It’s rare that you find the barn find still in the barn nowadays, as flippers generally are pulling the cars, cleaning them up and trying to realize a lot of money. This Mustang is showing 54,000 on the odometer, but the folks selling it are honest enough to call it 154,000! It’s located in Cincinnati, Ohio (where it was originally sold) and is listed here on eBay with a buy it now of $4,499.99 but lower offers are being considered. One of my favorite things to do is to try to track down the history of a car–let’s see what we can find out!
While the photo of the ID plate is hopelessly blurred, this original Ford Registered Owner Plan slip gave enough information that I could go to mustangdecoder.com and discover if this pony really was still wearing it’s original colors.
As it turns out, it has been repainted somewhere along the line, because that definitely isn’t Champagne Beige Metallic. However, the interior does look stock, and it’s quite possible that is the original C4, 2.80 rear axle and 289 V8 in there. The car didn’t last long on the dealer’s lot, being produced June 23, 1965 and sold only 21 days later! Unfortunately, the original owner Rolland Thomas appears to have died in 2004, so you won’t be able to ask him about the new Mustang he bought in 1965. Rockenfield Ford on Vine Street is no more, either, having moved to Cincinnati in the late 40’s or early 50’s–I found ads for them as late as 1971, but no more recent than that. The lot is apparently now occupied by Kidco Auto Sales. But let’s get back to this Mustang!
There’s a pretty good layer of surface rust on the chrome, and you can see plenty of areas that are going to need some help in that first side shot photograph. However, apart from an ill-fitting hood to right front fender visible here, the body does look relatively straight.
There are only two very blurry pictures of the interior, and neither one tells you much, apart from that the windows appear to have been left partially down (why?) and you’re going to have a lot of cleaning to do! Surprisingly, I don’t see a split in the dash pad, but that may just be the poor picture quality.
At first, I thought the decal on the air cleaner said “260”, but upon closer examination it is the correct “289”. Although there’s a pretty thick layer of dirt and surface rust on things, the shock towers don’t look bad. I’d want to see some detailed underneath shots before assuming that this is a reasonable car to rebuild, but there are some promising details, like the original washer bag visible here and a general appearance of not having been messed with. Perhaps it would be worth looking up some of Mr. Thomas’s descendants to see if anyone remembers the Mustang? I hope this car is purchased and restored, or at least refurbished enough that it’s back on the street. Are you the right person to do that?
Judging from the engine photo, I’d have to wonder if this Mustang spent some time in a river. Submerged.
If so, the next owner is going to be submerged quickly as well.
One of the photos in the ad shows what appears to be the original color, and it’s certainly not what the outside is wearing. But I see rusty fasteners and what looks like rust along seams.
I’d stay away from this.
A horrorshow awaits the new owner.
It has winter tires, so ….dormant salty crust ?
This car brings back memories, my Father had one exactly like it, he used it as a beater in the 70’s. It was fun for my younger brother and I, watching the asphalt go by through the holes in the floor, occasionally dropping an action figure through to see what would happen.
Hey you, Mr. Lazy Seller? Would it take that much of your time to at least wash the car, put some polish on those bumpers, clean up the interior a bit and oh, how about putting the hubcaps back on? Maybe a little air in those tires? If they don’t hold air, put on anything the holds air. He calls it an early production but if you look at the paperwork, it’s dated July of 65, sounds like late production to me. What a poor listing from a lazy seller with poor photos. What a turn off listing….
No way would the math work out on this one, even if you did it all yourself. Coupes are easy to buy all done for less than you’d have in it.
SOLD. Didn’t take long. Google Street view of the adress shows a garage. It looks like 30 yrs inside a shed. Maybe it won’t end up as a Ring Brothers clone.
That could be the correct color and the photos are throwing it off.
Open passenger’s door shows original color on edge of door.
I bought a 66 a few years ago that I have been going through slowly but surely. It was in far better over all condition than this one for about the same money. Although mine is an IL6/3spd. What made me smile about it is that mine was shipped to Harrelson Ford in Charlotte and I bought it about 30 miles south of that still open dealership. When it is gotten to road worthy I think I might drive it over there and see how much they would give me for a trade in value. LMAO. Who ever bought this one is gonna need to to do pretty much everything to get it chiny again.
Wow what a blast from the past. My great grandpa was Ralph Rockenfield and owned the dealership at the time. Never would have thought I’d find an old car he sold online with his original signature! So cool. Wish I wasn’t finding this only now. Might have bought the car ha!