The seller of this 1968 Mustang describes it as “essentially a barn find from Maine”. You will find it listed for sale here on Craigslist. Located in Albany, New York, it is offered with a clean title and a price of $7,500.
This particular car doesn’t look too bad. I can’t see any really obvious corrosion or rust anywhere, but of course we can’t see what’s underneath. The seller doesn’t do us any favours with the photo quality, but one thing that I can see is that the rear bumper has taken a hit virtually dead center. There is also a crack in the radiator grille, but otherwise the external trim looks quite good. One thing that concerns me is that the vinyl top has separated at the seam on the driver’s side. It’s hard to tell how bad it is, but hopefully it hasn’t allowed moisture to get between the vinyl and the body.
The interior was a bit of a surprise packet for me. Although the photo is a bit dark which limits what we can see, it all looks quite good, with no obvious tears, cracks or discoloration. The rear seat also looks really good. You could comfortably use this interior as it stands with no problems at all.
Under the hood is the 289ci V8 backed by a 3-speed manual transmission. The seller states that it starts, runs and drives, but that it was last registered in 2007. It would be interesting to find out what maintenance work (if any) has been performed since the car came out of the barn. One thing that bugs me is the way the seller has just haphazardly sat the top on the air cleaner. It’s just plain distracting.
There are few things in the automotive industry that are a certainty. One of the closest things to a certainty that you’ll find is that the pre-1970 pony cars will continue to increase in value independent of what the rest of the economy might be doing. This Mustang is not perfect, but from what we can see in the photos it looks like the kind of car that you could use as it stands while performing restoration work when time and money allows it (if indeed you wanted to restore it). That sounds like a reasonable compromise to me, but does it sound that way to you?
Seems reasonable based on the market. Would be very helpful if the seller provided a VIN and better photos. Very few ’68 cars had the 289 as the 302 superceded it early in the model year.
One reason he just set the lid on the air cleaner housing is the filter looks incorrect, otherwise it looks like a clean 68 Mustang for a reasonable price. Since originality means nothing to me first thing I would do is either strip or replace the vinyl top to see if there is rust underneath.
I have a vinyl car top restoration kit i bought in 1981 from Ronco. As seen on TV! lol. Would be very curious/suspicious about rot. Guess you have to live nearby or take a nice road trip to see it’s condition. Interested to see how quick it disappears from CL and winds up on Ebay…
Looks a beautiful stock & original 68 Mustang . I hope new owner keep it stock & original ( only general servicing ) Not molest or mod it ! there are already lots of restored , modded and hot rodded classics in the world !!
Damn straight…If it’s mine, it stays original !
what she is the cowl in? There known for rotting out due to wet leaves sitting in it.
Bob_S
Bob s correct about the cowl. Need to check extensively for rust, Everywhere. No pics of the underbelly. Funny the seller says he just wants it gone, like he’s giving it away. Its a rust belt rustang, look er over good.
Good luck to the new owner. 4 speed would go right in there….
1968 was the last year for the 289 and first for the 302. My guess is the 289s were left over from 67 and they had to deplete stock before the 302 fully succeeded it.
I had one just like this for a winter beater.
I went to look at it to buy for $125.
When I got there,, there was around 10 people looking at it asking questions.
I looked down and seen water coming out of the pump, I said “water pump is out”. Everybody left except for me and I got it for $75, lol
Bob,
My Hollanders Junkyard Interchange Manual says that the 302 went into Mustangs at the start of the model year (August 1967). They went up to December 31, 1967. For some reason the 302 couldn’t be used because of emissions regulations that came into effect 1/1/68, so Ford went back to the 289 for the rest of the model year. I’m not a “Furd Man” but I helped a friend restore a 68 Mustang back in the 1980’s, so I already did that research.
Thanks Camaro Joe, always open to learning something new.
The pictures are just fuzzy enough to make it look as if it has the side vents behind the doors instead of a chrome strip that the 68’s would have had. It does appear to have the grille, front side marker light and Script Mustang lettering on the front fender like a 68 should have, but where are the rear side marker lights?
I’m leaning towards this being a 67 with the front clip being replaced at some point with 68 parts.
’68 steering wheel. May have had quarters put on it and they didn’t bother with the reflectors.
I only see a marker light on the right front fender. Looks like mixed years of parts.
Blew up the engine compartment pic and it appears the inner fender is split from the radiator support to the spring tower.
Waaaaiit a minute, I thought this car looked familiar. In the late ’70’s, a buddy, Jimmy Bachman, had a car just like this. Those were partying times, and Jim did his share. We decided at the bar, the next day, we were all going to Fla. and would take Jim’s Mustang. Well, Jim had too much to drink that night and had, what he called, a minor accident, all it needed was a battery, he claimed. The next day, we went to get it at the impound yard, he hit a tree, at speed, man, it was stuffed so hard, the right front wheel was in the passenger side floor. Needless to say, we took a my MGB and another buddy’s ’65 Skylark, another whole story, the Mustang was toast, a common fate of many a Mustang, in Wisconsin, anyway.
Does anyone else seem to notice that it look like there is body filler where the fake tire grill opening is? My first reaction was this was a 67 made to look like a 68. I see two places that look like they were filled where the 67 grille inserts would be. That would also explain the 289. Why he didn’t show a better view of the side of the car. The steering wheel can be changed easy enough. I would like to see a photo of the entire dashboard. I would be a little leery of this without checking the door numbers and some other features. I’m not positive this is a 68 but is a 67 someone might have adapted to a 68 title
Craigslist ad says the car is grey? Looks green to me
Curious! The steering wheel, front grill and interior upholstery are 1968. However, I don’t see the reflectors on the rear quarter or the front fender side markers which were on a 1968 and not on a 1967. The vent near the rear wheel looks to be 68 but the pictures are horrible quality.
They did produce the 289 engine in 68 for a short while. I forgot the actual reason but I don’t think it was oversupply from 1967.
It also looks green to me.
I have a 68 base Fairlane with the original matching numbers 289 engine which was built in July 1968 on a 302 (cast in) long skirt block. Apparently they were still using up excess 289 cranks, etc at least through July 1968. Funny though it is a base Fairlane it was ordered with factory a/c and vinyl top .
I have a 68 base Fairlane with the original matching numbers 289 engine which was built in July 1968 on a 302 (cast in) long skirt block. Apparently they were still using up excess 289 cranks, etc at least through July 1968. Funny though it is a base Fairlane it was ordered with factory a/c and vinyl top .