1965 Ford Mustang Fastback

Imported from the ‘States in 2018, this delightful Ford Mustang Fastback spent its early years in Denver, Colorado, one of the country’s dry, rust-free states.

Built in the first year of ‘Fastback’ production, it was delivered to its first owner on the 22nd of May 1965 and is still finished in its original colours of Burgundy (code: X) with a red interior (code: 23). The VIN suggests the car started life as a 6 Cylinder, then a 302ci V8 was installed 20,000 miles ago when it was still in the US

A reluctant sale, the vendor tells us that it’s never let him down and has been “exceptional” in the two years he’s owned it.

The body is really very good, so good in fact that it’s almost certainly had some work over the years. That’s not a bad thing, especially when it’s been completed to this standard.

Shutlines are good, and the flanks are straight and free of ripples and the sort of damage that comes with careless ownership. As you can see, the burgundy paint gleams and the overall effect is excellent.

The badges, lamp lenses and glazing are all as good as you could wish for too, and the brightwork, including those gorgeous bumpers, is good.

Even the 14-inch chrome wheels are nice and shiny still and they’re not just cosmetically pleasing because they’re shod with it four 225/60R14 BF Goodrich Radial T/A tyres, all of which have good tread on ‘em.

(Nice to see Old School 60-profile sidewalls too, isn’t it?)

Faults? Well, aside from the inevitable stonechips there is the odd spot of orange peel (#33) and some microblistering (i.e. #114 and #132). Localised paintwork repairs could sort this and if combined with a decent machine polish a vast improvement could be made without having to respray the whole thing.

Other issues? Well, panel fit is a bit variable but then they were when they were built. That said, the area around the rear nearside taillight looks to have taken a nudge at some point, and while there’s evidence of repairs the panels and bumper remain out of alignment.

The red cabin is in a remarkably good condition with no rips, tears or other damage to the seats and only the gentlest of patination. The leatherette seats are still firm and springy and are hinged with the most glorious chrome brackets we’ve seen in a long time, brackets that allow the front seats to pivot out of the way with the Mustang’s distinctive corkscrew movement.

The door-cards are in fine condition, as are the carpets and headlining – and with the exception of the latter, which is tan, it’s very red in there and all the better for being so brilliantly OTT.

The wood-rimmed and heavily dished steering wheel is every bit as wonderful as the rest of the interior, and it, along with the chrome shifter for the Cruise-O-Matic auto ‘box and the switchgear, provide suitably tactile interfaces ‘twixt man and machine.

There’s not much to an original Mustang in terms of instrumentation, so a previous owner installed a trio of aftermarket Sun dials to monitor oil pressure, temperature and charging, while a steering column-mounted Sun Super Tach II rev counter lets the driver know how far they’re pushing that glorious V8. (Put there, presumably, for anyone too deaf to hear it…)

A modern but period-looking digital radio sits front and centre and is only there we assume to provide some background music while you’re making out with your partner at the drive-in.

Work to do is minor and depends entirely on your feelings about cars showing their age. For example, the paint shows some imperfection near the radio (#168), the headlining could do with being tightened up (#205), and one of the door cards has a small area of colour loss (#251).

The Mustang had a replacement 302ci V8 installed 20,000 miles ago when it was still in the USA and it remains in good health, we are told.

It’s mated to a recently rebuilt Cruise-O-Matic automatic transmission and breathes through an Edelbrock inlet manifold and carburettor. An MSD electronic ignition and a high-stall torque convertor further boost the Mustang’s specification.

Most recently serviced in February this year by Fourways Engineering, the nigh-on £500 bill has left the Mustang running well.

But even that hefty bill for servicing pales into insignificance when you look at the bill from the same garage for almost £2,000 for suspension work and carburettor tuning in 2021.

The year before saw the Mustang rack up another big bill, this time for servicing and miscellaneous work – and 2018 saw an even bigger one for overhauling the gearbox in addition to some suspension work and tuning by Cheshire-based American car specialist E.G. Wright Motor Engineering. The propshaft has been refurbished too, and it’s had a new battery.

Please take the time to browse through the many invoices on file but, in short, it’s been treated well and has had its suspension optimized for use on British roads, which we feel is another sign of diligent curation.

As you’d expect given all this work, it’s enormous fun and an absolute hoot to drive with a wonderful engine and exhaust note. Please take the time to watch the video to the very end, and crank up the volume from 3:32 onwards; as a previous owner stated: “it’s the Brian Blessed of Mustangs” and is more of an event than mere transport, never failing to draw a crowd.

The engine bay is very nicely presented, detailed enough to draw admiring glances but not even close to being obsessive. It’s a nicely considered area and we admire whoever specified it.

The underside confirms our suspicions that the car has had some paintwork as there’s a touch of overspray here and there. It looks to be in a decent condition though and is well protected by underseal in most places and a fastidious owner might want to extend that coverage to the areas where it has flaked off.

As well as the Mustang’s UK V5 registration document, it also comes with three reminders of its time Stateside, all of which are awards from car shows: the Yesterday’s Cars for Rock & Roll Stars ‘Best in Show’ from 1990; a second place at the 2002 Tri-County Mustang Club’s Ponies by the Sea; and a Class Award at the 13th Annual Yellow Rose Classic, also in 2002.

The Mustang doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have it MoT’d at the earliest opportunity. The cost of an MoT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic vehicle, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies…

A real survivor, this is one of just 71,303 built in the first year of production, something that makes it – if you discount the hugely expensive Shelby variants - one of the most desirable of them, so we can see this Mustang drawing an awful lot of interest.

It’s also been the recipient of a lot of money in the past few years - and all of it spent with the right people. “I’ve been using it about twice a month, including a long run to Battle in Sussex and back as part of the annual Tonbridge Classic Car Rally and it’s never let me down”, says the vendor. “It also sounds incredible, something those following me in the convoy were quick to point out!”

In need of only light cosmetic titivation as and when funds and motivation collide, we think it’s going to sell for between £24,000 to £30,000, which sounds like fine value.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.