I have often wondered if Chevrolet pulled the plug on the Camaro convertible too soon. Always a good seller, it was gone at the end of the ’69 model year, along with cousin Firebird’s drop-top. Mopar’s Barracuda and Challenger went coupe-only for the ’72 model year. But the Mustang, the one that started the whole pony-car thing, kept the rag-top body style, like today’s 1972 convertible example, in the line-up through ’73 – a sort of “last man standing”. And this particular ’72 Mustang is outfitted nicely so let’s look her over. It is located in Sherman, Connecticut and is available, here on eBay for a current bid of $4,179 with 30 bids tendered so far.

The model year 1972 was the second for the BIG Mustang, offered from 1971 through 1973. Selling pretty well in its inaugural year, production slowed to 125K copies in ’72 with only 6,400 having a top that went up and down. Performance was on the wane too. Horsepower ratings were switched from gross to net, making the imposition of federally mandated emission controls seem worse than the actual impact. But the Boss 351 got nixed right along with the big 429 CI engine option as well. Those were the times so one had to make do with what was available.

And the original purchaser of this Mustang did exactly that by selecting the Q-code (verified by the VIN), 248 net HP, 351 CI “Cleveland” V8 engine attached to a four-speed manual transmission. The seller states that this Mustang has been barn bound since 1982, and in his own words adds, “Before the engine was started this month, the spark plugs were removed, the oil was changed, the fuel line disconnected, and the engine was cranked with the starter until there was oil pressure. New plugs, a new starter, a new fuel pump, and a new gas tank were installed. The motor starts, runs fine, and sounds very strong. However, it smokes, but not always. I believe it might be valve stem seals“. The odometer is showing 25K miles and the seller advises that he’s pretty certain that it’s really 125K miles.

The body and structural integrity of the convertible is a mixed bag. On the surface, it looks fair, the finish is flat and the folding top has seen better days, but there are no obvious signs of rot-through or crash damage. However… the bottom edge of the driver’s door has rusted away and the driver’s side unibody structure will require repair too. Apparently, the driver’s side floor has already been replaced (there is an image included before the repair was effected). The Magnum 500 wheels, always a great inclusion, show mostly well but one is starting to rust a bit. This Mustang is wearing early ’80s tires and apparently they’re no longer round – not exactly a surprise.

The interior, unfortunately, is in rough shape. The upholstery fabric is split and the side panels are starting to break down. And of course, an aged white interior always makes things look worse. There is some light surface rust in places but nothing beyond the norm of what one would expect to find on a car that has been sitting in a barn for the last 39 years. Of note, the original PHILCO AM radio is in place and there is an FM converter sitting beneath it – when was the last time you saw one of those?

This is a pretty rare, desirable car due to its limited convertible production volume and the 351 Cleveland/four-speed powertrain configuration. Since this is a no reserve auction, someone’s going to end up with a pretty cool project car, wouldn’t you agree?