This 1965 Ford Mustang is a major undertaking, but given its pedigree, I can understand why the seller felt it was worth saving. This Mustang is a C-Code fastback that left the factory with a four-speed manual transmission and 289 V8. It had great colors – Ivy Green over Palomino – and obviously has lost many of the original details that made it so special. Still, perhaps that’s why the seller saw it fit to be rescued, even though it will need a pricey restoration to make it the car it once was. The Mustang is in Woodstock, Connecticut, and there is plenty of rust to fix. Find it here on eBay with bidding over $5K and the reserve unmet at the moment.
As someone who makes bad decisions to rescue cars from junkyards and other bowels of the automotive universe, I have to wonder if this Mustang came from a similar environment. It has all the hallmarks of a car that was junked, from the missing engine to the long-lost hood, likely tossed aside when the engine was sold off. The interior is better than you’d expect, another phenomenon I’ve encountered when pulling vehicles out of the woods, as closed doors/windows usually leave the cabin intact but still in need of a deep cleansing. To me, the best aspect of this Mustang is the fact that all glass remains intact, which is likely why the interior still looks as good as it does. Smashed glass is typically a junkyard hallmark, so perhaps this car has been languishing in a backyard.
The backseat is way better than I expected, along with the rear panels. To me, this speaks to the Mustang being a car that never saw backseat passengers, and it would likely end up being pretty sharp with a good cleaning. The seller notes that while you’re cleaning the interior, you’ll also want to find some replacement floors and frame rails, as those both have rust and will either need patchwork or completely new panels/sections welded in. This is not a surprise for a car from the snowbelt, and even if it was taken off the road decades ago, that’s still plenty of time for salt and wet weather driving to do its worst. The seller doesn’t provide any details as to whether interior trim is missing or damaged, but if you don’t see it in the pictures, I’d expect it went missing long ago.
In addition to the drivetrain, the seller notes that the Mustang doesn’t come with its radiator, grill, front bumper, or lower front valence. The radiator likely left when the engine did, and I could see the grill and hood being purchased as spares for an accident-damaged Mustang (the same for the front valence, or that could have been damaged when being moved around a yard.) The upper levels of the car also have rust, but nothing that looks like it needs to be dealt with as immediately as the rust in the frame rails. Fortunately, good spares abound, and if a C-Code fastback with a four-speed in Ivy Green is the car you simply must own, this could be a project with your name on it.
Yes! It has the rare internal driveshaft option! I’ve only heard about this rare feature- never seen!
Yes, the internal driveshaft option is a safety feature… it will keep you from pole vaulting the car if the front u-joint breaks!
up to 5 large. Kudos to the seller for describing the extent of the rust, but it would have been easy enough to take some pics of the underbelly while its on the trailer. You would need a donor car for this. You would have to get an inspection and decide for yourself whether you want to take this on. I know fastbacks are hot right now, but for what it will take to bring this back, do the homework. Caveat emptor. Worse than this have been fixed but you need to know what you are getting into!
Cheers
GPC
I gotta strange feeling that someone is going to cut up his squareback and graft the fastback onto it. Although probably illegal if this thing comes with a title and vin the new owner might move the dashboard to and have an “authentic” fastback
You can buy a.complete new body for 17k. It’s less than fiddling with a rotten one! I’d buy a clunk like this thing and use parts and a title to build one.
In the 70’s this was a five hundred dollar Mustang. Amazing how if you keep enough”junk” around your property it will be a gold mine 40 yrs later.Hew knew
500 in 1970 is 3408 now, so this one is rising faster than inflation.
If this car was sitting like this in Connecticut for any length of time , I’d be very leery of it , and the under hood pictures look like its been sitting out in the elements for ages . I’ll bet there isn’t much left to the floors and frame ; I’ve lived in CT. all my life and I’ve seen what time and the elements do to a car – It also doesn’t look like this car as ever green with a tan interior, but I suppose it could all have been swapped out at one time !
Toast.
10 pics of the actual item for sale and 14 pics of the rest of his oddball collection of cars, motorcycles, trucks, bicycles and a bus?
Another rust-bucket that will cost $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to restore….
Seller’s altitude also seems a bit off putting for someone selling a rusty POS with a too high reserve that needs a ton of parts and work to be nice.