My love of classic cars stems from my dad buying a 1965 Ford Mustang when I was 14-years-old. It was a project car that ran well with an upgraded 302ci V8 but it was a little rough around the edges. It was a lovely shade of primer gray, had some funky Bondo work throughout the rear quarter panels, and the engine overheated in dreary Northern California weather. But ultimately all the moving parts were in order, and in hindsight I would now consider it a pretty solid car to restore.
My dad’s vehicle repair tutorials were brief. A short verbal description and then he would hand me the Haynes manual. My work was unsupervised, but he always checked my progress to make sure everything was going well with his pony car, and then test drive it around the block.
My work was limited to installing a larger radiator, fan, starter, and a lot of sanding before sending it off for a paint job. My dad wanted to send it to Earl Scheib for a $29.99 paint job but there wasn’t one in Sonoma County. Instead, we found a local establishment and it received a coat of sky blue.
Those were good times and started a love for cars that continues thirty years later. I recommend car projects to bring people together and the pick of the day needs some love, but it’s a great place to start.
The Pick of the Day is a 1965 Ford Mustang listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Cadillac, Michigan. The listing advises that the vehicle is at the client’s home, not at the showroom. (Click the link to view the listing)
“64,500 original miles, has sat for many yrs,” the listing states. “This car is complete but is still a project that is close to drivable. I have many new parts for car. I have a new head liner that needs installed, (New front windshield is installed.) (New rear window is installed.)
“UPDATE: Interior of car has been painted Wimbledon white. (NEW) Carpet is being installed, (NEW) Door panels are being installed with new door locks, ignition key, dash lock, and trunk lock all keyed (NEW). Car is complete.”
It’s powered by a six-cylinder engine paired with an automatic transmission, and the listing advises that the engine bay will be cleaned up soon. Based on the pictures and description the exterior needs some work and has a “small rust bubble behind rear tire area but not bad.”
This 1965 Ford Mustang is available for $11,495 and is a good base for a project car. Give it a shot, you might pass down a love of cars to the next generation.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
