Upgraded V8: 1965 Ford Mustang Fastback
This 1965 Ford Mustang Fastback started life as meek and mild family transport, but a previous owner transformed it into something significantly more muscular. It involved body modifications and an engine upgrade, but it has fallen on hard times. It needs a new owner with the vision and dedication to recapture its glory days. If you feel up for that challenge, you will find the Mustang listed here on eBay in Brooksville, Florida. Bidding sits below the reserve at $8,500, although there is a BIN option of $12,500 for those wishing to bypass the auction process.
This Mustang’s history is unclear, but it undoubtedly needs a large helping of TLC. The tired Wimbledon White paint represents the tip of the iceberg because there is the typical array of rust issues for the buyer to tackle. Areas impacted include many of the lower exterior extremities, the floors, the cowl, the rear rails, and the trunk pan. The repairs will consume many hours and a large stack of cash, but with steel readily available and affordable, it is common to see these cars dragged back from the brink. It is also worth noting some exterior modifications and whether they would stay or go. The seller believes the fender flares are from Maier Racing. They have that look, and the installer has done a nice job of integrating them. The side scoops are similar to those found on Shelby Mustangs and the GT/CS, but their origin is unclear. I typically prefer my classics unmodified, but with 77,079 Mustang Fastbacks rolling off the line in 1965, I accept that plenty will have received custom touches. Whether the additions stay or go will depend on the new owner’s desire for originality. However, changes below the skin may prove the catalyst for leaving the upgrades essentially untouched.
The VIN confirms this classic rolled off the line equipped with the T-Code six-cylinder powerplant that delivered 120hp and 190 ft/lbs of torque. It is unclear which transmission the original owner chose, but that is irrelevant once we lift the hood. The six has made way for a 351ci V8, with shifting duties falling to a four-speed manual transmission. The installer also swapped out the four-lug hubs and associated components with five-lugs to better cope with the additional power and torque. The specifications of this V8 are unknown, but it is fair to expect significant performance improvements. This Mustang isn’t roadworthy, and it may have been years since it saw active service. The seller found it effortless to coax the engine to life with starting fluid, but the vehicle doesn’t run or drive. However, with the engine needing to come out to repair the cowl rust, that would be the ideal time to inspect and rebuild anything suspect and to detail everything within an inch of its life.
I doubt that any aspect of this Mustang escaped the attention of its previous owner, and the interior is no exception. The seller believes the seats are from a Mach 1, but the door trims look original. Everything inside this classic is pretty dirty, so Job One will be to perform a deep clean. This will establish what is fit for reuse and whether a complete retrim is warranted. I’d be unsurprised if that’s the case, but at least high-quality replacement parts are readily available and affordable.
The new owner must draw a deep breath before tackling the revival of this 1965 Mustang Fastback. Some seem to remain undaunted by the prospect, with the car already receiving fifteen bids. That begs the question of what our loyal Barn Finds readers might do if they found it parked in their workshop. Would you perform a faithful restoration, ditching the body and mechanical modifications? Is a compromise more to your liking, retaining the drivetrain upgrades, but returning the exterior to its original form. Or would you throw caution to the wind and return it to its muscular best? There are no right or wrong answers, but do you feel strongly enough to turn your dream into reality?
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Comments
If you’ve got time and the skill to replace metal, this car could be a real steal. Fastback Mustang prices have gone through the roof. I’d fix the rust, leave the modifications on the body. A nice set of wheels, an original steering wheel and you’ve got a car worth 4x what you paid.
If they (fastback guys) are passing on it……maybe not a bad idea…..
Well, it looks like the 1/4’s will require work anyway, so…replace 1/4 panels or at least patch to loose the flares and lower rear 1/4 panel rust (good chance there is rust around the wheel openings), bolt on a replacement set of fenders, then the flare issue is resolved and you got new metal to boot. A close inspection would be warranted to see the extent of rust in floors and torque boxes. Those are the trouble areas for these mustangs. That could be the deal breaker considering the cowl area needs work too…Closer look at the ad pics indicate floors were already patched and need work again. that along with the cowl and 1/4’s would require lots of time with the cutoff wheel and welder. Getting into the labor of love thing again.
No torque boxes on 65/66 Mustangs.
I do like the flares gives the car a more “coke bottle” styling, but like Poncho said, because of the rust repair required they would have to come off anyway. I’d keep the V-8 and customize this car though because a nice restomod fastback is worth more than a stock straight six version. Won’t get into what all isn’t stock on this one because it wasn’t built to appear stock, but I will say the GT/CS didn’t come out till 1968. Those side scoops are Shelby style, and given that the modifications were done so long ago as evidenced by all the rust now, my bet would be the scoops are probably by Tony D. Branda. Back in the 1980’s and 90’s they were about the only place to go for Shelby reproduction fiberglass parts.
There is way more rust than the seller suggests. Any time the top of the inner fenders are cropped out of an engine compartment picture you can bet money it’s due to rust through in the area before or after the shock towers. The rust through on the top of the firewall as well as the oxidation on the engine are telltale signs this is the the case. Good luck to the future owner.
Steve R
I often tell folks that the condition of the inner fenders where they overlap the shock towers is a good indicator of the overall level of rust in an early Mustang. If there’s rust-through in those areas, you can bet that the car will need floors, frame rails, trunk panels, wheelhouses, cowl repairs, and quarter panels.
You’d like to hope this car hasn’t been sitting around long with the oil filler caps off the rocker covers or that the engine was started without checking for rusty cylinders first. If the engine is damaged in any way it will take away anything this car is worth.
Engines are cheap. If you did restorations you’d understand that
This car has waaay more rust than average, this isn’t rusting in the normal spots…it’s everywhere! Looks like it either sat next to the Atlantic Ocean for a long period of time or could be damaged from a storm surge. There is not a single panel missing penetrating rust, including the roof. All this along with the engine innards exposed as Bob pointed out, better do your homework on this one. Get it on a lift, if it don’t break in half in the process.
I’d revive the metal with stock-looking sheetmetal & give it a re-spray in white.
Rust bucket / bondo buggy for sure, you will be money ahead to start with a better car…
I dont know what is going on around the VIN photo on Craigslist. Looks like undercoating or a thick paint was globbed on, but that would have obscured the last digits of the serial numbers. Makes me wonder what numbers will actually be found when the stuff is removed!
Extrapolating the serial numbers from a couple known mustangs built in Oct 1964 from the San Jose plant (same plant as this car), this mustang was built some time in August ’64. So one of the first fastback to hit the road.
I have the same sun pro tach in my 1971 chevelle!
If there were pictures of the trunk, that would probably show how bad off this is. What is sure: the rust unseen is probably more than what is seen. Why no pictures of the front?
Much better can be had.
Removing the engine won’t help with the cowl repairs. Typical Mustang cowl rust is inside the cowl, which was left unpainted at the factory. The only way to repair it properly is to remove the windshield, the dash pad, and the top of the cowl.
Wow buying a whole lot of rust there. Not feasible to restore like original , you might be upside down in it for value being a six cylinder car as produced. That leaves just building a steet rod. Is it worth it ! to pay the 12,500 for it. You might be buying just a fastback roof and glass ! But I always thought a big bad big block early mustang would be really cool in a street machine on a budget. So fix the rust only in cowl, and exterior sheet metal. Remove the compete rusted floor pan including frame sections and suspension they all need help anyway because of rust!
Swap a donor gm G body frame and donor floors ( rust free ) I can say that because I’m around west coast rust free donor cars. That leave a big engine bay for the big block and your off to the races. 😄
That ‘Stang is a thrasher! Hard pass!
Wow, got instant Hot Rod magazine Mustang vibes when I saw this! Nice to know that one is still around:
https://www.motortrend.com/features/1706-former-1965-mustang-hot-rod-project-car-is-new-again/
GLWTS
If the structural underside is rusted out, Find a Crown Victoria, strip the body off keeping the firewall and floor pan and shorten it to match the Mustang wheel base, then make the Mustang body fit the Crown Vic floor etcetera.