The Fox Body era of the Ford Mustang was one of the pony car’s best in terms of sales. More than 2.6 million coupes, hatchbacks, and convertibles were built over this run which lasted from 1979 to 1993. The 1989 model year was popular and more than 42,000 convertibles like this one were produced that year alone. This car is described as a nice running weekend driver, yet the photos seem to depict a dirty barn find waiting to be saved. Whatever the case, this drop-top is in Abilene, Texas, and is available here on eBay where the current bid is $6.500.
Ford designed its Fox Body platform as the foundation for a lot of models besides the Mustang. That included the Fairmont and Thunderbird and the Mercury Zephyr. And it was used in Ford auto production in Mexico and Venezuela. Ford brought the Mustang GT back in 1982, replacing the Cobra which dated to the previous Mustang II era. At the heart of the GT was a reworked, high-output 302 cubic inch V8 with a 4-speed manual transmission. The bodies were more grounded with an air dam out front and a spoiler in the back. And it would serve as the basis for the Special Service Package (SSP) for police work.
The seller tells us this is a classic car that has been well-maintained and loved with only 122,000 miles. Furthermore, it’s a head-turner that is also a reliable automobile. Perhaps that’s true, but the photos show a car parked under a standalone carport with a dirt floor and it probably hasn’t been washed in a long time. If it’s such a good performer, why not back it out into the yard and give it a bath before taking the photos?
We’re told the Mustang has a new clutch, but the speedometer cable is broken. It has a new exhaust system with headers and the catalytic converter removed. But the convertible top has a tear in it and the driver’s side bucket seat seems to have frayed upholstery. The seller is throwing in some extra parts which include a new set of 3.23 gears. The car has a 5-speed manual transmission (the 4-speed may have been standard?). As a final thought, the car has changed hands a lot with eight owners per the seller’s AutoCheck report. What are your thoughts?
Could be a decent Fox, but with it being so grimy it’s hard to tell. How about cleaning it up so people can see what they are bidding on. A tear in the roof, some frayed upholstery; will cost significant money to fix right. Not low mileage. The first paragraph in the ebay ad sounds fluffy and quite “AI”. Eight owners??
At the current price it might be an ‘okay’ buy, if there aren’t too many lurking surprises. But nicer examples exist.
Its a Strange one Bob.
I’m pretty sure 1983 was the last year with an available 4 speed, and it was a credit if you ordered it instead of the T-5 manual.
The seller is leaving money on the table by not cleaning it up nor replacing the top.
I’m not that concerned about the dust. I am concerned about another rear axle being thrown in with the sale. Does that mean I’m going to be needing it soon? I’m not wild about the headers, cold air intake, etc. either. I noticed the red stripe is missing on the plastic trim in front of the front wheels. I’d be willing to bet it’s been wrecked and repaired and they never bothered putting the red stripe back on. Could be wrong, but 122k miles with 8 owners…it’s a definite possibility. I also noticed the “5.0 HO” badge is missing from the intake. I’m not sure what’s up with that or how that would happen. I figure a test drive would tell the tale. If it’s all geartrain noisy and grindy and hard to shift…pass. Still, if it drives right and the price stays low, it might be an OK hobby car on a budget.
I noticed the 8 owners in the Vehicle Report too, so that’s a concern. Of equal concern is that most of it’s life was spend in OH and not TX, so a good rust inspection would be required.
Could be a bargain just based on the grimy photos preventing any serious bidders.
SOLD for $7,300.
Interesting. I had one here in TX that was the EXACT same color combination which wasn’t super common (which is why I picked it new).