No Mustang GT built in the initial run of 1964 ½ to 1966 ever had a 200 cubic inch 6-cylinder engine. So what is the seller of this 1966 Mustang, listed here on eBay, claiming for his car by putting GT in the name line? Probably, he’s just trying to get the attention of eBayers by using all the keywords he can think of. In any case, his Mustang coupe, listed as no reserve and presently sitting at $8100, is possibly a fair bargain. You just have to carefully assess its pros and cons and to notice some things which the seller seems to be unaware of that would contribute to the car’s value. And you have to be willing to find a way to get the car from Sharon, Wisconsin, to wherever your garage is.
One thing you can safely surmise about this car is that it’s been rescued from long-term storage. This because almost all the operable rubber parts have been renewed, including the tires, carb, brake hoses and many other associated parts, fuel tank, various seals, heater core, and even the rear end gear oil. What’s funny, though, is that the seller lists all of those relevant details, and tries hard to make a case for the fun quotient of the car’s 6-cylinder engine, but doesn’t point out two huge selling features: what looks like factory AC and what appears to be a Sprint 200 Option Group set of equipment. The AC speaks for itself. The Sprint 200 package was an attempt to make the 6-cylinder cars appealing, and it included a body-side accent stripe, chrome air cleaner, engine decal, wire wheel covers, and a console. This car checks all those boxes. Also of note is that it is originally a Tahoe Turquoise over Aqua car, a very appealing combination.
What’s this car going to be like to drive? With no power steering, not fun at low speeds (and especially if you get all crazy and put bigger tires on it), though the no-power-brakes thing is, in my experience, not much of an issue. You just have to plan a bit ahead to put that thigh to work squeezing the big pedal. The power from the 200-6 cylinder won’t be terrific, but Mustangs of this era, leaving aside the K-code V8, weren’t really muscular. They were sporty coupes that appealed to the young (and, it turned out, everyone else), who wanted a stylish car that broke from previous conventions while still delivering adequate value for money. With gas at $5 a gallon, maybe cruising a 6-banger is a better idea than punishing a V8 anyway, at least for now.
So far, mostly positives, but I’d worry about the body. The description the seller gives seems to keep adding minor issue to minor issue. The pictures show, for example, a peeling area on the driver’s rear quarter, and that the seller remarks upon. But look to the right of the photo—the curvature of the wheel-well opening looks to have been constructed from “mud” (body filler), and that’s what’s going to come apart and be expensive to fix.
The car is said to have had both rear quarters replaced. Great, except that the passenger’s side one is unraveling big-time, with cracks in the paint and associated bodywork showing prominently. Note too that while there is a photo inside the trunk, the mat is not lifted, and you see just short of what you need to as far as the right-side frame rail is concerned. So what do we have here? A car that has some nifty features and equipment but that might be a lot of headache to put right in terms of the sheet metal, which might be why the owner/seller has chosen to put his time and money into other projects. For the next owner, either a deep pocketbook and the willingness to ignore that the required bodywork will put the car over its value or an “I don’t care” attitude that just allows blindness to the Bondo is what will make this car a value proposition.
A closer look may prove disappointing. I see
plenty of waves in body panels. Hopefully it’s
just reflection. I like the non-pwr brakes and
steering; and also the a/c.
Right? Non boosted brakes and steering are not an issue. Especially with the six up front.
Granny’s 70.Maverick Grabber had the 200″ six and no PS. Same with my ’63 Valiant. Only in the tightest parking situations is it even apparent, but I’ve been fine with it for 40 years now.
If it’s a runner it could b a bargain at 8,100 Also clean it up and drive as is
My dad had a ’66 and it had the 200 six banger from the factory.
The author is making a reference to the “GT” label used in the seller’s ad.
Had to re-read it myself.
Whatever bodywork was done in the past clearly wasn’t done to a high standard. Nonetheless, if the chassis is solid, there’s nothing wrong with patching it up again and driving it. This isn’t really a candidate for a concours restoration unless someone *really* needs a Sprint 200 in his/her collection.
Who puts air fresheners in a trunk ?
Someone with a trunk that leaks?
I own a Sprint 200. One of the other things used to identify these is that the quarter panel ornaments were deleted. Since this car has had its QPs replaced, the donor car may have already had them installed. Not too many people are out there trying to fake a Sprint 200.
Its to hide the rotting corpse smell
The seller was wise to photograph this hardtop at it’s best, with all the windows rolled down.
The open air feel of a convertible without the draw backs.
It looks breezy and pleasant that way.
This is the sort of car I would have bought back then. And many did, just this way.
From Ford vs Ferrari “Ken Miles : I think it’s a secretary’s car.”
First, that white rub strip down the sides is a dealer aftermarket add-on, a non-Ford item. When I worked part time at a local Ford dealer back then, I used to install these on various cars. That requires drilling holes in the body panels, so they can’t simply be pulled off if not desired.
Second, I’m not an expert on the Sprint 6 Mustangs, so I checked with MustangSpecs.com, and they said the side stripe was a pinstripe that went all around the “C” side shape, in a color that matched the interior. Supposedly the Sprint didn’t come with a vinyl top either, and as on this car, they didn’t have the Mustang emblem on the roof sides. This car was sold new in Houston TX, so having factory A/C is not surprising.
All of the other options shown can be ordered without the Sprint package, and if the chrome engine dress-up package was ordered, it didn’t come with the Sprint decal on the air cleaner. This car doesn’t have the decal. Since neither the VIN or the Warranty tag on the door have info to determine this is a Sprint 200, I would be suspect of this car being a Sprint, but with a little bit of effort it could be set up as a Sprint 200.
Both quarter panels will need to be removed and re-installed, I suspect they were brazed in place, not welded with a MIG wire welder. With a little bit of work and new paint, this could be a nice car for cruising and shows.
What about the fog lights, Bill?
The websites I checked didn’t list fog or driving lights as part of the package.
I think your going to find about a gallon or two of bondo on this car when someone get’s it and starts redoing the paint job! Better inspect it well before you buy!!
8k for a Bondo ladened 6 cylinder coupe that will need 10k minimum in body panels/labor? No thanks
I bought one like this on ebay , sight unseen and when i took it out for a drive , i soon found out that if i had test drove one of these , i never would have bought one !
What a boring drive !
The non power steering
The non assisted brakes
The sinpy 6 banger
The sound of that engine
A hyundai accent beats this hands down !
I was agreeing with you until that last statement. I’d still rather drive an inline-six Mustang…