Pole Barn 40 Years: 1965 Ford Mustang Fastback

The new Mustang arrived about six months ahead of the rest of the 1965 Fords and are sometimes referred to as 64½s but they were all titled as ’65s. The fastback didn’t arrive until full-year production was underway for the Mustang, which would include the seller’s car. We’re told it’s been living in a pole barn since 1982 with no attempts made to get it running again. Said car (and barn) are in Flushing, Michigan and the Ford (not the barn) is available here on eBay where the no reserve auction rests at $10,900.

Mustang production was in full swing by the Fall of ‘64, hitting 559,451 cars by the end of the model year. If you assumed production was 24 hours a day for 365 days, that would mean about sixty-four new Mustangs rolled off the assembly line every hour. The fastback accounted for 77,079 units in its first year (5,776 were the “luxury” edition with a higher level of trim). The seller’s car is an A-code Mustang meaning it left the factory with a 289 cubic-inch V8 using a 4-barrel carburetor. However, that engine is gone in favor of another 289 with a 2-barrel. The motor hasn’t turned since the early 1980s, although the seller says the crank will move by hand.

The seller makes no bones about the condition of this automobile: it will be a major project for the next person to undertake. Much of the sheet metal is okay but is fitting poorly. The right rear quarter panel was once patched and will need it again (or replacement). The right-side door is rusted on the inside corner. The fenders may be okay, but don’t rule them out. A hood and bumpers need to be added to the shopping list. The outside of the car is sans rocker moldings and emblems (like the little “289” that should be on the fenders).

Inside the car, someone replaced the original upholstery with custom diamond pleated stuff which is now past its prime, too, and the seats need to be redone along with the door panels and dash pad (wavy). This Mustang once had a console, but it and the carpeting are long gone, revealing floorboards that are rusty and need work. The same is true of the trunk floor. The insides of that area have been painted black to match the car and snatches of white under the hood suggest that the Ford’s color has been changed.

The front suspension is going to need an extreme makeover and the brakes have no pads, which will help the car roll, but be careful when loading it on a trailer as it won’t stop on its own. While this is the seller’s own car, he has listed the name of his company which suggests he’s is also a classic car dealer. Although resale value on early first-generation Mustangs remains robust, a fastback will fetch more than most coupes. But with the work needed on this one, you might want to plan on the car being a keeper once the restoration is done.