How many owners have a base model mustang?

[mustang_talk]

Just thought I'd ask the question as am starting to wonder if I'm the only one. So just to clarify, no power anything, drum breaks all round.

[RuffCoupe]

I'm guessing you've got big arms and calves - not me 

Cheers

J

[mustang_talk]

I'm guessing you've got big arms and calves - not me 

Cheers

J

Okay, thanks. Yep, no need to attend a gym..

[mert]

Well, base would also be a straight six.

I have a Cal Special with 289 2V, PS, AM and vinyl roof as options.  S code convertible has drums, PS, AM, and power top.  So close, but not zero options...

Would be an interesting statistical report from Marti for '67 and '68, how many zero option cars (other than picking paint color) were made...???  Would think very, very few...

[Geronimo]

Yep, 65 FB, no power anything, Four piston front discs, rear discs,
15 inch wheels with 60 ratio tyres helped reduce the steering effort,
was very hard with 18 inch wheels and 40 ratio tyres.
Not much else "standard"....
Cheers,

[bank1957]

Well, nice to see someone else who has the same avatar as mine. However my car is the actual car used for the photo promo.It originally had a black plate reo No.of CFZ-132. Refer to my first blog  Re: Who Has the oldest 1964 Mustang in Australia that I started almost 2 years ago. So far no one has an older D Code 4 speed manual coupe survivor in the world and has been continuously registered in California for 50 years.

However it has original power steering that was original to the initial build and still works today (at great expense). It has had only its 2nd ever paint job (bare metal prime and respray) which was applied in May of this year.

[mustang_talk]

I guess a 6cyl, manual car with manual everything and drum breaks, standard trim is technically the base. I was more talking primarily about breaks and steering. However if anyone does have an absolute base model would be keen to read their post but happy to hear about others cars as well.

[Dwayne]

Yep, six cylinder (currently) with manual drums all round, no a/c, manual steering etc. Interior is pony, but I doubt it's the original.

Do I care, not in the slightest bit, as the smiles on my kids faces as we cruise to the beach together makes what everyone else think irrelevant.

On the positive side, everything I do will be an improvement and it shouldn't piss off any purists out there 

[67FBGT]

I suppose you're looking for 6-cyl, 3-speed manual, drum brake, manual steer, standard interior cars. No frills, maybe just an external mirror. There would be a few around. I suspect though that a great many owners would have been unable to resist 'upgrading'. Starting with power disks & seat belts for safety.
Also, if someone is going to find a car in the USA & go to all the trouble & expense of importing it he's most likely to go after the highest spec & best value car he can find. So compared to V8 cars there are not too many I6 cars around here, whereas at US car shows for example the I6 cars seem far more numerous.
Will be interesting to see what you can turn up.

[mustang_talk]

Dwayne looks like you are the front runner not that this is a competition.
Yep, I'd say most in Aus have the standard upgrades added eventually to keep up with traffic.

[walbjj]

is a base model also a model that wasn't a special edition one like a boss or shelby?

[mustang_talk]

is a base model also a model that wasn't a special edition one like a boss or shelby?

A boss or shelby? Would these not be top of the range?

[evan]

I've always considered my '64 built A-Code Coupe a Poverty Pack:

No power brakes
No power steer
No A/C
Single Speed Wipers
No Washers
No seat belts
Standard interior
Original colour: Phoenician Yellow (Beige)
Hub Caps

It is however Auto & did come with a radio so not all doom & gloom 

Evan.

[67FBGT]

6-cyl, 3-speed manual, drum brake, manual steer, standard interior. Minimalist.
Anything more than that was an option at additional cost, starting with a V8 like the majority of our cars over here have.
So no special editions, they were packages or a collection of extra features.
In '64, seatbelts, back-up lamps, closed emission system (Calif.), radio, banded windshield, bench seat, padded visors, extra trims etc etc all cost extra.
Evan your car is too well optioned for this category! But your car might also have a few more options than you realize too...

[mustang_talk]

Evan,  Wow no seat belts at all. Was this offered from the factory or have the belts been removed later?

[StephenSLR]

I think there's confusion here of what is a base model. A base model is one that has the bare minimum specs, usually the cheapest of any configuration.

You can have a base model 6 cylinder as well as a base model V8, a base model coupe and a base model fastback; all of the same year.

I believe the base model V8 for 1965 is the C code with 2bbl carb, you paid more if you wanted the  A code; the optional extra that you paid more for was the 4 bbl carb.

Earlier on in the 65 range it gets a bit messy with 6cyl engines being replaced, i.e. the U-code being replaced by the T-Code and later F-Code. They could all be base models if there was no option to pay extra for bigger carb, larger 6 cyl engine, etc.

I have a base model 65 V8 fastback (C code) ... with many modifications, lol.

s

[mustang_talk]

Okay, so I'm guessing mine was ordered as a base model C code but the original owner would have been shown the latest option (pony interior) and ordered that above something like disk breaks, better seatbelts, power steering, aircon etc.

[StephenSLR]

Okay, so I'm guessing mine was ordered as a base model C code but the original owner would have been shown the latest option (pony interior) and ordered that above something like disk breaks, better seatbelts, power steering, aircon etc.

I don't think it works like that, you can have a base model and select optional extras if you ordered it.

Not sure where D code fits in, it was later superseded by the A code but if the C Code was available prior to the D code, then the C code is the base model as you'd have to pay more for the D code with the 4 bbl carb. All D codes had the 4V from factory.

s

[pat]

here's a list of available options, and if I am reading it correctly even seat belts  and heater were standard but one could tick the option box to have those deleted and obtain a credit.
http://www.early-mustang.com/index.php/65-options

[StephenSLR]

I'm guessing later in the 65 range you went to the dealer and had the choice of the base model C code with 289 2V or the A code, K code, etc. with the 289 4V and from these choices you could then order which additional extras you wanted.

A C code with optional extras is still the base model if my understanding is correct as it came from factory with the 2V carb and not the 4V that was on the 'superior' models.

s

[gazzab055]

This thread reminds me when I was at a bus station in Chicago over twenty years ago and two american negroes were arguing over who was the whitest!

Let's face it the Mustang was so successful because it could be optioned up to the buyers requirements. Even after buying a used Mustang the urge is for most people is to personalize it to your of taste, unless you are a purist!

[evan]

This thread reminds me when I was at a bus station in Chicago over twenty years ago and two american negroes were arguing over who was the whitest!

Hahaha, I had a laugh when I first saw this thread. Should've titled it "Who owns the least desirable Poverty-Pack in Australia?"
Apologies Mustang Talk, I couldn't help myself! 

Evan,  Wow no seat belts at all. Was this offered from the factory or have the belts been removed later?

Couldn't tell you if the fronts were removed or not. The rears definitely never existed (no mounting points).

Evan.

[67FBGT]

Base model '65 - quoting Mustang Red Book:
Hardtop 65A base price $2,320.96 - convertible or fastback option was almost 2K more.
U-code 170 ci 101 hp (early '65) or T-code 200 ci 120 hp I6 was base engine - eg. you would pay $105.63 extra for 200 hp 289 V8 over 120 hp I6 engine.
Auto trans or 4-speed for I6 or V8 cost extra over 3-speed.

There's a long list of items installed by the factory each of which was priced extra so added to the base price. With two exceptions:
Yes there was a delete option for heater providing $31.52 credit;
Also delete option for seatbelts (fronts only as rears cost extra) with credit for $10.76

And then there was an extensive list of dealer-added accessories too, including exterior mirrors & different wheel covers.

So a 'base base' '65 model would be a I6 Hardtop with drum brakes, manual steer, standard no frills interior, no frills anywhere, no dealer add-ons, & technically speaking with heater & seatbelts deleted. Couldn't get any more base than that!
By my calcs = $2,278.68. Whether that included on-road costs by dealer I don't know.
But the general goss is that back then the Mustang was such a hit that the dealers were able to order cars with many factory options, add more themselves, & had no trouble selling them. So I wonder whether a truly 'base base' car was ever produced?

[Soaring]

I hadn't really though about it before but I guess I've got a very well optioned Mustang, only missing out on engine upgrade.
66 C code Coupe with the following factory options
Cruise o magic Auto
Air Conditioning
Power steering
Front discs
Pony Trim
Delux seat belts, front retractable with warning light
Hazard switch
Visibility group day/nite mirror & 2 Speed wipers
Remote side mirror
Full length console.

[67FBGT]

Didn't one of the old Mustang ads say: "The car designed to be designed by you?"

Well I'm as guilty as anyone. I once had a fairly typical but basic '67 CV - 289 3-speed, manual drums, std interior, only had power steer, power roof & remote mirror; but by the time I'd restored it it was auto, pwr disc, Deluxe interior, console, exterior decor group, trunk rack, pair remote mirrors, blah blah the list goes on...
All good fun! The subsequent owner was very happy indeed with all the up-specs!