Expertly built resto-mod. 289 built to 271 horsepower specs, 4-speed manual, front disc brakes, upgraded wheels and tires. Beautiful paint and bodywork, new OEM interior. Runs and drives great, very fast. A fun early Mustang ready to hit the road!

Hard to go wrong with a bright red 1965 Mustang with a V8 up front and Shelby-style stripes on top. Recently finished, this cool little coupe is priced way out of proportion to what it must have cost to get it here. The bodywork is laser-straight, the doors close with authority, and everything lines up quite nicely. A few Shelby styling tweaks like the hood scoop, grille, hood pins, and side scoops give it an aggressive look and make it feel like it was born that way. The two-stage urethane paint has a brilliant shine that was carefully color-sanded and buffed, and those silver stripes are under the clear so it feels almost seamless. IN back, a GT-style valence with exhaust cut-outs helps with the purposeful look and it wears “Hi Performance 289” badges on the front fenders, a nod to the rather potent V8 under the hood (it’s probably worth noting that this is an original A-code car). Nice chrome bumpers, those cool crystal clear headlights, and LED taillights give it a crisp, finished appearance and suggest that nobody was interested in cutting corners when this one went together.

Aside from the custom door sills and the shifter that shows five gears instead of four, this Mustang is largely stock inside. New upholstery, including door panels, seat covers, carpets, and headliner, all replicate the factory pieces so it looks and feels suitably vintage. The wood-rimmed wheel is a little fatter than stock, so it feels great in your hands and the slightly oversized diameter makes the steering effortless and communicative. A factory console houses a Hurst shifter with a cue ball knob atop the 4-speed manual transmission, and custom kick panels are fitted with speakers for the modern AM/FM/cassette stereo. Factory gauges, including a vintage Rally-Pac, monitor the warmed-over 289, although sadly, the clock isn’t working. Mustang-logo floor mats help keep it tidy and the trunk is outfitted with a proper plaid mat. Look underneath that mat and you’ll find completely solid sheet metal, proper cardboard filler panels, and a new gas tank (which also doubles as the floor of the trunk).

This car comes by the ‘289’ emblems honestly, because it was born with a 225 horsepower A-code V8. However, during the rebuild, it was upgraded to 271 horsepower specifications, including a slightly lopey cam and a big 4-barrel carburetor on top. It isn’t radical and we even hesitate to call it a ‘resto-mod’ but you will certainly appreciate the upgrades when you’re rowing it through the gears. It starts easily and has a definite high-performance rumble to the dual exhaust, which features long-tube headers and Flowmaster mufflers. There’s a thick aluminum radiator up front to keep it cool and a few chrome dress-up items make it worthwhile to pop the hood and show off a bit. The aforementioned 4-speed manual transmission shifts beautifully and highway cruising is relaxing with 3.00 gears out back. Front disc brakes with a dual reservoir master cylinder were added, along with a slightly oversized front sway bar, so handling is tidy without being harsh. Floors are clean, the torque boxes are solid, and all the lines and hoses are new. 15-inch chrome Torque Thrust wheels are a great period look and they’re outfitted with staggered 215/65/15 front and 235/60/15 rear Uniroyal radials.

Nicely built, fun to drive, and surprisingly fast, this Mustang does everything well. The look will almost stop traffic and inside it’s as comfortable as any other Mustang you’ll drive. If you appreciate a car that lives up to the hype, then this Mustang is for you. Call today!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.