Topic: 65 GT Fastback

[trucktricksdon]

I have the opportunity to buy what the owner says to be a true 65 GT Fastback. 5FO9AXXXXXX, Trim 25, 13S build Date, Axle 1, Trans 5. I know that there are certain things to look for to determine if it is a true GT, (sway bar, 5 gauge cluster with loop for amp gauge, exhaust hangers, etc.)

My first question, is there anything else that may be a dead giveaway that is a true GT? He says it is a numbers matching car, all Vin#s in place.

My second question_ The date code on the block reads 5C1 and then below that there is a 0 C5AE 6015E. Does this correspond with the date code above?

Third question.... He has owned it since 1982 and it has been stored since then. It is completely torn down in pieces but most of it is in good restorable condition. Needs floor pans (new ones included) shock towers (new ones included) and has rust in the quarters, trunk drop offs, wheelhouses. Cowl area looks pretty good. Can anyone give me a good range of what this car may be worth? He is asking $9000.

[jwc66k]

The hardest thing to fake is the crush plates for the dual exhaust hangers in the rear frame rails. There is a hole in the frame rail used to attach the car's shell to the assembly line fixture that you can stick your finger in to see if they are there. See the attached. The other items to look out for are the under dash wiring harness and the engine compartment headlight harness. They are special as they have the fog light wiring built in and the under dash harness has a heavy gage wire with a bullet connector for the alternator at the gage.
The engine casting part number is the C5AE 6015 A and the casting date is the 5C1 which decodes as 1965 March 1. The actual engine assembly date is on the block near the distributor, again see the attached. It should be prior to the car's scheduled build date on the door data tag, or what date can be determined by the VIN.
There are no VIN's on any the car's components, the only VIN's are the two on the LH fender apron, one on the RH fender apron and one maybe on the LH door data tag if it's still there.
A completely restored 65 GT Fastback is worth about $40-45 thousand in todays market. In five years who knows. Subtract what you are willing to pay from the future value and that's your budget to restore. The question to you is simple, can you restore the car for that amount?
Jim
     

[CharlesTurner]

The 2 easiest things to check for will be the square corner snubber plate and if the metal dash structure has the dip for the 5 dial cluster.  Since you listed a standard interior trim code, it has to have the dip to be a '65 factory GT.

It will be tough to repair a car that needs so much sheet metal work.  I'm afraid you will have way more than $40-50k in it, unless you can do just about everything yourself... then figure 1500-3000 hours of time.

[trucktricksdon]

Thanks guys! I can do all of the sheet metal work, cleaning and restoring of most of the parts, and assembly. The things I would have done would be blasting, paint, trans, and engine work, which would all definately need to be done on this car. Those things alone would be $15,000 - $17,000 depending on how in depth I want to go with the engine. It's really hard to get any quality paint work done for less than $8,000 and the last 289 I had rebuilt was in the $5,000 dollar range. Add the price of the car, trans, and body panels to that and I will be in it at around $30,000-$35,000. I suppose I could do it without adding my labor and I wouldn't be upside down on value. I have sold this to my wife as a college fund for my daughter, so I would be able to drive the car for 5 years and enjoy it. The value of it in 5-7 years may be a little better than $45,000. The enjoyment I get out of restoring these cars is priceless though.

[trucktricksdon]

Concerning the dip for the 5 gauge cluster, would that be stamped or cut after the fact on a May 65 car? I may be wrong, but it seems I read somewhere where some of the early cars were cut after assembly. Also, it appears that there has been some previous frame rail work, so the crush plates may be gone. Charles, conserning the snubber plate you mentioned, is this the rear snubber above the rear end?

[J_Speegle]

Concerning the dip for the 5 gauge cluster, would that be stamped or cut after the fact on a May 65 car? I may be wrong, but it seems I read somewhere where some of the early cars were cut after assembly.

The car was painted ?  No on that one

Also, it appears that there has been some previous frame rail work, so the crush plates may be gone. Charles, conserning the snubber plate you mentioned, is this the rear snubber above the rear end?

Charles was referring to the plate welded to the floor board above the third member or snout of the rear end. There are a number of different ones and versions so that is always IMHO you want to check - not that it's a sure fire way to tell a GT if its there

[cobraboy]

Concerning the dip for the 5 gauge cluster, would that be stamped or cut after the fact on a May 65 car? I may be wrong, but it seems I read somewhere where some of the early cars were cut after assembly. Also, it appears that there has been some previous frame rail work, so the crush plates may be gone. Charles, conserning the snubber plate you mentioned, is this the rear snubber above the rear end?

Scheduled build date 13th April 1965 - stamped cut out in dash, standard interior.