[SielkeD]

I am always looking around on "that" auction site at Mustangs. I know I shouldn't, its a curse.
It seems every day someone is listing a car as a Shelby that isn't, or a GT that isn't. I was just looking at auction # 2424500348 thinking, hmmm, interesting GT. He lists it as all original rust free GT. Well, upon further examination of the numerous photos I realized it wasn't a real GT. It has reached it value as a look alike in my opinion, but has not met its reserve. The differential was the first thing I noticed, but there were other problems as well. What I noticed:

Power booster with dual reservior master cylinder (replaced?)
Single Piston Later model disk brake calipers (replaced?)
Standard brake pedal pad (replaced?)
Missing correct dual exhaust hangar mountings with Incorrect dual exhaust hanger brackets in place (dead giveaway)
Incorrect differential brake line distribution block (replaced differential? Not likely)

How many bidders probably didn't look that hard and think they are getting the real deal? How often do you think they find out long after the purchase?

 

[Flyinford]

Some people e-mail the seller to show them the facts behind their false claims. Sometimes the seller just didn't know the facts either, and was simply trying to write what others told them. Still, there are the sellers looking to cheat someone out or are trying to make their money back after realizing the car was a fake, and were hoping someone would fall into the trap like they did. I don't know if it is a guideline that you can't email the bidders before the auction ends, but I think you can e-mail E B A Y to let them know what is going on. Unfortunately I would have to say their are more bad deals that go on there than anybody knows about.

 

[NuHobby]

picky picky picky

Perhaps he was told it was a GT, or there was some major overhaul in a restoration. But makes me want to send you a few picks of my GT and have you look it over. From what I can tell its original, but you seem to have more experiance with it. Let me know if its ok.

 

[FordDude]

But wait it's an "A" code Mustang so it has to be a GT.
http://www.mariettasportscar.com/images/cars/MarksMustang/PC214240.JPG

Is it just me or do the GT badges look a little high? And the cars in the back ground, looks like a used car lot to me.
http://www.mariettasportscar.com/images/cars/MarksMustang/PC214234_small.JPG
But maybe he has owned it for 9 years. :: But why go to all the trouble to put disc brakes on it, even if they are the wrong ones, and not change the brake pedal. :: Overwise it is a nice looking coupe GT look-a-like. fd

 

[sykesk]

[No message]

 

[Huskinhano]

Lighten up. It looks like a nice clean coupe that someone will enjoy owning and driving. No where in the ad does it say it's a Shelby, just that he needs the funds to finish his.

IMO, when he was talking about the car being original, I took it to mean the body work, no offshore sheetmetal and I think that's what he meant.

The upgrades are things that we preach here, disc brakes and dual master cylinder.

I think a lot of people will know what they are looking at, this is why I hate the restoration scene!

 

[SielkeD]

ref: "But makes me want to send you a few picks of my GT and have you look it over. From what I can tell its original, but you seem to have more experiance with it. Let me know if its ok."

Certainly. It is not easy to look at any one thing to determine if a 65-66 GT IS factory. It is however to find a single thing that determines it is not. The first things I always look for:

1. Reinforcement brackets in rear frame rails (all factory dual exhaust cars). Just stick a finger inside the drain hole in the the bottom on both sides. On a non dual exhaust car there will only be one bracket, I don't remember which direction off the top of my head. A factory dual exhaust car will have brackets both directions. This would be very difficuly to fake.

2. Rear differential brake line distribution block: Non dual exhaust, on top of differential. Factory dual exhaust cars, rerouted to front side of differtial, to help clear exhaust pipes.

 

[javierruizleon]

It seems every day someone is listing a car as a Shelby that isn't

I don't own a Shelby, but I am sick of all these items being listed as "Mustang/Shelby".

 

[SielkeD]

Lighten up. It looks like a nice clean coupe that someone will enjoy owning and driving. No where in the ad does it say it's a Shelby, just that he needs the funds to finish his.

I didn't say he said it was a Shelby, but he is stating it is an original GT, and based on his reserve he is expecting a GT price for it. It is a nice GT look-a-like coupe, and I am sure someone could truly enjoy the car, but they would be upset if they didn't get what they expected, or paid for. And I don't agree, a lot of people will NOT know what to look for. We see that fact even here on this forum from time to time. At least the people here know where to get the information.

 

[sykesk]

[No message]

 

[SielkeD]

if someone replaced the disc brakes system on the front and the exhaust, then 5 of your 6 comments could be accounted for.

Pretty much true. What got me looking deeper is that he stated that it was an "all original 1966 Mustang GT" and I noticed that the differential was from a single exhaust car. If the disk brakes, differential and exhaust were replaced it could still be a factory GT, just not "all original". Changing over to single piston calipers was very common at one time, the 4 piston ones (before stainless steel pistons) used to have a habit of freezing up. The fact that it doesn't have the original holes for the original dual exhaust hangers is a dead giveaway though.
Honestly, this owner may not even know it's not a factory GT. In the mid 80's I knew alot of people that were converting their Mustangs to look-a-like GTs, and doing a good enough job in the changeover I wouldn't have been able to tell from just pictures.

My 68 GT (confirmed by Marti Autoworks) has 1970 disc brakes on it as well as a 1970 9" rearend. These two mods were both done before I purchased it. Its still a true GT though...

Yeah, 1967 and newer owners have it so much easier to verify. You guys are spoiled by Marti. ::

 

[SielkeD]

I'm sorry, but you CAN NOT make the statement that it is only a look-a-like. You have no way of noing for sure without knowing the history of the car. It may have had some bad mods done to it...What if the owner has the window sticker for the car?

Oh, but I am quite certain, at least that it was not a factory dual exhaust car, so it wasn't a Factory GT.
I concede that the disk brakes, exhaust, pedal pad and differential could have been replaced at some time. But the only way I am wrong that it is not a Factory GT is if some previous owner went through the trouble of removing the original dual exhaust hanger's, welding up the holes, and grinding them perfectly smooth.
I wish Ford had the sense to save the information for 65-66 Mustangs that is now easily available to 67 and newer owners. I am one of the lucky ones being the third owner of an mostly all original factory GT, with supporting documentation. That however is not the norm.

 

[SielkeD]

I tried to be as diplomatic as I could and sent this message to the seller of this auction:
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You may not realize this but the 66 GT you have for sell may not be a factory GT and at the very least is not "All Original".

1. Single piston Calipers and dual reservior master cylinder and Booster Disk brakes did not come out until 1967. These are not original for a 66 GT which should have a large single bowl master cylinder, no booster and 4 piston Calipers.
2. Standard Brake pedal pad instead of disk brake pad.
3. Rear differential brake distribution block is set up for a single exhaust car (on top), dual exhaust cars were re-routed to front side of differential to avoid contact with exhaust pipe.
4. GT emblems are mounted too high.

There are other things as well but those are the things I noticed right off. I would hate for your sell to fall through because the buyer realized this after the fact.
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Hopefully he just doesn't know, which is quite possible, and he will make an updated statement, at least to the originality of the car.