Nottingham, Maryland is not only the site of the annual life-size Candy Land game next weekend, but it’s also the home of this 1965 Mustang 2+2 “fastback” project car. It’s listed for sale here on eBay with no reserve and has reached $7,000 as I write. You’ll have to decide if Nottingham is the Chocolate Swamp or Lollypop Woods by reading the rest of this post.
In 1964, Ford set the automotive world on fire by introducing the Mustang. The long front-short rear sporty styling made people quickly forget the Falcon origins of the underpinnings and enabled arguably the most successful model launch in history. The 2+2 model was touted as having “style you’d expect only from Europe” and being “easy to fall in love with.” Of course, one of the most memorable Mustangs ever, the 1965-66 GT350, was based on the 2+2 model.
Although the ‘289’ emblems on the front fenders may bring a smile to your face, I’m betting the condition of those front fenders doesn’t. There’s no denying there is a lot of rust present. While the seller chooses not to elaborate other than that the car needs a full restoration, the piece of plywood that makes up the front floor says it all.
Looking on the bright side for a moment, it appears that at least two replacement panels are included in the sale–and anything that you need for repairs is certainly available. But plan on a lot of cutting and welding if you want to take this project on!
The car does appear largely complete and even straight, although the mismatched paint would lead one to believe there’s been an accident repair somewhere in this Mustang’s life. I’m pretty sure that’s Rangoon Red poking through from underneath — the color chosen for the 2+2 on the cover of the original 1965 Mustang brochure.
What’s this? A third pedal that looks original? And a Hurst shifter? I’m paying more attention now, although my welding hand is becoming jittery just from looking at the pine floorboard. Let’s quickly move on to the engine so I can still type!
I’m sure some of our more educated Mustang fans can tell whether this is a 260, 289, 302 or some other displacement Ford small-block V8, but the general neglected look tells me you’re going to pull it out anyway. Ok, you doubters, pretend this car is sweet enough that you’re willing to eat the candy and bring this car home. Let’s assume for a moment it’s the original 289 — would you restore this car to its V8/4-speed origins or would you restomod it with a later V8, perhaps even a Coyote engine? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments!
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