The owner of this 1965 Mustang Fastback claims that it has accumulated a healthy collection of “1st-in-Show” trophies, and when you look at its overall presentation and condition. It is a claim that is easy to believe. It has undergone a few cosmetic upgrades, but returning the car to a factory-fresh state would not be a significant challenge if these don’t appeal to potential buyers. However, I believe that the next owner will want to do nothing beyond slipping behind the wheel to hit the road in a classic pony car that is guaranteed to turn heads. The Fastback is located in Bakersfield, California, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. The owner has set the No Reserve auction to open at $36,500, but there have been no bids at the time of writing.

One part of the listing for this Mustang refers to custom paint, but if this is correct, the mix is close to factory Prairie Bronze. The paint shines magnificently, with no evidence of flaws or imperfections. The panels are laser straight, but the best news, especially for any First Generation Mustang, is the total absence of rust. The car has spent its life in California and coupled with it remaining garage-kept when not in use, the owner claims that this classic is completely rust-free. The glass appears to be in excellent condition, as is the chrome. The owner has added a GT grille to give this Mustang a distinctive appearance. Another change is his decision to fit this Ford with American Racing Torq Thrust wheels. They suit the car’s character admirably, but if the buyer isn’t that keen, swapping them for something more to their liking would not be difficult. If they followed that path, they shouldn’t have any trouble finding somebody to hand over the cash for the existing wheels.

There’s not much to dislike about this Mustang’s interior, from the Tan upholstery to the Beige carpet. It is as spotlessly clean as the exterior, and it would seem to need nothing. There is no wear or physical damage, while the dash and pad appear flawless. The owner has added a wood-rimmed wheel, a retro-look modern stereo, and an aftermarket bin to the console.  The original lap belts have made way for lever latch units while I can spy a Rally-Pac gauge set sitting atop the steering column. One slightly perplexing aspect of this interior is what appears to be a vintage air conditioning unit mounted under the dash. A peek at the engine bay reveals no compressor or hardware, so I’m not 100% sure about that. I’ve heard some vague rumors that there are self-contained units that require no compressors or engine bay hardware, but I’ve never seen one. Maybe one of our readers can enlighten me on that front. I’m always happy to learn.

Lifting the hood reveals a spotless engine bay that is home to a 289ci V8. It isn’t clear whether this is a numbers-matching classic, but if it is, that C-code V8 would have produced 200hp when it was new. Bolted to this is a three-speed automatic transmission, and this combination would have been enough to fire the Fastback through the ¼ mile in 16.5 seconds. Frustratingly, the seller doesn’t provide any information on whether the engine has received any performance upgrades, but it is dripping with cosmetic additions. There are lashings of chrome, an aluminum radiator, and a suspension brace. Once again, information on how this classic runs and drives is absent from the listing, but if appearance count for anything, the news should be pretty positive.

If this 1965 Mustang Fastback lives up to the promise it seems to show in the listing and photos, it appears that someone could be onto a winner. The photos indicate that it needs nothing, and its overall presentation makes the owner’s trophies claim look very plausible. Unfortunately, the listing leaves us begging for more because I would love to know how the Fastback runs and drives. If it is all he claims, I am surprised that nobody has made the first move by submitting a bid. Still, there are more than five days left in this auction, so the situation could change at any time. Are you tempted to add this Mustang to your Watch List? If you do and nothing happens on the bidding front, you could potentially score this gem with a single bid. That has to be a tempting thought.