Did you ever build one of those Estes model rockets when you were a kid? Each one had a skill level printed prominently on the package. A Mosquito, which was basically a rocket motor in a tube with a nosecone and a set of fins attached, was marked “Skill Level One.” On the other side of the scale was the replica of a Saturn V. This multi stage rocket was labeled “Skill Level Five.” When I look at this package deal consisting of two 1965 Mustang fastbacks, found in Huntsville, Alabama on craigslist for a firm $20,000 for the pair, I want to attach a skill level to them. From looking at the four pictures provided in the ad, I’d say that they were both “Skill Level Five.” Thanks go to Fred H. for alerting us to this oxidation opportunity!
As the market cools on some cars, it invariably heats up for others. Mustangs have always been collectible, and it used to be convertibles that drove the market. Coupes have always been an entry level restorer’s car, and fastbacks tended to be somewhere in between. In the past few years, fastbacks have surged ahead of convertibles in value and desirability. If anyone can tell me why, other than their stunning good looks, please let me know.
In this package, the buyer gets two fastback Mustangs. Both are pretty far from what you would call “road worthy.” In fact, neither have engines or transmissions. The only sunshiny thing the seller tells us is that the cars come with most of the interior and that each of them have the door glasses and back glasses intact. The red car does seem to have retained its windshield as well, but the years of slime make seeing if it has delaminated a difficult task. I can’t even imagine what might be saved from the intact interior bits.
Yet, when all is said and done, they are still Mustang fastbacks. Every part and piece is available from the aftermarket. You can also rely on the legion of Mustang owners and restorers out there to help you along. My concern is that the trunk pan, floor pans, and whatever else you cannot see from the pictures have returned to the Earth from whence they came. The steps required to return these beauties to the road are arduous and they require a very highly skilled restorer. All the rust has to be cut out, patch panels have to be stitched in, and the whole process would require exact measurements and tedious checks and re-checks for alignment. It can be done by a garage restorer, but is the juice worth the squeeze?
At $10,000 per car, the price seems to be below the average for a junkyard refugee of similar condition on eBay. You could buy one of these and “Johnny Cash” your way through a restoration one piece at a time. Or, you could take out a larger loan and buy a solid car in the first place. I am pretty sure which option would be cheaper in the end, and I am equally sure you know as well.
My Estes Andromeda was the pride of my fleet, although I had plenty of Centari rockets as well.
Back on the subject of cars, I would much rather spend the money on one better example than these two. However, if I had a teenager interested enough for a side by side build and had the room and time, I might feel differently.
Unfortunately, my 12 year old daughter would rather listen to the radio than work on a car. Sigh. I have hopes for my grandchildren and my step-son in law already has two Triumphs :-)
I am going to call these sea horses for obvious reasons
These “RUSTANGS”are quite over priced,for 20G
you can buy a good driver,Unless you love rust repair
I would leave these to the parts vultures.If these sell
for that kind of money..,I will have a rust free v8 -65 convertible
car that is worth a lot more than I thought in its current shape.
I wonder How rotted the cowl,and unibody rails are ..?
I have parted out better coupes over the years sadly.
I built a ton of Estes rockets back in the day. Ex wife threw them all out…. I’d say 5×2=10, I’d call it fair to call this skill level 10.
Make an offer to buy one of these for $1,500. If accepted (which isn’t likely, given the ask. But you never know…) Buy a Dynacorn body. Attach VIN from donor car. Scrap metal remains of donor car. Proceed with restoration per Marti Report or restomod as desired. You’ll probably be ahead in the long run…IMHO
Exactly as these will be close to Dynacom when you start swapping out quarters, floors , torque boxes and front end .
These picked over items have little left to offer . I hope they still have vins but I bet no titles so we’re down to salvage titles and junker bill of sale cars (worthy name)!
I luv mustangs but real ones not these rustangs 👀
Just buy one together as it’s cheaper after all
Yep… You nailed it.
Nothing here but a couple VIN’s and about 4,000 pounds of scrap.
Bill of sale, no title, no VIN’s, no thanks. These are so rusted out I doubt there is 2,000 lbs of scrap left.
This pile of scrap is worth $20k? JEEZE! I’ve pulled better out of junkyards.
How about skill level 11…just like the amplifier volume in “This is Spinal Tap”.
I paid $10,000 for my 65 about 2 years ago, running, I now have about $13,000 in it. So I’m gonna say these two are over priced.
Agreed.. overpriced by about $19,500
Was the Huntsville location the impetus for the Estes reference? :-)
The Fastback is very desirable, but the $10k/each seems a tad much given the condition.
Rust is better than rot……..A bit to much on the asking price though, as everyone has agreed..
I was crazy for these rockets as a kid. So much so that I convinced parents that we had to take the Estes factory tour while in Colorado.Ma and Pa were unimpressed, all we saw was closed office doors of Estes executives. Have a 65 Mustang coupe project stalled in the garage now. Not real proud of myself for loosing interest at this point.Runs, drives, body in primer, maybe the urge to finish will strike soon.
Optimistic for sure. It looks like Moe and Joe found them in the back of a wrecking yard and said lets make some money. A fifty dollar investment could bring in a lot of money. NOT
$20K. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
I needed a good laugh today
R those straps shown holding the front wheels on or the front clip together !!
20k? This seller is dreaming.
We bought our 70 Mach1 in 2005 for $14,500 and drove it home from Colorado Springs to Kansas City without a problem. This seller is on some heavy medication.
I want to get my cutting torch out and drop an I bean on this guys’ head. Sorry to much malice in my heart?
I had the Estes Mosquito, it was probity my most epic model launch. It was set up on the launch pad, I inserted the launch key, the little light bulb on the launch controller lit up, 3..2..1.. LIFT OFF!!! And it was gone, it just blinked out of existence. I never saw it go up or come back down. No burning bits or anything…. just gone.
Hilarious comments. Love first gen stings all body stangs. But u can dump a truck load of money in restoring them. My brother bought a 66 coupe (that supposedly was bought new by a pro basketball player) out of a field in Georgia about 10 years ago for his daughter. He had it professionally restored, including a very expensive emron paint job. Total cost over $30,000.00 which included rebuilding the 289 engine and automatic transmission. She’s truly a beautiful car now, but his daughter won’t drive it so it sits parked with my brother taking it out for a Sunday drive from time to time.I can’t even imagine the amount of money it would take to put these two back on the street.
Yup overpriced. Besides does anyone want to deal with a seller that is too lazy to put 4 roller wheels on the red one. How can you ask that much and not even slap on 4 tires that hold air?
I agree about the roller status. Given the ask, at least make it possible for the guy coming to take them away to easily bring them onto a trailer. Nothing worse than trying to winch a car with flat tires, dragging sideways, or wasting space in your towing vehicle to carry spare wheels/tires.
By the way, “Imron” paint, Johnmloghry.
Not the first time I’ve misspelled a word or two. Most likely won’t be the last. I’ve even been known to say something really stupid, but at 70 I think I’m doing pretty good just being able to post. Have a blessed life.
I know where is a 6 banger with a whole lot more meat on the bone for 9K it is 4 times the car than both of these put together. 9k for both might get closer to real on these to, but still a lot of money. Nah. Imma let the seller enjoy them for another 20 years. Maybe the frames will still be left at that time.