Our Top 10 Mustangs
Our top 10 Mustang picks may surprise you. There are some cars listed here that are not top-dollar cars but are "in" because-well, just because. This is not a scientific deal either; it's purely subjective and at the whim of the editorial staff. We consulted several sources for some of our picks, but in the long night, we just kinda winged it.
1. '66 Hi-Po GT fastback. Besides our own slanted view, this is really from what we see at the shows. People flock to GTs, and for some reason, the fastback gets a great deal of attention. Though some staffers grumble about headroom, the "How-To: Legroom and Headroom for Taller Drivers" story on page 59 in last month's issue has put this argument to bed.
2. Boss Mustangs-any of 'em. The consensus is that the Boss 429 is the bomb-but when pressed, the staff said any of them would do. Actually, we believe the 429 thing is as much about how much it's worth more than any other reason-well, that, and it looks pretty cool too.
3. The '65-'68 hardtop. Too little attention has been paid to this workhorse of the beginner Mustang enthusiast-but when done up right, the car is a versatile platform, which is a great place to get your feet wet in the hobby.
4. '01 Saleen. As "right" as the other Saleen models have been, the '01 carries that special aggressiveness that speaks of performance and the will to use it.
5. '67 GT350 or GT500. Though the underside of the hoods could have used a bit of finish work, the GTs from Shelby's stable for 1967 are a styling coup. Sleek, macho styling and performance to back it up make these Shelbys tops in our book.
6. '78 King Cobra. What!? A II in the top 10? Yep. The little car was, in its day, all that and a bowl of Corn Pops(r). Sure, the little King couldn't take out a Boss 302, but in its day when stripes were king and disco was in, the Cobra was cool.
7. Bullitt. We realized that folks around here dug the old Bullitt (mostly for that one tire fire in the movie) and they even dig the new Bullitt. Why? Because, well, it fell out like this: the girls like the color because "it's pretty" and because the car has air conditioning, a standard feature; the guys like the additional horses over those in the GT, but A/C wasn't an issue with them.
8. '01 Steedas. Dario and Steve have been churning out bad boy toys since 1989. But what has put us in a choke-hold is the newest crop from the boys in Pompano, Florida. The '01 is popping out some serious pony power and backing it up with understated stellar good looks.
9. '90 5.0 LX hatchback. We told you that some Mustangs are listed here just because. This stems from Mark Houlahan and Editor Ford's present (and past) ownership of this workhorse Mustang.
10. Mach 1. Any of the '69-'73 variety. Sorry about not picking the later ones, but they just kinda lay there on us compared to their older sibs.
The Average GT500 vs. Shelby's GT500
According to Steve Becker the going price for the average '69-'70 GT500 convertible in similar condition to Shelby's GT500 is between $85,000 and $100,000. However, substantial value has been added to Shelby's GT500 because he is the past and present owner, making this car worth $200,000 to $250,000 right now.
Hot 'N' Not
Driving
Driving is becoming such a hot trend in the hobby-so much so, we focused on this subject in the May '01 issue ("Take It off the Trailer," page 19). More and more of the faithful are driving instead of trailering their steeds to shows and events. Even the Mustang Club of America is getting into the act with some driving events this year.
Restomodding
Like it or not, restomodding is the latest trend. Making a personal statement is becoming a growing fad in the Mustang market. Sadly, much of what is being modified could be published in the STAR or The National Enquirer tabloid magazines as a contestant for worst-dressed Mustang of the year.