In many aspects of life, timing can be crucial. Ford managed to demonstrate this with two extremes in a few short years. The much-heralded Edsel appeared on the market in 1957 to great fanfare and proved to be the wrong car in the wrong place at the wrong time. The company tore up millions of dollars on the project, making them gun-shy about introducing another niche model. However, the Mustang concept appeared too tempting to resist, and approving its production proved an inspired decision. It was the right car in the right place at the right time, and its astronomical sales figures are proof of that. This 1965 Mustang is one of the earlier examples, and while it isn’t highly optioned, these early cars still command attention and respectable market values. Located in Southampton, New York, you will find the Mustang listed for sale here on eBay. The seller has set a BIN of $12,000, although there is the option to make an offer.
This Wimbledon White Mustang leaves many questions unanswered. It isn’t clear whether the paint is original or if the car has undergone some form of restoration in the past. However, the paint is peeling on the hood, revealing another coat of White and areas of gray primer. That may indicate that the car has received some cosmetic work in the past. It seems that somebody felt that adding stripes would unleash additional performance, and while that sounds good in theory, we all know it isn’t true. Sadly, the photos and information supplied by the seller are very limited. There are no side shots of the car, so we can’t see if the panels have accumulated dings, dents, or rust. The owner mentions no problems in his listing, and the lack of significant surface corrosion across other aspects of the car looks promising. While it is impossible to form firm conclusions, I feel that potential buyers should probably factor a cosmetic refresh as the minimum required to return the Mustang to its former glory.
I know that we will have some readers disappointed by what we find when we lift the Mustang’s hood. Most will have been hoping to spot Ford’s glorious little 289ci V8, but this engine bay houses the 200ci six-cylinder engine that produces 120hp. Bolted to the six is a three-speed automatic transmission, and with a potential ¼-mile ET of 18.8 seconds, it made this the slowest Mustang offered by Ford in 1965. Some of our readers will extoll the virtues of slotting something more potent into the space occupied by that six, which was a common transformation in decades past. However, more people are preserving cars of this type as they recognize the vital role they played in the Mustang success story. As a general rule of thumb, most buyers follow one of two approaches when considering adding a new car to their garage. Some will follow their heart, while others will use their head. Those from the first category form an emotional attachment to the classic of their dreams and forego all considerations of practicality or common sense in their quest to own such a vehicle. Buyers in the second category analyze their needs and select their vehicle on purely practical grounds. The six-cylinder Mustang offered an excellent compromise. Its mechanical underpinnings were based on the garden-variety Falcon, making the car cheap to buy and maintain. However, its appearance meant that it looked like it was already moving at 100mph when standing still and would draw envious looks from the neighbors whenever the car emerged from the owner’s garage. The good looks and the promised lifestyle lured potential buyers into Ford dealerships, but the affordability of the six-cylinder versions hooked them and landed the sale. That is why historians and purists have begun to recognize the significance of cars like this and why more are being preserved today. The seller indicates that this Mustang runs and drives, but it isn’t clear whether it’s roadworthy. That remains another mystery requiring further investigation.
The photos are hardly conclusive, but they suggest that it may take more time than money to whip this Mustang’s interior into shape. The Black vinyl upholstery appears to be free from wear or physical damage. There are dirty marks visible across some surfaces, but I don’t believe that there are any that would resist careful attention with a high-quality interior cleaner. The dash and pad look good, with no signs of lifting or fading on the faux woodgrain trim. Aftermarket additions include a woodgrain wheel and a radio-cassette player with speakers mounted in the kick panels. If the buyer seeks a faithful restoration, parts are readily available to reverse these changes.
This 1965 Mustang Coupe leaves so many questions unanswered that it is frustrating. Apart from the blue stripes, it appears to be generally original and unmolested. The lack of information on potential rust problems makes it hard to form a definite opinion on its viability as a restoration project. However, with replacement steel so easy to find, addressing any issues could be relatively easy and inexpensive. It’s worth noting that even fairly rusty project cars can command incredible prices, especially the early production examples. There is still plenty of time left on this listing, and with sixty-nine people currently watching, I suspect that a new home may be days away for this classic pony car.
Awesome pictures 🙄
I like the six. Drove a 64 1/2 with the six and a three speed when new from a dealer. Didn’t buy it, but sure liked it a lot. Question of the day. Could that or this had been a 170? A 144? A 250 inch would fit well, might be pretty nice.
My only concern is where it is stored the walls look like Mold and what you call dirt spots on the interior look like mold to me, then again if you look at the steering wheel it looks like mold also be carefull
The dash gauges look like it’s a 1966.
That first picture picked a scab off an old wound. My first car was a Morris Minor 1000 that dad put together for me, but he knew I hated it. Always parked in the back of the high school parking lot. A neighbor had a rusty ’63 Galaxie convertible, 390 with a hole in the side of the block. We got it for $75 and dad found a 352 to replace the 390. He welded in patches for me, and I did the bondo-ing and priming. I wanted that baby smooth, so maybe I got the primer too smooth. My girlfriend’s dad owned a car wash, and the first time I used that high pressure wand on the hood, it lifted the paint right off!
The hood photo looks like a badly applied (or no prep) wrap rather than paint. Even in an overheated market I think the seller is asking about twice what this car may be worth.
It also has the wrong instrumentation gauges. That’s a 1966 Mustang dash.
Not true. Only early 65 dashes had the swing speedometer.