard stuff is done well, it’s a project that I wouldn’t mind tackling.
One question, why? He could have put the effort and expense into converting it to a wagon instead of a fastback.
Because there never was a mustang wagon? So it would take an insane amount of custom man hours to create something that everyone would despise. While grafting on a fastback roof involves lining up seams that already exist on the body and creating one of the most desirable and beautiful body’s in the process.
Was your comment serious or facetious? Why not stick the body on a 4×4 chassis? Why not put a giant wing on it?
Why not keep your rude comments to yourself?
There was actually a couple 68 coupes that were made into wagons. I’ve seen them in red and in blue.
I would love to have one
I think it was the same company that made the Mustero, which was a ranchero type 66 mustang they made 50 of them
A fairly common modification, actually.
Fastbacks going for CRZY money the past years.
Dynacorn fastback bodies going for 18K, so this car is right for a party that can finish the metal work :)
This conversion was made available in the late-2000s after Ford Licensed a company to make reproduction bodies of first-gen Mustangs. I saw them at SEMA one year, and I think I wrote a piece for Muscle Car Review. Good effort, pricey, totally dependent on workmanship of the builder, but few made the effort to finish.
Looks like they clipped the silver rear section on at the windsheld post . Better check the workmanship especially on something without a frame. Good luck and stay safe.
Cheers
GPC
A guy in Kansas does this to a lot of coupes so they will sell I’ve seen his shop
coupes are plentifull and cheap, fastbacks are not. Since Mustangs rot horribly from the bottom up there are plenty of good coupes to start with and a fair number of rotted out fastbacks still around. Beware the interior and window trim pieces(in good condition) are getting very scarce and pricey
Buyers need to pay attention to this. With todays DMV antics, repro tags and stampings…..
Several places offer Fastback sheet metal packages to convert coupes, all the parts were around $6500, I see now they have dropped to $5500, the harder to find parts are if you want correct interior, folding rear seat and the louver vents, etc. Drip rails and trunk lid add to the cost also.
not a good idea unless you Restomody the stang. just saying Dannys Mustangs
I would rather just buy a dyacorn, it would be cleaner and easier and the savings would be huge, but you would just be in a repro car. I have two restored cars, one has 80 percent repo parts, and the other is 90 percent original and 100 percent original ford parts to the car, (the parts that came on the car when new). I much prefer the original car. But a coup conversion? I would just make it easy (er).
Forgive my ignorance, but what the heck is a ‘dyacorn’???
What I’ve noticed since the Covid pandemic began is people sure have gotten testy! Must be because they’re getting stir-crazy because of the quarantines!
It is even better than this, “Dynacorn” LOL
Oh, OK. (What’s a ‘Dynacorn’?) ;-)
A company that makes reproduction Mustang (and other ) body shells .
Ok, I’ll bite, I’m in the middle of this consider this a PSA….. 3 years ago I bought a “Luxury” 65 Mustang Fastback, it was a rusty roller mess (I do have the 4 speed tranny for it though) in my hometown just south of Pittsburgh (with Pittsburgh DSO which I love for sentimental reasons). When purchased I had all the intentions of it being my project car when we became empty nesters. That time of being an empty-nester is now here, and we have relocated to SC, where I have a buddy who is a 35 yr Ford restoration specialist tell me when we looked at my fastback “Yeah, get a rust free donor southern coupe, it will save you TONS of money”. So I did, I bought a SOLID (like literally no rust whatsoever) RUNNING 65 coupe (with a rebuilt 289) for $7k. For everyone telling me “buy a Dynacorn body”, I’m not spending yet another $18k when I can get a running fastback (yes I have ALL the hard to find interior parts from my Fastback already) especially when I have 2 kids in college and we can do the work at a fraction of typical Bodyshop costs (yes again not a weekend warrior, 35 yrs of experience restoring only Fords).
Just putting it out there for everyone who is adamite that Dynacorn is the ONLY way to go, and to all the folks who I have endured sneers from when I was looking for encouragement, just be open to the idea that there MAY be other options/routes that you personally may not be aware of/ thought of….. That is all.