1967 Ford Mustang Fastback 390 GT

• A desirable S-Code car with its original engine transmission and rear axle and matching Marti Report
• Original GT Equipment Group car, with the four-speed Top loader transmission and Equa-Lock differential
• Factory-fitted with the powerful 390ci (6.4-litre) FE V8 engine, making it the ultimate Mustang of its day, yet more subtle than the cars it inspired
• The factory-built S-Code cars formed the basis of the more flamboyant 1967 Shelby GT 350 and GT 500 models
• Fascinating history, owned by the same US family until 1986
• Very original with the benefit of a top-quality restoration
• The 2017 MOCGB Champion and the Classic American Concours Champion

From the day it hit the streets in April 1964, the first iteration of Ford's Mustang has proven to be a success beyond measure. Even if you do not particularly count yourself as a Mustang fan, the appeal of the inaugural ‘Pony Car’ is readily apparent. Good looks, three body styles and price points that spanned a wide spectrum were just some of the reasons for their popularity and the 1965-'66 Mustangs were the precursor of even greater things to come.

Stiff competition loomed for 1967 in the form of the Camaro, Firebird, Cougar, and a redesigned Barracuda, so perhaps it made sense for the Mustang's first major update to coincide with the other manufacturers' significant debuts. Regardless, the stakes were sky-high for Ford's design and engineering teams, who were hard at work on the redesign even as the original 1965 models debuted. From the outside, the 1967 Mustang shared many of the proportions with the previous model, whilst the overall look was much more aggressive, with a deeper and larger grille, a forward-jutting hood, sharply creased side body lines and a distinctive concave tail lamp panel.

Beyond its appearance, the addition of the big-block 390 "Thunderbird Special" engine to an otherwise unchanged engine line-up proved a game-changer. Previous Mustangs weren't designed to house anything bigger than a 289ci but the 1967 redesign widened things up under the bonnet making room for the venerable ‘FE’ engine family, the 390 in Mustang and the 428 in the GT 500, in turn moving the Mustang into the realm of legitimate muscle cars. A second distinct change was the wider array of optional equipment that could turn a bare-bones Mustang into a veritable personal luxury car and the litany of options, both inside and out, offered the possibility of personalising your car almost to the point where no two looked alike.

This 1967 Ford Mustang 390 GT encompasses many of the best features on the new Mustang’s options list including that racy fastback body, the GT option, 320bhp 390ci V8, 4-speed top-loader transmission and Equa-Lock differential and the striking colour combination of Candy Apple Red and a Red Deluxe interior.

According to the Marti Report, it was built at the Dearborn Plant on the 9th of January 1967, fitted with the 390 FE engine and destined for stock at Joe Dye Motors in North Platte, Nebraska. Ford’s Mustang ‘stocking plan’ dictated that certain numbers of body shapes / engine size / transmission combinations had to be available at all times and this frequently meant that some cars, particularly the top-end models, may not sell for a month or two despite the huge demand for the model as a whole.

The car is an original GT Equipment Group car, with the 4-speed top-loader transmission and Equa-Lock differential. Basically, a factory-built sports car with no options other than power steering – a factory-built ‘sleeper car’ you might say. These S-Code cars would go on to be the base car for the 1967 model-year Shelby GT 350 and GT 500.

The car sat on the ‘lot’ for a few months until its first owner was given $2,000 from his college fund by his father to go and purchase a car for college. Dad assumed that the son would return with a nice 1950’s Chevy and a substantial amount of change, however, $2,000 in his pocket and the gleaming Candy Apple Red Mustang outside Joe Dye Motors was to prove a tad too much temptation and the 390 had its first owner. The son brought the car home to show his father, and poor old dad had only two options, insist he took it back or work out a way to pay for it but, inevitably the Mustang joined the family and ‘Junior’ took a job selling Pizza to help pay for it.

The car stayed with the family in daily use until 1986 when it was reduced to occasional trips. It was then put into storage for ten years until 1996 when the son began a ten-year-long piece-by-piece restoration. Every original part was either reconditioned or replaced with a Ford NOS part with the exception of the passenger- side wing which was the only replacement body panel. In 2006, the restoration was near completion, but the decision was made to sell the car to fund a property purchase. The Mustang was purchased by a UK collector and was only driven a couple of times over here with the intention to complete the restoration, but then sat for a further 10 years in his collection.

Our vendor then found the car for sale through the Mustang Owners Club GB and brought it for his wife, subsequently completing the restoration to the standard that you see today. The quality of the workmanship and detail was such that it was crowned the 2017 MOCGB Champion and, in the same year, the ‘Classic American Concours Champion’, a coveted prize presented at the NEC. Since that point, the car has been driven regularly through the Spring and Summer months and kept in a heated garage.

This stunning S-Code, Mustang GT has been checked over by specialists ‘Mustang Maniacs’ of Hertfordshire and fully serviced ready for sale. It’s accompanied by the history file containing the Marti Report and remains in simply remarkable condition. If you are in the market for one of the best Mustangs currently available, look no further, you will not be disappointed.