There’s an old adage amongst collectors of any stripe that you buy the “thing” and not the story. This 1988 Ford Mustang GT certainly has an interesting, if murky, backstory and is listed as an auction here on eBay.  The seller is located in Buffalo, NY and indicates that this Mustang is a rare “Watkins Glen Special Edition.” Unfortunately, there’s not much out there on the internet about such a special edition, but the seller does present a compelling case that this Mustang is indeed the real deal.

The story behind this Mustang is actually pretty fascinating; according to the seller, this car was one of a batch of about 20 other Mustangs and some Thunderbird Turbo Coupes that were shipped directly to Clute Motor in Elmyra, NY for some modifications in advance of the “Bud at the Glen” NASCAR race in 1988. All of these special edition cars, Mustangs, and T-Birds alike, were optioned with the same Oxford White paint scheme and Scarlet Red interior and were intended to be run for a few test laps on the track prior to the race, then delivered to dealers for sale. So what, exactly, did Clute do to these Fords prior to the event, aside from applying a couple decals to the fenders? Unfortunately, that’s where things get a bit hazy; the only information I can seem to find on this edition stems from a forum post on the North American Turbo Coupe Assn website, which references a post on another mailing list that is alleged to have come from a former service manager at Clute. An interesting read for sure, but not exactly something my 10th-grade history teacher would have accepted as an example of a “primary source.” That being said, there are a few things which indicate there’s at least some veracity to the story. First, the original window sticker is intact and shows the car was sold to a dealer called Least Ford in Geneseo, NY but was shipped directly to Clute Motor Co in Elmira. Second, several body components of the car are adorned with stickers bearing Ford logos and the VIN, presumably so they couldn’t be swapped out.

If you just looked at the odometer reading of 5,700 and the exterior of the car you probably wouldn’t suspect that this Mustang actually has additional 100k miles on it! The photos show the original paint to be in excellent condition but the seller is completely upfront about the odometer having rolled over once and lists the actual mileage at 106k. They also note that there are some minor imperfections on the paint, but the clear coat is in perfect condition and zero rust is evident on the body or in the photos of the undercarriage. The interior is in similarly well-preserved condition, although the seller does note a few minor issues such as the cargo cover not working and the A/C being in need of a recharge.

The seller states that they’re parting with the car because due to its perceived rarity they don’t feel comfortable driving it (and they already own one garage queen Mustang). My personal feeling on the matter is, hey it’s already got over 100k miles on it and some minor road wear. The previous owners certainly didn’t shy away from using it, so unless it fetches some astronomical figure why not drive it and enjoy it? Regardless of its provenance, this Mustang is incredibly well optioned and is guaranteed to be a fabulous driver. Any Mustang experts want to chime in with some more info on this Special Edition? Please share it in the comments!