No Reserve 1,033-Mile 1968 Ford Mustang

“Can’t touch this,” went the lyrics of one MC Hammer, not exactly when this 1968 Ford Mustang Coupe was new, but it still fit. Why is that? This time capsule car has only 1,033 miles on the clock and is untouched, just as it looked the day someone took it home. If you’re into ultra-originals, this might be the next car for you. It’s on Bring a Trailer with four days left. There is no reserve, so you can be assured that it will sell. For how much is the question. It’s listed at $55,000 right now.

What’s the upside? Obviously, you can enjoy, show, and brag about the car’s originality. You know that everything is correct and that this is how Ford intended the car to live. When people ask you at shows who did your paint, you can casually say, “Ford,” then wait for their stunned reaction. On that note, the ad says the photo gallery shows some paint blemishes, but if that is the original topcoat, you wouldn’t dare repaint it, would you? This car needs to be seen as bigger than its next owner. This is a car that needs to be preserved for the hobby, as a reference for restoring its brother and sister vehicles over time.

How about the downside? The big one is that you can’t use the car without scrubbing off value. That’s not just about the miles. You also have to contend with dry rubber syndrome, if I might coin a phrase. The window seals, door seals, truck seals, all will be on the verge of perishing. You literally can’t touch anything like that for fear it’ll crumble under your fingers. How do I know? I’ve owned a couple of original cars over the past decade. Granted, they were from a dry California climate, but I don’t imagine the present case is much different. You’ll never be able to wash it (no big deal; they’ve got products for that). For fear of hurting it. That’s not a bad thing if you know it going in, but if you imagine this as a time warp that really puts you in 1968 or 1969, you’re going to be disappointed. Of course, it’s your money, and if you want to get it ready to drive and put it on the road, that’s your business. But at a mid-50s price, you’re probably better off finding a less-original example if you want to cruise.

Another issue with survivor cars is that, no matter how much we wish they were what we would have ordered at the time, they rarely are. In that vein, I don’t particularly like the combination of interior trim and exterior finish here. Nor would I have cheaped out and gone for the 6-cylinder engine. Wouldn’t this car be much more fun with a V8? Of course, but are you going to drive it? The question keeps circling back to that. What if this were a fastback with the 302? Better. What if it were red over red? Better yet. But it’s not. You thus need to decide: Do you feel the love for this green 6-cylinder? Hopefully someone with a calling to preservation says yes and raises the bidder’s paddle high.