We see our share of 1st Generation Mustangs here at Barn Finds, but the majority of the cars that we feature that were produced during 1970 and beyond tend to be the Fastbacks. Coupes are definitely in the minority, and 1970 Coupes like our feature car seem to be a rarity. This is a classic that ticks a lot of the right boxes for potential buyers. It is a tidy and unmolested survivor, and it appears to be structurally sound. If that isn’t enough to satisfy you, the owner has listed it for sale here on eBay with No Reserve. Yep, that’s right. The highest bidder takes home the pony. It is located in Gadsden, Alabama, and the bidding has reached a mere $3,450 at the time of writing.
The story behind this Medium Lime Mustang is unclear. What we know is that the paint shines beautifully, with no evidence of major flaws or defects. The panels are straight, and the consistency of the color across the entire car suggests that it has been treated with respect. What is striking with this Coupe is the lack of rust problems. There is nothing visible in the supplied photos, and the owner doesn’t mention anything in the listing text. Also, nobody has sullied this classic by adding aftermarket spoilers or wheels, with the original hubcaps and trim rings endowing the vehicle with a conservative appearance. All of the external chrome is in good order, and the original tinted glass appears to be flawless.
If I am brutally honest here, I find the presentation of the engine bay slightly disappointing when compared to the rest of the vehicle. Don’t get me wrong, because I wasn’t expecting factory-fresh. I simply expected it to be cleaner. What we find residing in this engine bay is a 320ci V8 that should be producing 220hp. With a 3-speed automatic transmission bolted to the back of this V8, the 16.4-second ¼ mile ET would be considered to be respectable, but not astounding. The Mustang also features power steering, but there is no assistance for the brakes. While the presentation is disappointing, the news on the mechanical front is far more positive. The owner says that the Coupe runs and drives perfectly. Adding to its appeal is the enormous collection of paperwork that the owner includes in the sale. This includes the original Build Sheet, Window Sticker, Protect-O-Plate, and the Owner’s Manual.
When we turn our attention to the Mustang’s interior, the news continues to remain positive. There is a small tear on the outer edge of the driver’s seat, and someone has covered this with the old standby of tape to prevent further deterioration. It isn’t clear how bad it is, but it may not be beyond the point of no return. It would be worth seeking the opinion of an upholsterer because they might be able to fit a blind patch. The carpet has faded slightly, but the limited wear means that replacing it should not be a priority. Otherwise, everything else appears to be in good condition. It appears that someone might have swapped out the factory AM radio for a radio/cassette player, but sourcing an original unit should be easy. Beyond that, the original owner ordered the car with air conditioning, and this continues to blow cold.
This particular 1970 Mustang is not going to appeal to every enthusiast, but there’s no denying that it is an attractive car. If I were to buy it, I would be tempted to leave its appearance untouched, but perform some work on the motor to extract a few more ponies. That would make it a great sleeper that would spring a surprise at any Traffic-Light Grand Prix. That’s my thoughts, but what are yours.
Worked for Mary Tyler Moore, who was a role model for single professional women in the US, and a plain Mustang is what they usually drove. Quick correction, it’s a 302 ci, not a 320, and most of these either had the inline 6 or if she had a brother influencing her decision, the 302 was ordered. I had a friend had one like this, literally killed it one night after drinking. A fate most of these endured. Mustang sure has come a long way from these cars, out of touch and too complicated for most. All they want is a basic Mustang like this. Apparently today, it’s too much to ask, so here you go. It won’t get any better than this, I wouldn’t dawdle.
This is kind of neat, in its own way. If you are tired of muscle cars or can’t afford one, but still would like something representing the era, this could fit the bill. It’s what was common in 1970, a basic 302 automatic coupe with typical options of the day, and even has period-correct colors. Looks to be in overall good shape. The original window sticker and build sheet are nice touches. Likely can be had for not much money.
I’m a little surprised Adam didn’t mention the claimed mileage of 4,459. That should interest some bidders if the mileage is true. I’m a little disappointed in the presentation of the engine bay, too; it’s not what I would have expected of a car with less than 5,000 miles on it. The seller could have addressed the missing marker light and the busted up fan shroud, probably cheap fixes that would help the car present better as even minor flaws draw the eye. The interior looks good overall apart from the tear in the driver’s seat and some scuffing on the back of the buckets. It’s a nice clean car that has great paint, chrome and trim and is apparently rust and accident free. It is definitely a Plain Jane Mustang but if the price ends up being reasonable, somebody will get a pretty nice car that’s not even broken in yet.
If this can be had for any 4 digit figure? It’s a good buy. I kinda want it. Every thing here in East PA is rusted, roached, and way over priced.
Sure hope whoever ends up with this beauty leaves it stock. So many Mustangs (and Camaros and Barracudas, etc.) are bastardized to try to make them into something they were never intended to be.
About as exciting as a bowl of oatmeal
Then I guess I love oatmeal.
Me too. I have a second home in Miramar Florida, going there next week. Thinking of taking a drive to Alabama.
What do you have against oatmeal?
Seriously it the plain coupe nature that is so appealing with this one. Not to mention my pal’s mom had the exact same car, in red, when we were in high school back in the mid seventies. And he knew how to get ahold of the keys.
I had a yellow one with a half vinyl top (‘grande’ I think it was called?). 351-4V, 4 gear. Fun car, got rid of it when it developed a rod knock…if this one was equipped like my old one I’d be all over it, even though its “only a coupe”.
GLWTS
Yeah, it was the Grande that had the partial vinyl top, or Landau top. A friend owned a ’70 Grande, white with tan Landau top+interior as his 1st hobby car – technically identical to this so I remember braking it was a massive chore!
Personally I think the featured car looks very charming with its period colors and hub caps – a textbook example of a ‘Streets of San Fransisco’ background vehicle
Had one when i was going to college in Vermont in the late 70’s. Think I paid $1,500 cash for it. Four snow tires and gravel in bags for weight over the axle. Wish I still had it along with my black 1978 Kawasaki KZ 1000 bike. Man those were the days.
I’m guessing the engine looks that way because at some point it had either a hose or radiator blow out and left coolant tracks. Coolant that hadn’t been changed before. Also, it most likely has 104k miles. Still, if i didn’t live across the country from it I’d take a swing at it on eBay.
Love it! But, there’s a hydraulic lift in the pic, yep, just right over there. How bout we put it up on that and take some pics of the underside??? Because it is a 51 year-old car that is prone to the rust of the era.
Just saying. Unless there’s a reason not to put it on the lift??
bt
If this sells for under $10k I’d be really surprised; it doesn’t seem like we will ever see four-digit prices for something in this shape anytime soon, or ever again. Nice thing about this one is that you can spend a few bucks on a new interior, dress it up like a GT/A with magnums or GT rims, not affect the value and make it look a lot meaner. As usual though with any Mustang, gotta look under the car as Bill said (and under the carpet at the rocker panels).
Those 220 horsepower are of the grossest variety. I don’t think a 302CI/2V/3A combination would cover the quarter mile in 16.4 seconds. Maybe it would be possible in 17.4 seconds at sea level.
Not a bad car at all. Decent performance, without burning too much $3.00 a gallon gas, along with A/C, to keep you cool in this hot(currently 91 degree) weather.
Better hurry, ANY V8 MUSTANG under 10K won’t be around long.
If that is original miles they should be bragging about it big time!!
A V8 Mustang coupe with A/C would likely have been an off the lot sale ; these were called “secretary cars” for a reason and many more became buyers first car – and they sold in huge numbers, so Fords dealerships would have had rows of these in every color and drivetrain available .
This one really looks amazing after all these years when so many of its sisters were driven into the ground and recycled.
May not have 109K miles, but the odometer has been cranked back. But again, what real difference does it make? Not a show car, and replacing wear items won’t break the bank.
No stupid spoilers, no stripes, no dopey chrome wheels just the clean shape.
I like it a lot.
I’d do a manual swap, discretely upgrade the brakes, suspension, and engine and enjoy. I’d even lovingly box up all the stock parts for the next owner.
Winning bid of $12,400 seems fair for a car that looks like what you might have found on a used car lot around 1973 for what, $2000? Adjusted for inflation, that’s $12,125 in today’s money. So after the initial depreciation hit, this car held its value almost to the dollar for 48 years. Right on! Now – given the choice between this or the ‘69 Montego MX convertible elsewhere on this site that sold for only $5000 more, I know which I’d choose.