Shelby Tribute Project: 1965 Ford Mustang Convertible
Ford hit pay dirt with the hot new Mustang in 1965. For the full production year (excluding the so-called 1964 ½ Mustangs), more than 73,000 convertibles were built, including this one. It’s no longer in stock, having had an engine change and a hood, paint, and stripes added to make it look like a coveted Shelby. But the changes are far from precise, so you’re looking at a regular Mustang needing restoration. Located in Aragon, Georgia, this ragtop project is available here on eBay for $6,500.
From the partial VIN provided by the seller, this pony came with a base 200 cubic inch inline-6 when it was new (T-code). But that has been replaced by a 289 with no indication if it’s anything like the 271 hp version that the Shelby GT-350 came with. There is some discrepancy about the transmission. In one part of the listing, we’re told it has a 4-speed manual, while elsewhere a C4 automatic is supposed to be in place. No under-the-hood or interior photos are provided to help resolve the mystery. The car does have a 5-bolt lug pattern like the V8s had (the I-6 came with four lugs on each wheel).
In 1965, the Shelby Mustangs were painted white with blue stripes. This one has the black paint and gold stripes associated with the Hertz Rent-A-Shelby cars of 1966, but they were all fastbacks. From what we can tell this is just a regular ragtop finished in black with a Shelby-like hood and wheels. This car also has disc brakes, which must have been added as that was an unlikely option with the six-cylinder motor.
We assume this car has been sitting for years and will need a lot of work. The engine is said to turn over, but that’s it regarding running condition. There is rust in some places, like the floors, rails, inner rocker panels, and so forth. The question is what to do with the Ford. Restore it to how it sits today because it’s unlikely anyone is going to want to go back and put a 200 I-6 in where it was initially. No title goes with the sale, just a Georgia registration. What’s your vision with this one?
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Comments
Lots o’ rust, even if it’s of the surface variety. I see a little nibbling at a rail but don’t know if that’s unfixable. One of the pictures shows an t handle automatic shifter. Tribute colors add nothing to the value. Not worth it to me.
It is rough, but it is a convertible too. Seems like a reasonable price to build a nice driver, but no show car. By the way not all the 1966 Shelby’s were fastbacks. Shelby did build 4 1966 convertibles. Each was a one of a kind as they were all different colors. There were also 12 1966″Shelby Continuation convertibles” built later that were Shelby authorized and included in the registry.
The more photos i see the worse it gets. The seller has Mustang in their name, and six other car listings, all Mustangs.
How about that it apparently sold already. Says no longer available when you click the link.
Looks like the auction ended without a sale. I would definitely want a good hands on inspection before placing any bid. Looks like it sat bumper deep in the mud somewhere.
I guess you are not a Ebay user, no longer available means they sold it off the Ebay listing.
That’s Funny!!!
Not to be pedantic, but the GT-350 came with a modified version of the K-code 289, which made 306 BHP. Pretty high strung for a small V-8 at the time. If this was a real ’65 Shelby convertible, my guess, even in its rusty condition, it would fetch half a million.
Sure. But there were no 65 convertibles. There were 4 1966 convertibles. One 1967 convertible, then in 1968 it was a regular thing. Last time one of the real1966 GT350 convertibles went to auction it brought 1.1 million. But all 4 are accounted for and well documented, so you won’t just happen to find one.
At one point in time this actually appears to be a pretty good clone of an original, before rust and time took their tolls. I see it has GT-350 in the gold stripe not GT-350H like the Hertz cars. Carrol Shelby’s personal 1966 GT-350 convertible was painted green with gold stripes that just said GT-350 not GT-350H. And none of the four had a roll bar as many of the tributes and clones have. Plus pictures of the very first one, the red one show the grill emblem horse running in the same direction as this one, where the regular GT-350 fastbacks it ran on the opposite direction. Just interesting that someone either did their homework on this clone or just happened to get a few of the oddities right.
Looks like that same old Mustang junkyard that survives on uneducated suckers willing to buy Rustangs.
Same rusty Stang dealer seller BF has posted before….but that 2″ square tube frame support is interesting….