3041 original miles (not a typo). 5.0 with 5-speed. Awesome first-year Mustang GT convertible that’s beautifully preserved. Recently serviced, runs and drives extremely well. This legendary 5.0 is ready to enjoy this summer!

This is the car that started it all—the Mustang 5.0. Ford reintroduced performance with the Mustang GT and the 5.0 became the ‘80s version of the small block Chevy. Easy to modify, insanely fast, and extremely durable. The Fox body Mustang was light and agile, making it a fantastic combination if you love to drive. And the only way the Mustang GT could be better is by cutting off the roof, which is exactly what happened in 1983. Ford used an outside contractor, ASC, to create these first-year ragtops so they’re a little different than the later cars and that’s all part of the appeal. This particular 1983 Mustang GT was obviously something special to someone, because he (or she) squirreled it away with just 3041 miles on the clock (and no, that’s not a misprint). It remained in storage, protected and warm for 27 years until it was disinterred in 2023 and brought back to light. The factory Bright Red paint was buffed and looks fantastic, especially with the satin black hood accent which gives the Mustang an old school muscle car look. You’ll note that the nose is a slightly different color, which wasn’t unusual since the urethane bumpers and the body were painted at different times in different factories. We love the clean lines, especially the trunk, which does without the clumsy trunk rack and third brake light of the later cars. It presents like a low-mileage car: the doors close with a satisfying click, the door handles operate with a crispness that you’ve probably forgotten, and there’s no evidence that it has ever been hit or wrecked and certainly it’s never been rusty. This is as close to 1983 as you can get today.

The interior is where the Fox Mustangs show their superiority over their competition. Sure, it’s a bit more upright but there’s great visibility and those sport seats are as comfortable as they look. The upholstery is in fantastic condition and the seats remain firm and comfortable, and the cloth is a cooler choice than leather or vinyl in a convertible. This particular GT is pretty well optioned, including power windows and locks, cruise control, A/C, a tilt steering column, and a decent-sounding AM/FM/cassette stereo. A full set of gauges was standard equipment in the GT, as was the information center at the base of the center console, which tells you when light bulbs have burned out, fluids are getting low, and stuff like that. Since the convertible was outsourced, it has a curious combination of power front windows and manual crank rear windows (another 1983-only feature), but once they’re all down and the power convertible top is stowed, it delivers an awesome open-air experience. That’s the original convertible top and it’s in fantastic condition and the factory boot is included, although it’ll need a few hours in the sun to stretch out enough to be installed. The trunk is modest but includes the original spare that’s never been used.

But the real reason you buy a Mustang is for the torque factory living under the hood: the legendary 5.0. In 1983, it was topped by a good old 4-barrel carburetor and looks and acts like the great engines of the ‘60s. Thanks to a freshly rebuilt carb, a new fuel pump, and a full tune-up of the ignition system, it starts quickly and easily and idles with a bit of a lope that says this isn’t a gentle 4-cylinder model. The engine bay is super clean and totally stock, with details like the hose clamps and plug wires being correct FoMoCo parts. Obviously it has never been wrecked or rusty and the inner panels are in fantastic shape with all the factory markings still visible. It’s backed by a slick-shifting T5 5-speed manual gearbox (another first for 1983, replacing the hated SROD 4-speed) and feeds 3.27 gears out back, which give it plenty of punch. You’ll note that the floors are unmarked and most of the factory markings and stickers are still visible and even the exhaust is still OEM. There’s some surface scale on the heavy metal parts, some of which is the result of factory “pickling” and it’s worth noting that the gas tank was removed and cleaned. Experts will spot the 16-inch SN-95 Mustang wheels, which are 5-lug, and yes, this car has been converted to 5-lug hubs, but the original TRX wheels and Michelin tires are included. That’s the lone modification and it’s really not a bad one.

Survivors are special. They feel different and this Mustang is no exception. There’s a crispness to the controls—you’ve never felt such sharp detents in the climate control as you will on this car. There are no squeaks and rattles, even for a convertible. The steering is silky smooth. And all that is impossible to restore back into a car. And for Fox Mustang fans, 1983 was a special year with a lot of firsts—as if Ford decided to get serious about performance all at once. This is a very cool car with lots of fun yet to enjoy. Call today!

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