Ford Mustang, first generation (1965 to 1968)

Ford launched the Mustang in April 1964 as an early 1965 model, and in doing so created the "pony car": a compact, sporty two-door built on simple, cheap mass-production running gear from the Falcon, with a long options list that let buyers turn a modest six-cylinder runabout into a quick V8 grand tourer. It was an enormous hit in America and has become one of the most recognised cars of the 1960s.

The first cars came as a notchback hardtop (usually called the coupé) and a convertible, with the fastback following a few months later. Ford enlarged the body for 1967, making it longer and wider and making room for the big-block 390 V8, and the 1968 cars brought the 302 V8, federal safety equipment and the 428 Cobra Jet.

Driven today, a six-cylinder car is pleasant and easy rather than fast. A V8 with the optional handling parts feels lively, though the steering is light and slow and the standard drum brakes need planning ahead. The cars are mechanically simple, the engines are under-stressed, and almost every part is reproduced, which is why so many survive. Ford did not sell the Mustang in Britain until 2015, so every early car here is an import, and many arrived from the USA in recent decades. That makes paperwork and specification checks as important as the metalwork.

• Years built: April 1964 to 1968 for this review. Cars built in 1964 carry 1965 model-year identification.
• Body styles: hardtop (coupé), fastback and convertible.
• Six-cylinder engines: 170 cu in (2.8 litres) at launch, replaced by the 200 cu in (3.3 litres); the 1967 200 was rated at 120bhp.
• V8 engines: early 260 cu in (4.3 litres); 289 cu in (4.7 litres) in several states of tune, including 200bhp two-barrel, 225bhp four-barrel and the 271bhp K-code; 390 cu in (6.4 litres) from 1967 at 320bhp; 302 cu in (4.9 litres) from 1968 at 210 or 230bhp; 428 Cobra Jet in 1968, rated at 335bhp. Figures are period gross ratings.
• Gearboxes: three-speed manual, optional four-speed manual, and the Cruise-O-Matic automatic. The 1967 data plate codes list the C4 and the heavier C6 automatic.
• Brakes: drums as standard; front discs optional on V8s from 1965, with a dual-circuit system on 1967 cars.
• Production: autoevolution puts 1967 and 1968 output at close to 800,000 including Shelbys. Year-by-year figures vary between sources.

• 1965 (from April 1964): hardtop and convertible, fastback added later in the production year. GT Equipment Package with fog lamps in the grille, five-dial instruments, stripes, handling package and front discs. The "Pony" interior arrived during 1965.
• 1966: new grille texture, revised side-scoop trim and wheel covers, five-pod instruments standard, reversing lamps standard. A two-barrel C-code 289 was offered.
• 1967: bigger body on the same 108in wheelbase, with a larger grille, concave tail panel and new dashboard. 390 V8 option. Options included air conditioning, tilt-away steering wheel and a fold-down rear seat for the fastback.
• 1968: minor trim changes, energy-absorbing two-spoke steering wheel and shoulder belts. 302 V8 introduced, 428 Cobra Jet added. From 1968 the VIN also appears on a windscreen tag.

Bodywork and structure

The Mustang is a monocoque, so rust is structural. Specialists list the rear chassis rails and the "drop-off" panels where the boot floor meets the rear quarters first, followed by the floorpans and the floor-to-bulkhead seam. The scuttle (cowl) below the windscreen is the classic weak spot: if the seller allows it, pour water into the vents at the back of the bonnet and watch whether it drains below the front wing or into the footwell, usually the nearside. Look at the front chassis rails by the radiator support, the battery tray and the inner wing below it, the shock towers, door bottoms, lower front wings and boot lid. Convertibles have extra sill bracing that rots and often suffer poor door gaps. Poor repairs with glassfibre patches or heavy filler are common, so use a magnet. Cars from dry states may be sound underneath but have bleached paint and sun-damaged trim.

Engine

Both the six and the V8s are robust and parts are easy to get. Check for oil leaks, especially at the rear main seal, coolant loss and blue smoke. Count the wheel studs: V8 cars use five-stud hubs and sixes four-stud, so a V8 on four studs is almost certainly a converted six. Conversions are common and not necessarily bad, but they matter if the car is described as original. Engine codes and part numbers should match the VIN and data plate if originality is claimed.

Gearbox and drivetrain

The manual and automatic boxes are considered robust. Check that the automatic engages promptly and that the manual changes cleanly. Listen for whine from the back axle and clonks from worn mounts. Ask about the axle ratio, which is coded on the data plate.

Suspension, steering and brakes

Look for leaking dampers, perished bushes and sagging springs. Some free play in the steering is normal, but the box should not leak and the play should not be excessive. Pre-1967 manual cars had no brake servo. Find out whether the car has drums or front discs and whether that matches its specification. Many cars carry tyres older than ten years, which should be replaced whatever the tread depth.

Electrics and interior

Test the lights, gauges, wipers, heater and any air conditioning. Check vinyl for splits, carpets and headlining for wear, and the seat belts.

For UK use, lighting is the main legal issue on US imports. Under MOT rules, a vehicle first used before 1 September 1965 may have red rear indicators combined with the stop lamps, but anything first used after that date must have amber rear indicators. A 1967 car therefore needs converting, and a previous MOT pass does not mean it complies. Also ask whether the headlamps have been altered for UK use.

Identity and paperwork

On a 1967 car the VIN is stamped on the driver's side inner wing apron and repeated on the data plate on the driver's door. The VIN carries the model-year digit, assembly plant letter (F Dearborn, R San Jose, T Metuchen), two-digit body code (01 hardtop, 02 fastback, 03 convertible), engine letter (for example C two-barrel 289, A four-barrel 289, K high-performance 289, S 390, T 200 six) and a sequence number. The data plate also gives body and seat type, paint, trim, build date, sales district, axle and transmission codes. Look at the plate's rivets, as replaced plates are a known problem. For 1967 on, a Marti Report from Ford's production records can confirm the original specification.

For a car newly imported or registered, the VIN must match across the US title, the NOVA import notification and the V55/5 application. DVLA needs dating evidence, normally the original foreign title. A car built before 1 January 1986 can qualify for the historic tax class, and one more than 40 years old may be MOT exempt if not substantially changed; a V8 conversion may count as a substantial change, so ask.

Parts supply is outstanding. Reproduction panels, trim, interiors and mechanical parts are made in large numbers, mostly by US suppliers, so allow for shipping and import duty. UK specialists in classic Mustangs and American cars handle restoration and servicing, and one recommends an annual or 12,000-mile service with a fuller service at 30,000 miles. The main UK club is the Mustang Owners Club of Great Britain, founded in 1979 and open to all Mustang years: mocgb.net (opens in a new tab).

• Does the VIN on the inner wing match the door data plate, the V5C and any US title or NOVA record?
• Is the engine the one coded in the VIN, and if not, what was the car originally?
• Have the rear indicators been converted to amber, and when did the car last pass an MOT?
• What rust repairs have been done to the scuttle, floors and rear rails, and are there photographs?
• Is there a Marti Report or other documentation to support the claimed specification?