Presented before you is a grand opportunity to acquire one of the most iconic American automobiles of all time, the 1965 (1964-1/2) Ford Mustang convertible, the automobile that sparked the Pony car revolution. This is considered an "early" car, better known by enthusiast as the 1964-1/2 edition. 1964 built Mustangs are noted for a few nuances that will not be found on the later models – which gradually vanished as Ford began to tweak certain attributes of the body, drivetrain and interior.

These very sought after models were all built prior to July 31st, 1964. The most notable change is the transition from a Generator to an Alternator which, by most Mustang enthusiasts standards, is considered the model delineator when perusing a genuine 1964-1/2 model. Another highly sought after feature of the early models are those Mustangs equipped with the ultra rare Ford 260V8, such as found in this example. All Mustangs equipped with the coveted 260V8 were coded with an "F" in the VIN number to verify the engine selection. Only early Mustangs were fitted with the Ford 260V8.

Other less discernible differences are also noted. These include, to name but a few, the white "A" on the fresh air knob, the smaller "T" handle on the shifting lever for automatic transmissions, the clip-on style door handles and window cranks (phased out over time), the "GEN' warning light, the sharp leading edge of the hood, large twin horns mounted on the lower portion of the chassis, Eaton power steering pumps, cast iron water pump pulleys (most, but not all), oil wicks on the distributor, and most notable, the louvered battery cooling vents located on the radiator support panel.

This particular example was built at the Dearborn assembly plant on July 8th and has traversed a mere 38,197 miles from new which is documented via a paper trail which begins with the second owner when it was purchased on July 11, 1967. The car was later sold by that owner on November 14th, 1977 with 21,000 notarized miles after ten years of dutiful ownership. From there, chassis number 191042 changed hands only three more times (the names and date of purchase for each sequential owner will be included in the paperwork that accompanies the sale of the automobile). Each change of ownership included notations with regards to the total miles accumulated over the last 50 years. Also included in the documentation are receipts for repairs and restoration parts, piles of Oklahoma registrations, copies of past titles, and a brief letter from two of the previous owners reinforcing the current mileage. The original radio is also included.

To further solidify this fantastic example, the car runs and drives beautifully and has retained much of its originality. The power top works flawlessly, the lights, brakes, turn signals, horn and other items work as they should and as you would expect for a Mustang with 38,197 miles. The vinyl convertible top is also brand new and has only been put down to test the fitment. The engine is reported to have been refreshed with new components as needed; as well as much of the front end and suspension. The engine is believed to be the original 260V8, which has also retained the factory data tag. New shocks can be found on all four corners as well as new springs up front. Much of the interior is new and the front seats are incredibly supportive and correctly restored. The chassis shows as original and is not covered in undercoating. The body is simply wonderful as the car originally hailed from the dry state of Oklahoma, which is also stated on the data tag as the District Sales Office (DSO). It also, via the paper trail, spent some of its gentle life in Arizona before finding its way to Wisconsin, where the car was ultimately refreshed in 2006. The body shows no signs of fatigue or significant repairs and retains an older lacquer paint application which is holding up very well given the age of the presentation. It has also been freshly detailed and buffed. The shut lines and body panels line up very well, the doors open and close with ease and the body is incredibly straight.

This car is coming out of a private collection and has been with the current owner since January of 2007. It was driven less than 50 miles during that time and always properly stored in a climate controlled facility. One would be hard-pressed to find a finer example that has not been fully restored, especially an early 1964-1/2 Mustang with just over 38,000 miles showing on the odometer that can be driven and enjoyed … just as Mr. Ford intended.

Please note: The current Wisconsin title will state odometer exempt due to the age of the vehicle.

Decodes as follows:

76A - Convertible with standard interior J - Rangoon Red 08G - July 8th, 1964 (Near the end of the "1964-1/2" production run)

65 - Oklahoma City (DSO)

1 - Conventional Axle 3.00:1

6 - Dual Range C4 Automatic

The original engine tag decodes as follows:

260 V-8

1965 (Model Year)

U.S. Built

1964 (engine production year)

June (engine production month)

Code 492-B = 260-cid V-8 2bbl