My favorite car of all time is the original Ford Mustang. While fastbacks and convertible prices have reached stratospheric levels, the Mustang coupes from 1964 (and a half) to 1968 can still be found for modest sums. Don’t be fooled by its lower price. Mustang coupes, at any price, should be granted full respect in the lineup.
If Ford sold the original Mustang coupe as a new car today, every dealership in the country would be flooded with orders. If that’s the case, then why are early coupes still so affordable—while their fastback and convertible brethren are so pricey? Most car buffs say that the coupes were produced in much greater numbers, so they are less desirable.
This 1964 1/2 Mustang coupe, needing some work, recently sold for $2,800.
Okay, but it’s been more than a half-century since the original was introduced (in April 1964). Millions were indeed produced—but millions were also wrecked, junked, and crushed. Rust has claimed so many Mustangs that its nickname is often Rustang, especially on the weather-challenged east coast. My hunch is that a lot more fastbacks and convertibles were saved from the crusher than coupes, which helps even the balance.
Bidding for this 1964.5 Mustang coupe, a project car, ended at $2,550.
Given this situation, and just how many Mustangs of all kinds are being restored by adoring fans, the higher price tag for fastbacks and convertibles—and lower cost for coupes—doesn’t make sense. The market hasn’t caught on to this yet. But when it does, the days of cheap Mustang coupes will come to an end.
Here’s a survivor 1964 Mustang coupe with original paint. Bidding went to $12,000.
All early Mustangs have those great mid-century Detroit lines. It’s time to recognize that all of them—regardless of style and engine option—are worthy of loving restoration. And as long as the coupe version’s lower price makes it a bargain, you might as well enjoy the beauty for less money, and invest those savings in bringing a classic Mustang back to its original glory.
See 1965 Ford Mustang Cars for sale on eBay.
