Lot 698: 1968 Ford Mustang 289 Fastback Coupè

The most important Ford of the 1960s, indeed arguably one of the most significant of the post-WW2 American automobiles, was the Mustang. Conceived by super salesman Lee A Iacocca, and employing many Falcon components, the resultant 4-seater in crisply-designed Coupe of Convertible form was offered with a choice of engines, initially five from a 101bhp 2781cc six to a 271bhp 4727cc V8, six transmissions, three suspension packages, three brake systems and wheel sizes, plus many other performance and cosmetic options. Within five months of launch in April 1964, the Mustang had become the third best-selling car in the US and, by June 1967, 1,500,000 had been delivered.
This 1968 Mustang Fastback Coupe - which the vendor believes to be a still matching numbers 289-engined car, though with benefit of 302 cylinder heads - has factory-fit automatic transmission, power-steering and power-brakes, both central and rare optional roof console, stereo with boot-mounted equipment as well as MP3 take-off facility, and 5-spoke alloys. Painted black with up-and-over stripes and side stripes in Burgundy, and with thought to be up-rated suspension, Magna sway bar and performance exhaust with transverse box, in terms of both appearance and sound, this 4.7-litre V8 powered Fastback is very much in the style of a Shelby Mustang, though is likely to cost a new owner considerably less than the real thing.
Among paperwork with the car are an original Virginia Certificate of Title from 1989 and a copy of a Wallenius Lines receipt to ship the vehicle from Baltimore to Liverpool. Following restoration in 1990, sundry receipts on file from various Mustang specialists indicate further refurbishment as necessary including American Auto Center (1994), USA Ultimate Spares of America and Kar Kraft Mustang Corral (1998), Speed and Spares America (2000), American Restoration Parts (2000/1) and Mustang Unlimited (2002).
The history file contains several tax discs and eleven old MOTs, the earliest from 1991, the most recent only expiring in August. The vendor is hopeful however that the car will have been MOT Tested and have had its Historic Vehicle tax disc renewed by sale day. Interested parties would be advised therefore to inspect the latest certificate among the documents during viewing.