Barn find just out of 30-year storage! 64,942 miles. 351 Cleveland V8 with automatic. Power steering, brakes, and top. Nice interior and paint. Serviced so it runs and drives well. A very affordable Mustang convertible that just needs some TLC!

Barn finds continue to be the holy grail of the old car hobby, and this 1973 Ford Mustang convertible certainly qualifies. Found on a horse farm in rural Ohio, it has been parked for nearly 30 years. The good news is that it was sheltered from the elements, so the paint, interior, and top are in great condition with age-appropriate wear but no major issues. We believe the 64,942 miles showing on the odometer are an accurate number, so being in storage all those years also helped keep the mileage down. It’s wearing what we believe to be mostly original code 5H Medium Brown Metallic paint, with only the driver’s door appearing to have been repainted at some point in the past (it’s an excellent match, our only clue is a little bit of overspray on the door jamb). The sheetmetal is in good condition with no major dents or dings, no signs of botched bodywork underneath, and you should hear the way these doors close! SOLID. No sagging uni-body here! Remarkably, the urethane front bumper is in excellent condition with no cracking or delaminating, and the chrome and stainless trim shined up nicely. It’s certainly not a perfect car, but it’s a great place to start if you want a fun old Mustang ragtop.

The code CF Ginger Corinthian vinyl interior is in fantastic condition showing modest wear and evidence of being out of the sun for all those years. There are no splits or tears in the factory upholstery, the door panels aren’t cracking and falling apart, the dash pad is quite nice, and even the original carpets cleaned up pretty well. It’s worth noting that everything works, including the AM/FM stereo radio, although the rubber on the rim-blow horn is a little brittle so the horn isn’t terribly reliable. The back seat is equally nice and the seat belts are reasonably supple. Gauges cover only the basics of speed and fuel level, but all the idiot lights appear to be operational, as are the headlights, marker lights, signals, and wipers. The black power convertible top features a glass rear window and again, there are no splits or tears in the top, and it stows under a matching vinyl boot that fits well. The trunk needs a mat, but does include what appears to be the original spare tire on a color-matched wheel.

The engine is an H-code 351 cubic inch V8 with a 2-barrel carburetor, and for those Ford fans out there, yes, it’s a Cleveland. It’s entirely original under the hood, so it isn’t shiny and clean, but the engine does run smoothly and pulls the relatively lightweight Mustang around with vigor. Some service work has been done since it was removed from storage, including an oil change, a rebuilt carburetor, fresh gas, a battery, and a new brake master cylinder, but if you’re going to use the car regularly we would recommend a more thorough service, including all new fluids just to be sure it’s clean inside. It starts easily and doesn’t show any signs of distress, again reinforcing the car’s relatively low mileage. The FMX 3-speed automatic transmission shifts cleanly and with 2.75 gears in the 9-inch rear end, it’s a comfortable cruiser that always feels relaxed. The undercarriage is a bit crusty and grimy, but the structural elements are completely solid, the floors are not rotted or perforated, and the torque boxes are sound. The exhaust system is probably original and it’s completely shot, so maybe invest in a great-sounding dual exhaust setup and add a little horsepower while you’re at it. Factory 14-inch steel wheels wear wire wheel covers, but just imagine how great this car would look sitting on a set of Magnum 500s! And, of course, you should plan on fresh tires because the 205/75/14 whitewalls on this car are probably more than 30 years old at this point.

Old Mustangs are perennially popular, but that popularity often prices them out of reach. We know this one is a bit of a project, but it’s one that you can drive and enjoy as you fix it up and add value. We’ll admit that the color combination has grown on us, and with the easy-going, torquey 351, it is fun to drive—isn’t that what Mustangs are all about? And there’s always the “barn find” story that you can tell (we’ll even give you the photos of it when we found it in the barn). This is your chance to get a V8 Mustang convertible at a bargain price, don’t miss it and call today!

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