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Scarlet Red Drop-Top: 1989 Ford Mustang LX 5.0

This 1989 Ford Mustang LX is a 5.0L-equipped convertible that features an automatic transmission and just over 80,000 original miles. The seller is located in Maine and the Mustang previously resided in Rhode Island until 2014. Despite this, there are no signs of rust and the seller speculates it was used as a fair-weather driver only. The Scarlet Red paint is said to be in nice shape along with the interior, and no major glaring issues are noted. Bidding is slow at the moment, just $4K with the reserve unmet and under a day left in the auction. Find it here on eBay located in Vassalboro, Maine.

The seller notes the only modification from stock is a Flowmaster cat-back exhaust that is a recent addition and sounds great going down the road. The Mustang is equipped with a white top that is in good condition with some signs of wear, with a rear window that doesn’t display any of the cloudiness some convertible tops are afflicted by. The body is said to be in good shape all around, with what is believed to be original Scarlet Red paint. Body panels still show original VIN stickers and the seller notes that all lenses retain OEM part numbers as opposed to aftermarket replacements that are usually indicators of a previous accident.

The interior presents well, with clean sport bucket seats and matching gray carpet. The door panels appear to be sound but there’s no clear shot showing whether the troublesome map pockets have started to sag. The backseat looks practically unused, and given the relatively low mileage and overall clean cosmetics, it seems likely this Mustang wasn’t used for ferrying grandkids around. The seller notes that he is including a convertible boot with the sale, along with the original 15 inch wheels that were replaced by the later 16 inch pony wheels that the car currently wears.

The engine bay presents quite well, with no signs of any typical modifications like a cold air intake or aftermarket strut bars. The Mustang is said to start up and run well, with no odd sounds or hesitation. The undercarriage photos in the listing are truly worth looking at, as it’s rare to find a northern car this clean underneath. Even if it was just a summer driver, it takes next to no time for surface rust to blossom – and what is present is incredibly minor overall. While Fox body Mustangs have seemingly been crawling out of the woodwork lately, there’s nothing wrong with an affordable classic with a proven track record of reliability and performance.

Comments

  1. Avatar Bakyrdhero Member

    These are always fun. The automatic doesn’t bother me in a Sunday droptop cruiser. The grey cloth is a plus with the bolstered buckets. My friends red Mustang conv. had the white leather? Vinyl? Interior and it always looked a little dirty or worn. The pony wheels are a plus also IMO.

    Like 2
  2. Avatar Al_Bundy Member

    Same car I have owned 26 years. Mine has a black top, grey leather, 5 speed and the original “phone dial” 10 hole wheels. The writer mentions “map pockets” on the doors that this car and mine never had to begin with, but will cut Jeff some slack lol. Have the saggy ones in my 1990. Bidding is unusually low at last check. Not easy to define “normal” of late, but this appears to be pretty nice. Buyers market in now in such short order…

    Like 5
  3. Avatar Al_Bundy Member

    Those were the days !

    Like 16
    • Avatar Bluetec320 Member

      Awesome!!

      Like 3
    • Avatar Jaydawg7

      Were the ponys available as an option in 1989?

      Like 0
      • Avatar Daniel B

        91 until 93

        Like 2
      • Avatar Al_Bundy Member

        “Pony” 5-spoke wheels are 16″ and were 91-93 only. They are 4-lug and fit earlier models but will rub fenders. All 85-90 cars were 15″.

        Like 2
  4. Avatar Mark

    I don’t question the car…..I question why anyone would decide to park their car across both lanes of what appears to the hill (note the double yellow lines) of a country road to take pics of it.

    Like 4
  5. Avatar brian scott

    Flash back to 1986, Labor Day weekend. I’m heading on a camping trip, and before leaving mom shares that she’s about to replace her Vette (okay, Chevette…itself having replaced her Vega a decade earlier) with her first new car ever. Me- “Wait until I get back and I’ll help you.” Her- “Okay. I think I’ve narrowed it down to two, and I want a convertible.” Me- “which two?” Mom- “a Mustang or a Cavalier.” Me- “definitely the Mustang. See you Tuesday.” When I come home, sitting in the driveway is a Cavalier RS 2.0. “Mom, what about waiting! Let me drive it …” I take it for a drive and it spits and sputters, clearly with a driveability issue, and still on dealer tags even. She ended-up passing away a few years later, the guy with just a handful of miles. There it sat in the garage until my stepfather passed away as well. Like everything else, his kids took it. But I saw the car sitting in their driveway late 2019, and it clearly has been parked the whole time, as it looks pretty solid, rare in the rust belt. Was it me mom would have bought an LX 5.0, and I sure as bleep wouldn’t have rolled over, letting the step brothers steal it; I’d have fought for a Fox body 5.0 LX for sure!

    Like 3
    • Avatar brian scott

      “guy” .. err “car.”

      Like 0
    • Avatar Al_Bundy Member

      I feel your pain… Traded my wife’s brand new 91 Cavalier on our 89 Mustang. Fun car to teach a young lady to drive a manual trans. It worked out. Learned to drive myself in the family ’85 Cav Wagon. Bright yellow with a roof rack…it had a cassette deck !

      Like 1
      • Avatar Stevieg

        Better than the Dart you drove Peggy around in, right?

        Like 1
  6. Avatar PRA4SNW

    The seller must have not liked the bids that were coming in, so ended the auction and created a new one with a BIN of $8,500.

    Like 1
  7. Avatar Steve Bush Member

    Nice story Brian Scott. Sorry about your mom. Surprised the Cavalier is still in one piece. We’ll probably see it here soon as an “low mileage barn find” at some outrageous price.

    Like 1
    • Avatar brian scott

      Thanks. I always tell people “my mom was cool enough to drive a Vette.” Then lead into the explanation that ultimately ends in the fact that she was ahead of her time in our disposable throwaway society. How else does a person go Vega-Chevette-Cavalier!

      Like 2

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