On the surface, this 1968 Mustang convertible looks like a good idea at an asking price of $5,500 here on craigslist. The paint is presentable, and the interior is more or less intact. But is this a matter of beauty being only skin deep? That’s the question this tip, provided by Johnny B Frank, presents. If you can cut to the truth, you’ll end up in Weiser, ID to pick up your new project. Maybe, you’ll be under five grand for the buy-in.
The seller says this is his dad’s car, and that he himself had hopes of getting it back up and running. That’s not going to happen due to a lack of resources, so he’d rather see that car go to someone who “gots the time and money” to put this Pony back on the road. Is that you? You’ll have to take his word for it that the dad drove the car daily until about four years ago. Four years doesn’t seem like a death knell for a car that sits. Heck, we see cars pulled out of barns after forty years all the time on Barn Finds. The engine, it must be noted, does not start, but it turns over. The images of it look pretty good, and it appears to be a C-code car, which is plenty respectable, if not made of muscle.
But when it comes to old cars, there’s the standard advice: Don’t be fooled by the externals. The car looks like a quick polishing up might salvage the body, but there are no photos of the crucial—often rusty—bits, like the integral frame rails and the rocker panels. A convertible needs strong underpinnings since it lacks a roof, so you’d better have someone crawl around underneath this one and look at the floor and the unibody structure to determine if it’s going to fold in half the first time you go over a set of railway tracks with it. Even the body panels are an unknown—what’s under that gold paint? Was there a quickie resto done at some point? Why does the convertible top look brand new? These are the doubts that should be roaming around in your head if you’re buying on a few photos alone.
I’d also take the new-looking but probably 80s-vintage Goodyears as a sign that there’s more “sitarounditis” here than a quick glimpse suggests. However, if this car is usable with some tune-up parts and rubber parts, then $5500 is seriously cheap and worth a look if you’re into a Mustang that’s not resale red and made in 1966. The 1967-68 Mustangs are zooming in popularity right now, a fact not reflected in this seller’s price, unless this car is way rougher in person than it presents in this ad. Definitely something worth a trip to check out.
It doesn’t look bad, but as Brian K notes, who knows what lurks underneath. If it turns out to be at least in decent condition, the price isn’t bad. Could be a fun take-the-grandkids-for-a-ride cruiser with some work.
Don’t you love Craigslist ads that YELL AT YOU and consist of one verrrry long sentence, complete with poor grammar and spelling. Off my soapbox now.
And yes Brian, those tires went out of production something like 25 years ago. And his dad was driving the car as recently as four years ago?
The lack of rust is common for southern Idaho. It’s relatively dry there and your can find all kinds of antique and vintage cars. If I was to take a chance from Iowa, of all for a couple more pics of the under carriage, but am pretty confident it’s clean. Those tires aren’t in production and haven’t been, but they are a very solid rubber tire.
If the doors open, and the car doesn’t try and leave the road when you let go of the wheel? It’s worth $5,000.
If the ad is legitimate, the bottom of the car isn’t Swiss cheese and it presents in person like the pictures suggest it will, then it’s a great deal. Even if it was an engineless roller, the asking price would be reasonable.
Steve R
I am reporting a theft, I paid 600 dollars as a deposit and he doesn’t respond .
Well I’m the guy this guy scammed. He took my 600 dollar deposit and hasn’t answered his phone since.
If anyone knows anything more about this guy. Please let me know.
I work for the Dept of Veterans Affairs taking care of our beloved Veterans and my son is graduating from high school this year and this was to be his graduation gift from his mother and me.
This is upsetting.
He has a cash app. And I reported to them also.
He said the car was in Weiser Idaho and he was working on his dad’s rental in Delaware and was going home by Thursday.
His phone number is 2408413164, and he said his name is Jimmy, and the first text we had was his wife responding.
But I did physically talk with him on that number so it’s a legitimate phone number.
Just over the last day I tried to call him a few times and he shut his phone off this morning because it wanted to go to voicemail right away but his voicemail isn’t set up.
If anybody can help me with this issue it would be greatly appreciated!
My brother had one of these back in the day. He bought it brand new, only it was yellow with black seats. I sure liked to drive that car. But my dad’s secretary rolled it and my dad just pocketed the insurance money. They bent the the rag top back into place but it never looked the same. I forgot to mention, my brother sold the car to my dad because he needed the money.
Although ID cars are known for being rust-free, I still need to look at that subframe and especially the torque boxes. If they’re kosher, this will be an excellent as-is summer cruiser after you get that 289 running.
If the components underneath are realitivy rust free its a very good deal. Why do people ask insane prices for 1st gen Camaros shells that are completely gone and with barely any reusable parts mechanical or cosmetic.
Because there are people willing to pay those prices.
Whose responsible? Is it the seller trying to get as much as they can or the buyer that lacks the discipline to say no, that doesn’t put in the work to find a “better” value.
Me and most of my friends were priced out of the cars we really wanted, way back in the early-80’s. We were just out of high school and didn’t have money. We lived in the Bay Area, and muscle cars were plentiful. We realized quickly that it was better to get the best car you could afford, irregardless of make or model as long as it was a 4spd. We went through a lot of cars that opened our eyes to the reality that there were so many desirable cars there was never a reason to be stuck on a specific make or model.
Those friends that still lusted for a specific “dream” car fell into two categories, one worked at finding a good deal through persistence following up leads, calling on cars as soon as they saw an ad, networking. The second category were those that never put in the work and wouldn’t follow up even when they were handed the name and number of someone selling the exact car they claimed they wanted, those guys are still “looking”.
The short story is, keep an open mind, there are have been a lot of great cars produced over the last 40+ years, be willing to broaden your search based on your budget, then put in the work to find the best car that fits your budget. Those simple traits which should be self evident but are lost to a many of todays enthusiasts.
Steve R
It’s too cheap. As a restorer of Mustangs for over 40 years, something is a miss here
Gone in 60ish seconds.
As of 0640 February 9, this listing has been deleted, so I’d guess we can assume it’s sold.
Wow, sorry to hear about your $600 dollars ouch. Did you contact the people at Barn Find, they might be able to help you out.
Sorry to hear this happened Colin! Unfortunately there’s not a lot we can do. Inspections, escrow, or even a photo of the title and the seller’s driver license can help prevent this.
I didn’t about two weeks later I caught the same a in Memphis Craigslist.
When I tried to buy it from him it was on Idaho Craigslist.
I was told to contact my financial institution and they would be the ones to investigate