When talking about early Mustangs, the subject of codes invariably comes up.  Ford, and many other manufacturers at that time, would affix a data plate to their cars.  This plate was stamped with codes that told you how a car was optioned.  The collectability of a Mustang is often determined by the numbers and letters stamped into this plate.  To demonstrate the importance of the data plate, let’s take a look at this 1965 Mustang fastback selling on eBay out of Twin Falls, Idaho. As of this writing, the bidding is at $10,200, with the reserve not being met.  While it is dressed up as a Shelby GT350, let’s take a closer look at the details to see what it should be.

Thanks to the guidance of Mustang Decoder Online, we can decipher the data plate in the picture above.  On a 1965 Mustang, the plate is on the end of the door.  The only hitch is that a few of the letters and numbers are not clear in the photo.  From what we can determine, the plate confirms that the car is a fastback, and that it was a model with a luxury interior and bucket seats.  The color was Ivy Green, which is a 1965 only color.  The interior colors are ivory gold and white, but I am having trouble figuring out the build date due to the lack of clarity in the picture.  It looks to me like 150 or 15D, but those don’t work.  We can tell that the car was shipped to Phoenix, Arizona, and that it has a 2.80:1 rear axle.  Also, it was a three speed manual transmission car.

Is that the guaranteed truth?  Not exactly.  The website reminds us that the car could have ended up with a replacement door from another Mustang.  You also have to take into account that these plates can be purchased and then be stamped with whatever the buyer wants on them.  Mustang experts can go through a car and find alternative ways to verify the plate, and hiring one before making a big purchase is always a good idea.  Our hobby is filled with great people, but con artists and thieves are always on the prowl for the next sucker.

By the bidding price alone, we can tell it is not a real Shelby Mustang.  Chances are that a former owner decided to “Shelby up” this Mustang back when it was more of a used car than it was a collectible.  You have to admit the Wimbledon White paint with the Shelby stripes just looks good.  The eighties style wheels, with oversized tires on the back is pretty consistent with the look of a high school hot rodder modified Mustang from that decade.  All together, its a look that resembles more of a hot mess than a cool ride.  The various bumps, scrapes, and bruises lead us to believe that this Mustang lived its rough life 1/4 mile at a time.

There are also signs that rust may be running rampant underneath.  We have covered Mustangs on these pages that were garaged all of their lives but still have rust problems, so a good look underneath and a thorough inspection of the exterior with a magnet would be in order.  You can get every part imaginable for these cars, but good cars save you money in the long run.

Inside, we see that someone has splurged on new seat covers.  The way they fit suggests that new seat foam wasn’t part of the deal, or maybe new springs were in order as well.  The door sill area doesn’t look rusted out.  Unfortunately, you cannot get a good handle on the condition of the metal under the sill plate and chrome trim.  I am also curious as to how the “brake ducts” were fastened to the body, and if that surface rust around them gets worse behind them.

Taking a closer look at the interior, we can see that the dash is in very useable condition.  The car is also equipped with a column mounted tachometer and a Hurst shifter.  The factory radio appears to still be in the car, but the steering wheel is missing a chunk of plastic at the 9:00 o’clock position.  The door panels look salvageable, and the handles seem to be as well.

Under the hood is where things go south.  We can see a 2X4 holding part of the engine up, and it looks like there is a bolt holding it to the chassis.  In the lower right part of the picture, it looks like maybe part of the transmission, but why do the edges appear so rough?  The sellers list the engine as a V-8, but we have no way of knowing if this is the correct block or is an engine shaped lump of iron dredged from a lake somewhere.  The yellow poly rope helps to float the nautical engine origin theory.

The sellers state that the car was previously found in a New York barn a little over a year ago.  The customer had wanted it restored, but changed his mind.  I wonder why.  My guess is either greater than average amounts of rust were discovered, or some time was spent with a calculator and a Mustang parts catalog.  It is sad to see this car in such a state of affairs.  If the data plate is to believed, the unique exterior and interior color combination would make for a very distinctive Mustang if restored.  I just don’t think you could get out of it financially if a proper restoration were performed.