Hello, I'm 99% sure i am going to buy a 1965 mustang, 289, 4 barrel, made in san jose california, and i can buy it for $13,000. I'm a novice, but car appears to be in excellent condition, runs great and no rust. Cowl area has minor paint peeling in the center. However, car is in need of new suspension and drivers door lock doesn't work. Guy said he bought it for $15,000 on e-bay. He is in a bind and has to sell it fast. Can i go wrong for $13,000?
Hello. Welcome. It is very difficult to accurately appraise a car that you can't see, but a little more information would help. First, is it a coupe, a convertible or a fastback. If it's a coupe, 13K is probably a bit high. The fifth digit of the vin tell you what motor/carb the car came with originally. To be an original 4 bbl car, the fifth digit of the vin would have to be either a 'D', an 'A' or a 'K'. The options on the car, like A/C or power steering, are a factor. Standard or deluxe interior? The more you can tell us, the closer we would be able to dial it in. Hope that helps.
The vin is 5R07A203148. It is a coupe, and as far as the interior goes it looks perfect. I might can find something cheaper on e-bay, but at least I know what i am getting for the $13,000, you know test drive and get to hear it run. I'm a novice, but to me the car looks awesome.
Ok, if I'm reading the decoder right, if it's all original, it's a 1965 289 4 barrel coupe. 225 hp, hydraulic lifters, and the original color is Ivy Green. The acceptable value of the car if in "fine" condition, which means it's well restored or a combination of superior restoration and excellent original parts. Also, an extremely well maintained original vehicle showing minimal wear. The value for this would be $17150. If in "very good" condition, that means a complete operable original or an older restoration, an amateur restoration, and everything is presentable and serviceable inside and out. Plus a combination of well done restoration and good operable components or a partially restored with all parts necessary to complete and/or valuable NOS parts. This value would be $9800.
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Hi again. Yup, that's a 289 4bbl. There's is no way to know the original color by the vin. That would be on the door tag. A lot would depend on what your intentions for the car are. If you are looking for a really nice car that would be fun to drive, and this car fits that particular bill, then I would say go for it. There's a lot to be said for getting to actually drive a car before you buy it. If you intend to buy it, sit on it for a little while and then sell it, you'll just be the next guy to lose money on the car.
Hi again. One thing that you might not have considered is that older carbureted cars do not automatically compensate for altitude change the way a newer car does. The 65 mustangs don't have a computer, EFI or any of that stuff. Obviously, I would have no way of knowing how your day to day life goes, but I can easily envision circumstances that would have you changimg altitudes by more than a few thousand feet on a regular basis. If you generally stay around a few hundred feet above sea level, but go to more than 5000 feet above sea level several times a week, you would want to have your carb set up to run at something in the 2500 ft range so that it would be running about right all through the altitude range you run around in. It isn't a big deal, but it should be addressed. Enjoy your new car if you get it.
I'd pass. 13K for a stock coupe, it had better be PERFECT! Since he's in a bind, try to get it cheap, so you can afford to drop 1k on the suspension. 13k seems like borederline to a screwing for it as it sits IMO.
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66 coupe 5.0/T5, home-brewed power 4 wheel disc setup, 350hp+, looks like it belongs in 1968
1965 mustang what is it worth? 
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