Though a lot has been written about 1964 or 1964 ½ Ford Mustangs, there really was no such thing. They were all titled 1965 models, including the early ones from the launch in April 1964. The seller’s convertible seems to be an early edition as it has a generator instead of an alternator, but it has a 289 V8 vs. the 260 that they started with. It’s been in the same family for 47 years but has not been driven in about 35. This estate sale Mustang is in Burbank, California, and is available under a canopy here on eBay where $8,600 has yet to crack the seller’s reserve.
From early 1964 to the end of the 1966 production run, Ford produced an amazing 1.3 million Mustangs, making it one of the most successful product launches in automotive history. They were quickly seen everywhere, and almost every family may have had one at some point (I had a 1966 edition in the 1970s). We’re told this Mustang was built on April 8, 1964, just nine days before the nameplate’s official debut at the New York World’s Fair.
An amateur restoration was performed on this ‘Stang in the early 1980s though the mileage may be a scant 45,000 (but 145,000 sounds more likely). When it left regular use, it moved indoors in So Cal but since the seller’s dad passed away recently, it’s only partially covered now. This is not so good as the back window is out of the convertible top, making for ready access by Mother Nature and her various creatures. This Ford has a D-code 289 cubic inch V8 with a 4-barrel carburetor, making it the fastest Mustang you could buy until Shelby Carroll came along.
The engine may need some attention as the compression ratio on the cylinders varies from a high of 180 psi to a low of 135. It does start when a little starter fluid is applied and the coolant, oil, and spark plugs are all new. The C4 automatic transmission leaks and one of the side rear windows is uncooperative. We’re told that the VIN plate is gone, having been recently lost but there may be enough other saved information to validate the Ford. The Rangoon Red paint is fair, and a few little rust bubbles may be forming. If you’ve been looking for a solid old Mustang to restore, could this one be it?
Missing vin plate? Hmmmm
Looks like a 4bbl carb, so it COULD be a 289. First V8 option was 164 hp 260 w/2bbl, 210hp 289 w/4bbl, and a few with 271 hp 289.
Pretty nice looking car, and P/S, P/B and console are nice. Would be worth a couple grand extra if it had a 4 speeed.
Be interested to find out WHY it’s missing, but here’s a thread that talks about where it could be. https://www.allfordmustangs.com/threads/1965-mustang-vin-location.178762/
Registering an out-of-state car in Nevada requires a VIN inspection by an authorized DMV inspector at DMV or the local Sheriffs Office.
I’ll bet most of the other states are as strict or even more so!
Sorry. Not quite correct. If this is a ‘D’ code, the ‘D’ code designates this car as a 210 HP 289 with 4 bbl carb. I know, I have one. The ‘D’ code was only available on the early cars, and was replaced by the ‘K’ code for ‘real’ ’65 cars. The generator is also a clue that this is an early car, and there should be louvers in the radiator mount in front of the battery to cool the battery. Also differences in the hood and the headlight surround. Serial number is stamped on the drivers side inner fender, by an outer fender cutout to make the number readily accessible. VIN plates were screwed onto the drivers door, easily lost. The important number is the VIN stamped in the inner fender, which is part of the unibody. The fifth digit of the VIN is the letter designating the engine.
Point of order: The legal VIN is stamped on the driver’s side fender apron. You can see this in the last picture above (although my eyes aren’t good enough to read it). The ‘VIN plate’ on the door is not the legal VIN.
The VIN listed on Ebay indicates that this is, indeed, a 289 4v.
Allen K,
You are correct, the letter D on the VIN indicates the 289 4V engine. In addition to the generator, it also has the long dipstick on the right side, this was changed to the driver’s side in 1965. It also has the flip-up oil cup on the distributor, gone on the ’65s. Based on those parts, this could be the original engine.
That said, a 64.5 should have the engine oil filler at the front of the engine, not on the valve cover. However as California cars already had a PCV in place, this could have been made with the oil fill cap on the valve cover, with the PCV hose attached to the cap. I’m just not that familiar with the California spec cars for that period.
Anyone looking to buy a very early and correct 64.5 Mustang convertible should check this car’s engine numbers to make sure it’s original.
If it’s a 65 car, changed to a 64.5 spec, one of the things people forget to change is the warning light on the dash. If it’s an original generator-equipped car, the red warning light for the charging system should have the letters “GEN” in the light, 1965 and newer Mustangs have the letters “ALT” if it’s an alternator-equipped car.
A good place to learn about the differences in the 64.5 and 65 Mustangs can be found here: https://onemanandhismustang.com/1964-12-and-1965-differences/
I’ve been to Rangoon (now Yangon) more times than I can count. NOTHING there is “Rangoon Red”!
Also, good luck finding “Crab Rangoon” there…
Well played sir!
Sitting for 35 years, I wouldn’t jump to any conclusions about compression readings until an external fuel tank is hooked up and it’s been run for an hour or two.
Me and my friend had a sideline bringing cars back from the dead. One of the notable one, was a lot like this 64 1/2 convertible, except it was ordered in triple black (black top, black paint and black interior). It still has the 260 Falcon Generator engine, with the original factory Autolite 2100 2 barrel. It still has points and it has been up and running for almost two years now. Oddly enough, it had the factory kickdown disconnected. The 289 and 260 V8’s used a solid rod to go from the carb to the transmission, but they must’ve been in a hurry or ran out of the kickdown rods at the factory and they used the six cylinder cable instead! We hooked up the disconnect and yes, it worked. But the owner had a hard time believing it, even driving it, probably because he never had it to begin with. So I had to take him out and showed him how it worked. Cruising along at 45 or 50 mph, I tromped hard on the gas and got instant kickdown, get up and go. I did it a couple of more times so know he knows! The best part about this car, is it is a perfectly happy cruiser and a real pleasure to drive. No it’s not super fast, doesn’t have 600 horsepower or is a restomod. It’s just a happy car. Her nickname is ‘Black Betty’ after the song.
Whoa, black Betty, bam-a-lam! Nice car, favorite color 😁 The ‘rangoon red’ one? Not so much… Still a nice car tho!
Looks like a nice car and I would like to buy it or at least bid on it. How’s 9,500 sound
looks more like poppy red.