Where would the collector car world be today without the evergreen Ford Mustang? Single-handedly responsible for the creation of an entirely new category of automobiles—the pony car—and arguably introducing the world to small cars with big engines—the muscle cars—the Ford Mustang transformed the automotive landscape forever. Today, there are Ford guys and Chevy guys and Mopar guys, but the Mustang transcends all that, because there’s simply nobody who doesn’t love an early Mustang. They’re practical, stylish, fun to drive, insanely easy to service, and parts are readily available, making them the ultimate hobby car. They were never designed to live forever, as they were built down to a price rather than up to a standard, and that makes it doubly-important to buy a high-quality Mustang if you’re in it for the long haul.

This beautiful 1966 Ford Mustang coupe is one of those high-quality cars with a great pedigree, loads of factory options, and plenty of performance, all wrapped in a Candyapple Red body that’s the epitome of Mustang fun. It was restored to a very high standard by a Mustang expert in the late 1990s and probably collected more than its fair share of trophies at that time. It’s worth noting that all the sheetmetal is original to the car and none of it needed major surgery save for a front fender that was slightly creased and had to be replaced. It hails from sunny California and you already know what they say about cars from the Sunshine State, all of which is true. Clean floors, super straight quarters, rust-free doors, and all the fasteners came out without a fight, all things that are truly remarkable for anyone who has worked on a car from the northeast. The finish despite being more than 15 years old, still looks fantastic and needs nothing more than a quick wipe to be ready for the show field and the restoration photos show it being stripped to bare metal and rebuilt from there, so there are no nasty surprises underneath. The only notable flaw is a star-shaped imperfection on the right front fender, about the size of a pencil eraser, but if you don’t know where to look, good luck finding it! The color is exactly right, a bright fire-engine red, although the lights in our studio tend to make it look a little darker than it actually is. Rest assured, this is a high-profile Mustang that rightly deserves the attention it gets.

The black vinyl roof was there from new as well, although it, too, was brand new at the time of restoration and still looks fantastic. Restoration photos show no signs of trouble lurking underneath and it offers the correct grain and texture for an authentic look. Shiny chrome bumpers, a sharply detailed grille, and all the other brightwork remains in excellent condition with no pitting or notable deterioration and the stainless was all buffed to a high luster before being reinstalled. It proudly wears ‘289’ badges on the front fenders and it’s always nice to see an honest, original-spec Mustang that hasn’t been dressed up like a fake GT or a Shelby clone. If you like trophies, this car will probably earn you a few.

The car carries a correct standard black bucket seat interior, and some would argue that the standard woven vinyl inserts are more comfortable than the deluxe “Pony” seat covers, particularly on warm days. That’s all fairly academic in this Mustang, since it’s equipped with air-conditioning which has been there since it was built. The system is fully functional and filled with good old R12 refrigerant, so it’s effective and still looks original in every way. The seat covers and foam, door panels, carpets, and other soft parts were all replaced during the restoration, and there’s virtually zero wear on any of the surfaces and the seats still feel firm and comfortable. Other great options that have been in this car from the start include the center console and Rally-Pac on the steering column, which augments the factory gauges with a tachometer and clock, both of which work properly. In fact, everything works in this car, including the gauges (ammeters are particularly troublesome in early Mustangs, but this one works just fine!), all the courtesy lights, and even the factory AM/8-track “Stereosonic” radio which also has a hidden FM converter inside. It comes with a pair of 8-track tapes which we haven’t tested (we’ll leave that to the new owner) and a set of matching Mustang-logo rubber floor mats. There also seems to be plenty of sound insulation underneath, as this is one of the quietest Mustangs we’ve ever driven, a fact surely helped by the all-new weather seals and window channels so it seals up tightly. The trunk is outfitted with a correct mat and full-sized spare tire (an ancient redline!) on a matching styled steel wheel.

Although early Mustangs cannot be “matching numbers” in the traditional sense, we have no reason to believe this is not the car’s original A-code 289 cubic inch V8. With a 4-barrel carburetor and dual exhaust, it makes a robust 225 horsepower and about 280 pounds of torque, enough to make the lightweight Mustang feel downright muscular. The engine is fully rebuilt and runs superbly, starting quickly and idling smoothly even when it’s cold. It’s beautifully detailed, too, with correct Ford Blue on the engine block, valve covers, and air cleaner, all finished with reproduction decals for an accurate look. You’ll note that the fasteners and hardware used throughout are OEM, not hardware store junk, and the satin black inner panels are in as-new condition. The A/C compressor dominates the top of the engine bay, and just below it you’ll find the power steering pump, making this a Mustang you can drive every day. Little stuff like the spark plug wires, hoses and clamps, and even the coil are as the factory intended, although there’s now a Pertronix electronic ignition system inside the distributor for zero maintenance.

The transmission is a C4 3-speed automatic, which is unobtrusive in regular operation but is always standing by ready to snap down a gear to put a grin on your face. Out back, there’s an 8-inch rear with 3.00 gears inside, as well as a Track-Lok limited slip, which is also on the window sticker and how it was built. The floors are correct red oxide primer with just a hint of overspray, just like the factory did it, and while it’s not perfect, it could be easily taken up a notch or two with a weekend of cleaning and detailing if you want to head out onto the show field. Front disc brakes were added as well, making this car more or less a GT in sheep’s clothing, and more than a few more obvious muscle cars will surely be surprised by this tenacious little pony. It drives superbly, tracking straight and offering a very comfortable ride, and we wouldn’t hesitate to drive this car anywhere, anytime. The dual exhaust system sounds right and offers correct turn-downs under the rear valence. Styled steel wheels are in excellent condition and wear a set of brand new 205/70/14 blackwall radials that have less than 100 miles on them.

This Mustang is also documented with an original window sticker, restoration photo album, and a few other useful bits of information, making it a high-quality choice.

We keep coming back to that one word when we talk about this car: QUALITY. For a lot of guys, price is paramount and we understand that. But if you want the finest early Mustang we’ve ever seen, regardless of body style, then this one is worth a bit more. You couldn’t duplicate this car for the asking price and with all those factory options, it’s built exactly the way you would have done it back in 1966. This is a great deal of car for not a lot of money.