When driving unfamiliar roads, do you find yourself looking around for interesting cars in and around homes?  Maybe a glance into a sideyard reveals an old car rotting in the sun.  Or is there something car-shaped under a tarp in the backyard?  Do these sightings ever amount to anything?  Not usually, but every once in a while, an Easter egg appears.  This 1965 Ford Mustang convertible for sale on Craigslist in Norfolk, Virginia may have been hibernating under a cover for a very long time by the looks of the bricks holding it up and the little fence surrounding it.  Has this flawed exterior existence managed to preserve this car or only accelerated the inherent rust problems that first-generation Mustangs commonly suffer from?  Are you willing to take a chance on what could be a desirable drop-top for a $9,800 asking price?

If there was ever a car ad that needed a back story, this 1965 Mustang is surely it.  Here sits a very desirable first-generation Mustang in an attractive color combination, and with a convertible top no less, sitting in a Norfolk, Virginia back yard.  Held up by bricks and surrounded by cheap garden fencing to presumably keep the cats and dogs from bunkering in under it, this car should be a prized possession for someone.  Why is it just sitting in a backyard?

Yet you can decipher little from the short, poorly worded written segment of the ad.  We are simply told that it has two axles, a clear title with no liens, the original hubcaps are there but not stored with the car, and that it is not drivable as it sits.  The real kick in the gut is that it is being advertised as a 78,000-mile car.  Furthermore, the nine pictures in the ad don’t reveal much.  There are duplicates, no glimpse of the passenger side, a shot of the interior through the glass that reveals the home in the reflection more than the interior itself, and there is not one shot of the engine.  We do receive a nugget from the sidebar of the ad.  It reveals that the car is equipped with an automatic transmission.

Now, factor in the clues.  First off, we know that tarps, covers, and similar “protection” often traps moisture.  While some covers supposedly breathe, the pores on such a cover would have long ago been clogged with detritus by now.  Second, Norfolk is a port town on the Atlantic Ocean.  While the car may be far inland, the salt air isn’t going to help out in the rust department.  Finally, first-generation Mustangs are known to be rust-prone in the most inopportune areas.  None of these issues bodes well for this car.

Despite all of this, it is a 1965 Mustang convertible.  These cars are still highly collectible despite huge production numbers.  Restoration parts are available at reasonable prices and a lot of the mechanical bits and pieces are waiting for you in your local auto parts store.  First-time restorers will never find a vehicle with more club support and general information available.  Mustangs were widely known as the most restored car in America in the eighties and nineties, and they probably still hold that title today.

Can this be a restorable car?  Probably.  Nearly anything is restorable if you throw enough cash at it.  If you are thinking of adding this Mustang to your stable, then the best thing you could do is pay the money for an expert to inspect the car and give you an honest assessment of its needs and value.  A 1965 Mustang is a fine car, and this one is made finer by its convertible top.  Proceed with caution and hope that it is better than it seems.  At least this car confirms our theory that there are still interesting cars under a few of those tarps.

What do you think about this Mustang?  Is it a diamond in the rough or a money pit?  Do you look for cars under tarps when riding around?  Please share your thoughts in the comments.