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1966 Ford Mustang Fastback — 289 V8, 4-Speed Manual, Silver over Parchment Why This Car Is Special The 1966 Ford Mustang Fastback is the car that cemented the Mustang's reputation as something more than a sporty economy car. When Ford introduced the fastback body style — officially called the 2+2 — for the 1965 model year, it gave the Mustang a roofline that the hardtop and convertible simply could not match. By 1966, Ford had refined the formula, and the fastback outsold its own previous year's numbers as part of a total Mustang production run that reached over 607,000 units for the model year. Even within that massive figure, the fastback accounted for a smaller share than the hardtop, making it the less common body style of the three offered. That distinction matters to collectors today. The VIN on this car decodes to tell us several things worth knowing. The sixth character confirms it was assembled at the Dearborn, Michigan plant — the home plant, not one of the satellite assembly facilities Ford used to meet demand during the Mustang's early sales surge. The engine code in the VIN identifies the 289 cubic inch V8, and the transmission code confirms the 4-speed manual. This is not a base six-cylinder car that was later upgraded. It left Dearborn as a V8, 4-speed fastback. The 289 small block was one of the defining engines of 1960s Ford performance. In standard two-barrel form, it produced 200 horsepower, and Ford's High Performance version pushed that to 271. The 289 went on to power the original AC Cobra, the early Shelby GT350, and the Ford GT40 in early racing development form. Whatever the specific output of this car's 289, it shares a bloodline with some of the most significant racing engines of its era. The 4-speed manual gearbox — Ford's top-loader or the close-ratio Borg-Warner T-10 depending on the application — was the transmission serious drivers ordered. It was not a common combination when you factor in the fastback body style, and it remains the most desirable drivetrain configuration for first-generation Mustang collectors. Features - 289 cubic inch V8 engine - 4-speed manual transmission - Fastback (2+2) body style - Silver exterior - Parchment vinyl interior - Console with floor shifter - Wood-rim steering wheel - Wire wheel covers - Whitewall tires - Door courtesy lights - FoMoCo-branded engine bay components - Chrome bumpers front and rear - Clean undercarriage Mechanical The 289 V8 presents well under the hood. The engine is finished in Ford's correct blue and retains FoMoCo-branded components in the engine bay — the kind of detail that confirms this car has been cared for with originality in mind. FoMoCo, Ford Motor Company's parts and accessories division, stamped or labeled many factory components, and seeing those markings intact tells you the engine bay has not been stripped and rebuilt with generic replacement parts. The blue air cleaner, valve covers, and overall presentation are consistent with how these cars left the factory, and that matters both for show judging and for buyers who simply want a car that looks the way Ford intended. The 4-speed manual transmission works through the center console with a floor shifter — the correct, purposeful setup for this car. Paired with the wood-rim steering wheel, this is a driver's cockpit, not a touring car. The undercarriage photographs show a clean bottom — no heavy surface rust, no patch repairs, no undercoating hiding a problem. For a car of this age, especially one that could have spent decades in a rust-belt state before landing in Florida, a clean undercarriage is a significant data point. It suggests the car has either lived in a dry climate for most of its life or has been properly maintained and stored. Interior The parchment vinyl interior is a period-correct and well-coordinated choice against the silver exterior. Ford offered the 1966 Mustang in a range of interior color options, and parchment — a warm o
Body Style: Coupe
Condition: Used
Certified: 0

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