Ran When Parked: 1969 Ford Mustang
The old “ran when parked” claim is a common and dismissive throw-away line that means “this car doesn’t run, but it did not all that long ago, so maybe there’s not much wrong with it”, or thereabouts. But the listing for this 1969 Ford Mustang takes it to new lengths with, “It was running when I parked it 40 yrs ago“. OK, probably just needs a battery right? Who knows, but let’s see if we can figure it out. This Mustang is located in Silver Creek, Mississippi and is available, here on eBay for a current bid of $7,600 with twenty bids tendered so far.
Claimed to be a Mach I, I’m not feelin’ it, it looks like a standard Mustang fastback. The fenders show holes where a “Mustang” badge would have been attached and it seems to me that there should have been a faux hood scoop plopped onto the hood for this thing to make the Mach I cut. It’s definitely a field find, or maybe a field rediscovery as the seller is clear that he parked it, as it sits, 40 years ago (though the license plate is displaying a validation sticker from ’93). The body is pretty banged up though it doesn’t look as rotted, the top side at least, as one would expect. Then again, maybe it’s the Bondo. It’s hard to say what its born-with color was, the front green fenders may be replacements and the body looks slathered with black primer. Subjectively speaking, those may be the ugliest wheels that have ever ended up in my line of sight. BTW, I’ll never understand the “logic” of parking a car outside in the woods or a field and then just leaving it there. Sure, I’ve seen many in similar settings but that still doesn’t mean that I get it.
So, running 40 years ago was a 250 gross HP, 351 CI V8 engine attached to a C6 automatic transmission. The engine looks original and mostly complete but obviously untouched for a generation plus. There’s no mileage recording but it would be safe to assume that this Windsor V8 will need a complete rebuild, assuming that this motor is still viable.
The interior is about what one would expect, the upholstery is torn, the dash pad is cracked, the center console is in the back seat, the steering wheel looks like it’s about to fall to pieces, the headliner is dislodged and the floors are bare – at least their condition can be inspected. Expect a complete redo will be in order.
The seller adds, “Includes replacement passenger side window, Shelby side scoops, Shelby gauges in the console, and a few other misc. parts“. I’m not sure that’s going to be enough to “sweeten” the deal – this car’s a wreck and it’s really not a highly desirable version, though a ’69 fastback does have some cred in its most basic form. If I were ’69 Mustang hunting, I think I’d keep looking, how about you?
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Comments
Looks like it was actually “in” Silver Creek.
sitting in the tall grass, you know the rockers and floor boards are history.
Tin worm having a field day
This roach defines, ” Driven hard, put away wet.”
The location of the right rear wheel and tire tells me all is not well underneath. The lack of visible rust on the lower fenders and rocker panels could indicate this car is better than it looks. Wouldn’t give more than the present bid though.
Rear end is still correct. The car has the very rare “floating rear end” option, and the ultra rare rust fighting “tiger hair panel coating” and “fender flare enhancement coating” options.
Good for a recently divorced man. You will spend way too much time and money on it. Might keep him out of the bars and cat houses.
I think if you sent this out to the dipper it might come back in two pieces.
Well, that air cleaner and oil cap are newer than ’69, so who knows about the motor.
There be dragons here.
What a sad looking Pony car. Hope who ever gets it isn’t too disappointed.
What did it run over when it got parked? MGB, or a VW?
Just like the Titanic, ran when sunk
Or as they said at the Harland and Wollf shipyard in Belfast- “It was fine when it left here”
It was amazing though, once they found the Titanic, the ship’s pool still held water and was full.
That wasn’t parked, it was abandoned. There should be a law.
It has a Cleveland engine now, which was not yet available in 69.
Good sharp eye there.
+1, No 351 Cleveland was available in 1969 Mustang. Only 351 Windsor.
This is a long ways away from a Mecum moment.
She gone now. And I do not mean sold, I mean, gone, done, fork stuck in it.
Ran when parked*
*in a lake
Engine looks to me is a 289v8 not a Cleveland.
Front end looks out of wack. The unibody frames rusted really good around the shock towets according to co- worker who had one. I’d climb all under it and make sure of what’s there first…
I admire your bravery.
The 289 wasn’t available in a 69 Mustang. And both the Cleveland and Windsor 351’s were available in the 69 Mustang.
The 351C was not available in any 1969 Ford product. The 351C was not available until the 1970 model year.
Definitely not a SBF, 351 either a C or M based on air filter housing and valve cover breather cap.
That is a Cleveland for sure, the upper radiator hose is going into the block and not the intake like a Windsor. The 69 M code (4v) was a Windsor, which is the one that would have had a C6 like the ad states. The H code (2v) would have had an FMX tranny. I was not aware that any of those were Clevelands before 1970, but I certainly don’t pretend to know it all.
What kind of Human Beings do this to a car???