20-Years-Owned 1965 Ford Mustang Convertible 289

Description

The arrival of the 1965 Ford Mustang launched the "pony car" segment and turned the eye-popping two-door into an instant cultural icon. Introduced on April 17, 1964, at the New York World's Fair, the Mustang was Ford's answer to the growing demand for sporty, affordable cars aimed at younger buyers.

Designed by Lee Iacocca and his team, the Mustang featured a long hood, short rear deck, and a sleek, aggressive profile. It was offered in three body styles: coupe, convertible, and fastback. Buyers could choose from a variety of engines, ranging from a modest inline-six to a powerful V8, allowing for broad appeal across different market segments.

This ’65 Mustang Convertible spent the first 40 years of its life in California with its original Poppy Red paint over Black crinkle vinyl interior. The car’s Illinois seller purchased it in 2005 and gave the car a complete makeover including Silver Blue Metallic paint, a white convertible top, and white vinyl upholstery with blue carpet. As an original A-Code Mustang, it retains a factory 289ci V8 and wears the proper 289 side badges.

Factory Equipment 

• 289ci V8 with four-barrel carburetor factory-rated at 225 hp

• C4 "Cruise-O-Matic" three-speed automatic transmission

• Power steering and brakes

• 120-mph speedometer 

• The data plate decodes as: 

  • Body: 76A – Convertible with standard interior 

  • Color: 3 – Poppy Red

  • Trim: 86 – Black crinkle vinyl

  • Date: 23B – 23 February 1965 

  • DSO: 72 – San Jose 

  • Axle: 1 – 3.00:1 rear axle ratio, conventional 

  • Trans: 5 – 4-speed manual (however, the seller believes this car has always had an automatic gearbox) 

• The chassis number (5R08A190202) decodes as: 

  • 5 – 1965 model year 

  • R – San Jose (California) assembly plant 

  • 08 – Mustang convertible 

  • A – 289 cu-in V8 4BBL 225 hp 

  • 190202 – Sequential production number  

 Modifications 

• Refinished in Silver Blue (Y) paint 

• Reupholstered interior: White vinyl with blue vinyl dash top and blue carpet 

• White convertible soft top

• Dual exhaust system

 Servicing & Documentation 

• 185/75R14 white wall tires 

 Known Imperfections 

• Paint scratch above passenger door handle 

• Some pitting on steering wheel chrome 

• Slight fade in carpet near gear selector 

• Steering wheel is cracked at the top 

• Paint chips on dashboard

 Ownership History 

• The seller of this 1965 Ford Mustang Convertible purchased it in April 2005 after it had been kept in California for 40 years. It is now offered with a clean Illinois title in the seller's name.

Included Items 

• Blue carpeted Mustang floor mats 

• Convertible boot cover 

• Spare tire

Additional Information

The seller says, “This was my 50th birthday present! It was originally Poppy Red over black, but I changed it to Silver Blue Metallic with a white top and redid the interior with white and blue. [Despite the data plate code] I believe the car has been an automatic from new.”