This 1966 Ford Mustang Fastback has been in the same family for more than 30 years, and it’s now for sale in Hooks, Texas. Equipped with a 289 V8 and wearing the honest patina of decades of use, the car has been sitting for at least seven years and will need a full mechanical sorting before hitting the road again. Still, long-term ownership and what appears to be a straight, solid body make it a tempting project for Mustang fans looking for a worthwhile fastback restoration. It’s currently listed here on craigslist. Thanks for the tip Zappenduster!
Photos show the car exactly as it sits: dusty, with at least one flat tire, a dirty interior, and an engine bay coated in years of grime. Despite that neglected appearance, it’s far from a lost cause. The seller mentions only a bit of rust on the passenger-side fender, and from what can be seen in the pictures, the rest of the body appears surprisingly solid. That’s an important selling point, as serious rust repairs on vintage Mustangs, especially in the floor pans, torque boxes, or frame rails, can quickly turn a budget project into a financial black hole.
The interior is complete but in need of a full refresh. The seats, carpet, and dash are all present but look tired after sitting for so long. Fortunately, the aftermarket support for first-generation Mustangs is excellent, and nearly every component is available new, making an interior restoration straightforward for a hands-on owner. The same goes for exterior trim, which looks to be intact but dull after decades of storage.
Under the hood sits a 289 cubic-inch V8, the engine most commonly paired with these fastbacks in 1966. The seller doesn’t mention whether it’s numbers-matching or whether it turns over, but even if it requires a rebuild, the 289 is an affordable and easy engine to work on, with parts widely available. Given that the car has been sitting for seven years or longer, the fuel system, brakes, and suspension will need to be completely gone through before any road use.
Mustang fastbacks from the mid-1960s are among the most desirable pony cars, thanks to their timeless styling and strong collector demand. Even project cars like this continue to command attention because they are excellent candidates for full restorations, Shelby tributes, or tasteful restomods. At $5,000, this one represents a relatively affordable way to get into the fastback market, especially if the rust really is as minimal as the seller claims.
Would you clean it up, sort the mechanicals, and enjoy it as a survivor, or would you tear it down and build a show-quality restoration?
It’s hard to fathom how a 1966 Mustang Fastback V8 located 2 1/2 hours from Dallas with an asking price of $5,000 would take 14 days to sell.
Steve R
It may have a patina look right out of the barn but after that clean the damn thing up. Take a few barn pictures and at least give the outside a spray down. People are so lazy and think the barn look is the way to advertise. All that said, under the “patina” this could be a descent project car.
It really has nothing to do with being lazy….has to do more with validating an actual barn find..instead of having a pristine waxed Shined car in your photo..which would you believe?
I would list pics of in the barn right out of the barn then after a good cleaning. That would show more of the detail. I would at least state if the engine turns by hand or if its seized, and under side photos its a mustang they can be really needy in the floor and frame.
This has to be a deposit scam. It was listed in Jacksonville FL last week when I tried buying it and was told it was sold, now listed in another state for the same price with same photos.
The Craig’s list ad says “ no scams”! And the seller is a scammer!”
‘straight and solid body’???? What’s your favorite smoke? Please describe the hood.
That is a 65. Scam!?!
It a 1965 not 66
Sounds too good to me true. Scam ?
Sounds too good to me true. Scam ?
Parked 7 years ago, and they let it get in this condition? I guess they didn’t check the prices these things were getting, even back then.
7 years? Bias ply tires? I think not
That has a ’65 dashboard in it.
The front grille also seems to be a ’65.
If it looks like a duck, and walks like a duck…
I just can’t imagine, even in 1966 someone ordering a Fastback Mustang with an automatic trans. I guess that I’m old school, but I believe that a Classic Muscle Car must have a 4 speed trans. But the car looks to be a good base for restoration.
What good is long-term ownership when the long-term owner doesn’t take care of it/
Maryland title but has been in Texas for at least 7 years? Red flag one. It isn’t a ’66, so apparently the seller can’t read a title, red flag two. Looks like the block is blue on the left corner below the valve cover, so maybe the engine is a ’66.
The Craigslist ad – a run-on sentence with terrible grammar and spelling – says SCAM to me.
Rhe dash is 65 the grill is and the air cleaner and valve look gold it is a 65
I live 40 miles or so from Hooks and my brother-in-law has tried multiple times to contact the seller with no luck to this point. So, your “Scam” comment may be exactly correct. Time will tell.
I called the number. Went straight to voice mail. Ad indicates Hooks, Texas, number is Maryland, has Maryland title. Price of $5K should have been snatched up quickly.
If it looks too good to be true…………………
Scammers gonna scam!
If it looks like a ’65 fastback but smells like a Pinto and runs like a Pinto, and priced like a Pinto…,