And so the search begins.. '65 Mustang.

[koda6966]

I decided that it was time to find something to do on the internet that doesn't include facebook or gaming. Something constructive. I want to search for my Fathers mustang. It would be nice to see what came of it, if it was fixed up like the guy intended or if it's sitting in a backyard somewhere. The ideal situation would be sitting in a barn or backyard locally, in running condition or close to it. I honestly don't expect to find it, but you never know until you try.

This is all the information I have to start with. It is as accurate as 32 year old information can be.

He sold the truck in the spring of 1978 to a guy around his 40's who was from Michigan, but either had family in Deposit that he was staying with or he had a home there himself. It was a 1965 Mustang Convertible with a 200 I6 and an automatic transmission. The color was a off-white with a white pony interior. The sale was for around $700 dollars.

My father had changed the rear quarters, and had a 67 engine put in it. He also included several spare parts and a brand new valance (or whatever the lower trim piece is that goes on the bumper is on old mustangs) that he picked up from a Ford dealer that went out of business. He said that the buyer had shopped around at the local dealer (Fred Barse) and he didn't find anything in his price range, and stopped at our house because he saw the mustang in the garage.

That's all that he can remember right now. Unfortunately he lost all of the paperwork that he had for it, so my search is starting with the basics.

This thread will be mainly used to track and collect my information, but if you have anything to add feel free to do so. Most of my research will be conducted on mustang forums.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

It is going to be tough to do, all you really have to go on is a off white '67 Mustang Convertable that was originally a 6 cylinder (inline BTW) converted to a 289. There are probably thousands of them with that discription out there.

 

[koda6966]

I know, that's why I don't expect to find it. And both engines were the 200I6

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I know, that's why I don't expect to find it. And both engines were the 200I6

Do you know where he get it from?

I know with farm equipment often dealers have the serial #'s of their more common customers written down for quick referance. We got some old, old parts books from the '60's and '70's that have names and serial numbers in them, most of them are fathers of our current customers. If it was a dealer that is still in business they might still have a record, same for insurance and the DMV. Maybe if you have a pic showing the plate??

Dunno if there is a way to search for vehicles that were once owned by a certain name... might be worth checking into as well.

Otherwise searching by the car itself I don't think you will ever find it, gotta get the VIN somehow for it to work IMO.

There is no way I could afford it if I found it, but I would love to do the same with my dad's '67 Chevelle SS396, it went to Yankton SD shortly after I was born in 1984.

 

[adsm08]

I was reading that, and it fits the car my dad has until the colors. Ours is red with black leather seats.

 

[koda6966]

Do you know where he get it from?
I know with farm equipment often dealers have the serial #'s of their more common customers written down for quick reference. We got some old, old parts books from the '60's and '70's that have names and serial numbers in them, most of them are fathers of our current customers. If it was a dealer that is still in business they might still have a record, same for insurance and the DMV. Maybe if you have a pic showing the plate??
Dunno if there is a way to search for vehicles that were once owned by a certain name... might be worth checking into as well.
Otherwise searching by the car itself I don't think you will ever find it, gotta get the VIN somehow for it to work IMO.
There is no way I could afford it if I found it, but I would love to do the same with my dad's '67 Chevelle SS396, it went to Yankton SD shortly after I was born in 1984.

I'm assuming he got the mustang engine from his brothers collection, they had at least 10 of each old muscle car in a muscle graveyard, but ended up selling them off because they never went up in value. A few years later the cars that they sold for a few hundred dollars were worth a few thousand, and they were kicking themselves. Up until a few years ago they still had a couple engines sitting up at my grandmothers house from 60's mustangs.

I was reading that, and it fits the car my dad has until the colors. Ours is red with black leather seats.

It's gonna match a lot of cars in one way or another. That's the hard part about this.

 

[Ranger Dave (B25)]

If you want to find it, try doing a title search with the VIN, if you still have it. Or go to the state and tell them what you're doing, maybe you can get a copy of the original title, and track it from there.

 

[koda6966]

Vehicles that old didn't have origional titles.

 

[dirtcowboy]

Vehicles that old didn't have origional titles.

I've got some older vehicles, 62 Olds Starfire, 3 Camaros and two old Chevy pickups, 62 & 64 and they all have original titles. I just checked, all of my junk has original titles.

 

[koda6966]

Not the Mustang, it never had a title. I don't think any NY vehicles older than 1973 have a title. If you purchase it elsewhere, you get a title. But it's no good in NY state.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

So how do you prove ownership?

 

[Mac]

No title just doesn't sound right, I've got one for my '48' Plymouth. Anyway, there were about 450,000 Mustangs sold in '65', not many left unless they were very special. Not many states DMV have the time or interest to track one down. Even Ford dumped all their records earlier than '97'. Best search on a Mustang site, I use allfordmustangs.com for the questions, new and old. Good luck in the search!
DAve

 

[Rebel_Grizzly]

Good luck.

 

[JohnnyO]

Without a VIN or the name of the person he sold it to, there isn't really anything to go on.
It's a crapshoot but maybe putting something up on a vintage Mustang message board would help. Maybe the story will sound familiar to someone.

Downside, if the car spent its life in MI and NY then it probably rusted away and got junked a long time ago.

 

[Jason]

NY used transferable registrations back then.