This Mustang Barn Find Looks Like a Basket Case... But There's Hope

The orange pony car hasn't been on the road in 45 years, but it's a special color and the body is solid.

Photo by: YouTube

By: Christopher Smith

Dec 1, 2024 at 9:00am ET

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There isn't much left of this 1965 Ford Mustang Convertible. Recently pulled from a barn (or possibly a chicken coop) in Texas, it has a body and four wheels, and that's about it. There are some original parts scattered around the building, including some individual engine components like pistons and the carburetor sitting in a pile on the dirt floor. It's doubtful any of them are usable at this point.

Frankly, the car in this recent YouTube video from Heart of Texas Barn Finds and Classics is a basket case. Aside from the engine parts in the back of the barn are some interior bits, a driveshaft, hubcaps, brake drums, and possibly a door panel. Another hubcap is lying in the tattered remains of the black convertible top. The interior is completely gutted save for the dashboard, and you won't find any of the parts in the truck. There is no trunk—the floor is part of the gas tank on the 1965 Mustang, and that's gone, too.

The engine bay is as empty as the interior. It's not exactly clear what used to be under the hood. The seller mentions an inline-six, which was the base engine for 1965. The pile of parts has two valve covers, however, suggesting a V-8. There's a floor shifter for an automatic transmission, but its whereabouts are unknown as well.

But, if you want to rebuild a classic car with most of its original parts missing, you can't do much better than an old Mustang. There are aftermarket parts available for just about everything, including complete body assemblies. Fortunately, that's one thing this pony car doesn't need. Aside from a few minor rust spots, it looks like a solid car. That means it's a great candidate for restoration.

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And if you're a Mustang fan, you'll recognize another bright spot with this particular car: it's still wearing its original shade of Poppy Red. This wasn't a super rare color, with CJ Pony Parts reporting 22,401 built for 1965. But it looked far more orange than red, making it a true standout in the classic Mustang world. And with nearly 560,000 Mustangs built all total that year, it's not exactly common to find the "orange" one.

This poor pony spent the last 26 years in that tiny open-walled shed, and it hasn't been driven on the road since 1979. Here's hoping the new owner can put the pieces back together so this orange Mustang can live once again.