A father-son project can bond a family, creating memories that will last well into adulthood. Or, as in the case of this 1966 Mustang Fastback, it can apparently turn into boredom and an abandoned project. The son in this case “has chosen a different car.” I can’t imagine it could be more cool than this example, but apparently the mind of the child prevailed. As a result, this sporty pony is listed on ebay with a current bid of $19,200 and a bunch of days until the auction ends next Tuesday morning. Should this be a target car for you, plan to turn up in Plant City, FL to collect it.

The Mustang 2+2, as the fastback was officially called, was introduced in September 1964 to mark the start of the first full model year of Mustang production. The Mustang was released earlier that same calendar year, on April 17, 1964, available in coupe and convertible form. The 2+2 offered a sloped rear roof configuration and a fold-down rear seat. Today, it is a toss-up amongst enthusiasts which is cooler and more desirable, 2+2 or convertible. Prices for the convertibles have settled in around $40K. Fastbacks are roughly there, but they come up more rarely, and are in general more scarce, at about 5% of 1966 production numbers, versus 12% for the drop-tops. That means that a fastback is a pretty bulletproof investment, in decent shape, though you can pay too much for a car that needs work. This might be that car, which could reflect the fact that bidding has stalled for a day or so as of this writing.

But let’s say you want such a car. Does that mean you want this car? The seller says the Mustang runs and drives around his lot, and he carries forward the claim of the person he bought the Mustang from that the engine is rebuilt. The internals apparently look clean. But in any case, it’s a 302, not a period-true 289. It does start right up and sound strong, as is claimed, but there’s no comment on possible roadworthiness. Do you trust his eye at determining the fitness of the engine for purpose? I have at least one simple question: Does the car smoke upon start-up? Further to that, the B&M shifter looks odd and would likely be replaced in a stock  restoration.  Or would it? The internet shows that part costing several thousand dollars. Those with familiarity with this equipment might offer up some comments on the advantages of keeping it, or selling it off in favor of a stock piece.

Things get frightening when we read, “He [prior owner] put a new floor pan on the driver’s side (riveted in, not welded).” Are you listening? There are apparently also “rust issues that are typical of Mustangs,” and photos of the floor show a rusty seam. With the driver’s floor rotted out, the suspicion would also extend to the cowl area, which on Mustangs has drains that get blocked with leaves entering through the open cowl vent at the windshield’s edge. Once the cowl is rusty from water that doesn’t drain, you’ve got a major job on your hands. So if you’ve got fastback love, you need to figure out where the costs are on this car. It seems like every angle shows needs. The body is in primer, and there’s no mention of what it might need as far as repair of old damage or rust. The interior is redone to a decent quality standard, but one seat skin needs to be replaced due to a hole presently covered by tape. Then they won’t match, so a pair is in order. The underneath has rust as detailed already. Under the hood needs to have non-stock trim accessories returned to the parts store they miss so much. If you’ve got the money or skill to do a proper restoration, this car will always be much more valuable than its coupe siblings, so the project might pay off in the end. Do the math, then bid accordingly.