A 1966 Mustang that has been in the same place for the past forty years is now back in good shape and is still vying for a full restoration.
The car checks most of the boxes for a restoration candidate, however it isn’t a perfect 10 or a rust bucket either. In terms of metal, it appears better than many of the recent barn finds I’ve seen.
The floors already exhibit a few holes due to the rust invasion, but they otherwise look solid, so I believe regular patching would fix the damage. However, someone who wants to bring the pony back to factory specifications might want to install new floors altogether.
The car was parked in an old barn in northern New York for no less than four decades. The previous owner moved the Mustang to storage in 1983, and the car hasn’t moved since then. The seller recently pulled it, so the vehicle is now fighting for a chance to return to the road with the proper restoration.
It’s unclear if the Mustang is still complete, but the good news comes from the engine bay. The original engine and transmission are still there. The Mustang left the factory with a 289 unit paired with a 3-speed transmission.
The base engine for the 1966 Mustang was the 200 straight-six with 120 horsepower, while the 289, which came in two- and four-barrel variations, was the first engine in the V8 lineup. The improved carburetor enabled a power increase to 225 horsepower from the standard unit’s 200 horsepower. The HiPo variant of the 1966 Mustang, with a horsepower rating of 270, was the highest configuration.
Says the vehicle comes with intact seats, door panels, and dashboard, so restoring the cabin should be an easy job. You should obtain a more accurate picture of the car’s condition with an in-person inspection, especially because it’s unclear if it’s entirely original and all parts are still there. However, the Ford Mustang could make for an intriguing daily driver, as it seems to have all the pieces to get back on the road.
We don’t know if the engine at least turns over manually, but it no longer starts and lacks an air filter. According to the owner, the vehicle rolls readily when the transmission is in neutral, so towing it should be simple.