Expert Buyer

Ford Mustang

Like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich plonked on a platter of vol au vents, early ’Stangs have been appearing at UK motorsport events for decades, and we love them for it. Often starring in our more memorable ‘David and Goliath’ classic car track battles, current Goodwood grid heroes include Alan Mann Racing’s ‘Boss 302’ Mustang – an awesome recreation of a 1969 racer that Jason Plato drove at the latest Goodwood Members’ Meeting.

Fortunately for the common man, Mustangs without the illustrious GT badge are much more affordable. After all, Ford’s archetypal pony car has always been about attainability, and the Mustang took less than 18 months to find its first million buyers. Certain derivatives are rare and specification matters.

Choose between six-cylinder 2.8- or 3.3-litre ‘Thriftpower’, and Windsor V8s bored to 4.3 or 4.7 litres. That 4.7-litre (289ci) V8 was also at the heart of the Shelby GT350 (various names given depending on model year), superceded in 1967 by the 7.0-litre (427ci) FE 428 V8, creating the mighty Shelby GT500. These are megadesirable icons of American culture, with sky-high price tags to match.

Complete rebuilds to high standards are common, often described by US specialists as a ‘bespoke build’ (see classic-recreations.com) rather than restoration, giving some idea of the different approach to authenticity among American petrolheads.

In the UK you’ll find first-gen Mustangs being sold by private sellers and marque specialists alike, with the more glamourous cars appearing at auction (and at high-end London classic dealers).

Some canny buyers are still choosing to source cars from the USA, but, increasingly, this takes legwork and know-how.