Anyone know anything about this car?

[kevken1959]

Did anyone on this site buy it or get a chance to look at it?

https://www.mecum.com/lots/PA0819-388374/1971-ford-mustang-convertible/

 

[Mister 4x4]

Nice!  Interesting mods on the grille and front bumper.

 

[kevken1959]

So I do know some things about the car, and I am just trying to find out if anyone else has any more details. I saw this car on Ebay back in 2017, and had lots of conversations with the seller, who was out of California. Super nice guy and really smart. He was a "tinkerrer," and very adept at modifications. He put Thunderbird sequential taillights on it, along with Shelby side scoops, a correct Ford Rev Limiter, a nice Shelby style roll bar, AND a vintage PAXTON SUPERCHARGER!! It looks like a lot of the mods have been removed. It sold to some guy in the Northeast. Not sure if he is the one who sold it at Mecum. I never saw the car in person. Either the car has some problems I am not aware of, or someone STOLE that car at Mecum! I would have bid if I had any idea the car would have sold that cheap. I was one day late in finding the car on the Mecum site.

 

[kcmash]

Interesting to see a ram-air cleaner without the seal.

kcmash

 

[kevken1959]

No doubt that the car has a few issues. But most of those issues would be so easy to fix. The seller removed the Paxton supercharger added by the previous owner and tried to go with the correct Air Cleaner setup. I think he was just ignorant about these cars so he didn't pay attention to the detail the way we would have. But as far as options, this car was the holy grail of the 71 to 73s, next to a 429 convertible. I'm pretty sure those fog lamps are real Shelby style Lucas lamps, and they don't come cheap. He did what I would call some tasteful mods, and I would have paid big for the car as presented by the previous owner. I did a lot of research when the car was on Ebay, and the seller had a lot of documentation to go with the car. As I recall, there was a Ford decal on the 1/4 window designating the car as one used in TV ads. That's not something I have ever seen before. I never saw the car in person. I'm thinking there must be some major issues with the car that I couldn't see from long distance. Why else would the car sell so cheap? The car was loaded with factory options: power windows, A.C, decor group, convenience group, factory Magnum 500s, M code, auto, and Grabber Lime color! 

 

[SteveO_71]

I was at the Harrisburg show on Sat and when walking around in the additional buildings, I saw this car. I took a quick look at it and it seemed to be in relatively nice shape. Cant say if the top worked or how it started and ran though. Noticed the fog lights as something different than the normal 71 and there was also the Boss 351 sticker on the valve cover. Engine looked relatively clean.

I was talking to other people that were at the show on Thurs and Fri and they said cars were selling for really low prices on those days since the crowd was lighter. So, since that car was an F204, that price was a real price for that Friday.

 

[7173Vert]

Interesting car and story... as it was already modded up... I would have preferred it with the goodies left on it that were taken off. Poor attempt at the ram air setup, if you are going to send it to auction, finish what you start. The front bumperette’s were reversed for the fog lights... Lots of nice factory options on it though.

 

[kevken1959]

Thanks for the replies. I also would have preferred the car with the mods, ESPECIALLY the Paxton supercharger. I saw the car when the PAXTON was still on the car, and the then owner did a fantastic job. He even fabricated a custom air cleaner so the system would fit under the hood. Thanks for the explanation as to why the car sold so cheap. I would have never put a car like that up at no reserve. I can say that I know exactly what the seller paid for that car....$34,500! He took a huge hit letting it go for $20,500, especially with what he paid to have the car shipped from CA. to the Northeast, and all the sellers fees at the auction. I have reached out to the prior owner to get a copy of the Marti Report, just to verify the factory options. As I recall, this car was absolutely loaded with factory options! I think it was even a factory Ram Air car, and I know it had the Magnums from the factory as well. Check out how nice the bezels for the Parking Brake light and Belt light are. All of us have been trying to find nice ones, and they are nowhere to be found! Eventually I'm sure the buyer will find his way to this site, if he hasn't already, and he will be gloating when he realizes what a good deal he got on the car. I saw the car advertised on Hemmings for the auction, and got tied up with other things. When I went back to find it on the auction site, it had just sold. I just really thought the car would have been out of my "buy" range, knowing how much the seller had in the car.

 

[kevken1959]

I just spoke with the guy in California who sold the car to the guy who sold the car at auction. Back in 2017, I bid on the car and lost the bid. I contacted the seller to let him know I was interested if the deal fell through. Sure enough, the winner of the auction did not send the deposit on time. the seller at that point had no obligation to sell to the buyer. I agreed to pay $34.500 for the car. A deal was struck. I wired the money the same day. The next day, the seller called to tell me that the other "buyer" threatened to sue the seller if he did not complete the sale to him. I let the seller out of the deal with me and he returned all my money. 

Here's the kicker. The original seller just told me that the other buyer was "very hard to deal with," and sued him for $1,500 (for what, I do not know). The seller won the suit, and the "buyer" had to pay the $3,500 cost for the seller to fly from CA to the N.E. 

So that sounds like Karma to me. A jerk who wins an auction on Ebay for $34,500 doesn't follow through on the sale, finds out a real buyer closed the deal, gets pissed off and threatens to sue the seller, pays $2,500 to get the car transported, gets the car and doesn't like something when he gets it, sues the seller, loses the suit and has to pay the seller $3,500, puts the car up on Mecum at "no reserve" and gets $20,500 but has to pay the Mecum fees from the proceeds, and loses his shirt!

And now the beautiful thing. Because I still have a great relationship with the seller, he has offered to send me a bunch of parts he had for the car, and all I have to do is pay the shipping. Those parts were to go to the original buyer, but that did not happen because he was a jackass. 

I'll follow up in a future reply and let you know what parts I received, but I have a feeling it might include some very important documentation for the car  .

 

[kevken1959]

So I just got a chance to watch the Mecum auction and finally saw the Lime M code vert going through the auction. It was BEAUTIFUL, and actually sold for $19,000! I see the seller removed a lot of the mods done by the previous owner, including the Shelby/Thunderbird style sequential rear taillights and the Shelby side scoops. It must have cost him a lot of money to make the changes. 

Again, I only wish I had been bidding on the car. I think it was a steal at $$19,000. If you get a chance, check out the car going through the block at Mecum Harrisburg.

 

[SteveO_71]

I think what happened at the show was that Sat there were a couple of nice expensive collections that were selling in addition to two Richard Petty cars. Petty was also there on Sat and talked about the two cars he raced in.

People probably decided that if they were going to go, Sat would be the more worthwhile day so, noone was really there Thurs and Fri to bid on the cars. Bad for the sellers, especially if no reserve.

Sorry to hear you missed out on that car and the low price. Can you contact the Mecum buyer? Maybe he would sell it even if it was a few thousand more than the 20K he paid, it still might be worthwhile.

 

[kevken1959]

That makes sense Steve, and it's a great idea to contact the buyer. Does anyone have any idea how to do that? I doubt Mecum would disclose the information.

 

[n_reckless]

Did anyone on this site buy it or get a chance to look at it?

https://www.mecum.com/lots/PA0819-388374/1971-ford-mustang-convertible/

https://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-1971-mustang-convertible--20134 Same?

 

[donkost]

Kevin- You sold one with a very similar appearance not too long ago if I remember correctly. I also watch replays of the various auctions at night, and get pissed at myself when I see some of the prices on interesting no reserve cars. lol Unless this one had serious drivetrain issues or a major undisclosed accident repair (both of which I doubt), $20,900 seems like a steal.

 

[87fox72mach]

I saw that car in person and thought it wasn't worth near 20k mods were cheesy paint was terrible up close imho id pay no more than 10 for that thing only because it was an m code. I also saw the blue mach 1 72 I think someone put a 429 in it had no options really had orange peel all over and it went for 33k makes me wanna take my car there and see if it gets 50k......

 

[kevken1959]

Did anyone on this site buy it or get a chance to look at it?

https://www.mecum.com/lots/PA0819-388374/1971-ford-mustang-convertible/

https://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-1971-mustang-convertible--20134 Same?

Hi Reckless. I just saw this post. Yes, this is the same car! Somehow I missed all this correspondence back in 2014 on the 7173Mustangs site. Mark White was the guy who posted the car on Ebay. I only came to be involved with the car after it was already on Ebay. I would think the buyer will eventually make his way to this site if he hasn't already. Thanks for sending this. Kevin.

 

[kevken1959]

Kevin-  You sold one with a very similar appearance not too long ago if I remember correctly.  I also watch replays of the various auctions at night, and get pissed at myself when I see some of the prices on interesting no reserve cars.  lol  Unless this one had serious drivetrain issues or a major undisclosed accident repair (both of which I doubt), $20,900 seems like a steal.

Hi Don! I just saw your reply. The car I sold recently was different in that it was a 1972 Bright Lime H code 2V car. This car was a71 Grabber Lime M code 4V car with what sounded like a very interesting history. Thanks for your sympathy regarding the no reserve auctions! Kevin.

 

[kevken1959]

I saw that car in person and thought it wasn't worth near 20k  mods were cheesy  paint was terrible up close imho id pay no more than 10 for that thing only because it was an m code.    I also saw the blue mach 1  72 I think someone put a 429 in it had no options really  had orange peel all over  and it went for 33k  makes me wanna take my car there and see if it gets 50k......

Wow. Thanks for the reply. That makes me feel a lot better about missing out on the car. All I saw were some pictures in the ad years ago, and you know what they say about a picture.....(it tells a thousand words, and they're all...well, you get the idea)!