1965 Ford Mustang

Description

With all the merely "pleasant" 1965 Mustangs around, it's nice to see one that walks with some swagger. Dig the stance, the black paint, the great-running 302 full of the good stuff, and upgraded interior that makes no excuses for being what it is. The only thing it doesn't have is a pack of Luckys rolled up in its shirt sleeve.

Basic black always looks good, but on this car, it's really more of a disguise. A low-profile coupe with serious blasting powder under the hood doesn't really need to advertise. Since most guys will have low expectations of the simple Mustang, it's easy to take advantage of them. Of course, that doesn't mean the bodywork isn't straight, because it is, and it's obvious that considerable time and effort were invested in the look. It's not perfect, but it does have a wonderful soft shine that could almost pass for original paint if this were some garage queen, and the sheetmetal really is quite straight. It also carries a nice batch of chrome, including the bumpers, trim, and quarter panel insert, as well as a new GT grille with correct fog lamps and subtle '302' badges in place of the original '289' emblems on the fender. Out back, you get LED taillights to match the crystal-clear headlights, and a slight tint on the windows helps with the purposeful look.

More significant investment happened inside, where the most obvious upgrade are those supportive red bucket seats. Black-on-red is an awesome color combination and those late-model buckets look pretty darned good in the vintage Mustang's interior. Matching red door panels, carpets, and rear seat with "Pony" upholstery really dress up the simple little Mustang. Other smart upgrades include fat wood-rimmed steering wheel, under-dash A/C, and an AM/FM that feeds a pair of speakers on the package shelf. Factory GT-style gauges give you the ability to keep an eye on the fresh 302 up front and look good doing it and the woodgrained inserts warm things up just a little. Meanwhile, the trunk is fully carpeted to help control noise, and it includes a full-sized spare tire assembly.

Also known as the 5.0, the 302 cubic inch V8 under the hood has a serious investment in performance between its finned valve covers. This is an original C-code car, so nobody will notice the slight upgrade, and with a factory-style open-element air cleaner, it still looks very much like Ford could have built it. There's now a 4-barrel carburetor in there to help build power, as well as a fresh dual exhaust system with mellow-sounding mufflers that are just about right. A C4 3-speed automatic turns an 8-inch rear end and please note how clean the floors are. Power steering is always a welcome addition in a V8 Mustang, with this car also carrying power front disc brakes for safety. And few wheels dress up a Mustang as well as the traditional Cragar SS, which on this car wear fresh Firestone rubber.

Fast fun in a universally loved shell, all for a reasonable price. Treat it as the foundation of something incredible or just take it out and tear up some pavement, it's hard to make a mistake with an early Mustang like this. Call today!