The Story Behind the Sale
The Ford Fox Body Mustang is often regarded as one of the more polarizing generations in the model’s history, with fans either embracing it or dismissing it. However, most enthusiasts can agree that a well-documented barn find is always compelling – and this particular 1983 Mustang GT convertible, featured by WD Detailing, stood out even more because of the personal story behind its sale.
The owner and his wife are staying at a rehabilitation facility, but hope to return home. That plan, however, has been complicated by an HVAC system at their house that has not worked for over 10 years. The elderly couple decided to sell the boxy-designed Mustang, which had been stored in the owner’s garage for more than two decades.
Decades Without Attention
Given that the car was a genuine barn find, its condition was understandably poor. The tires were deflated, and the interior was heavily contaminated with rat nests. The channel primarily details vehicles – often at no cost – to help owners see their cars restored to their former glory.
This particular Mustang belongs to the model’s third-generation iteration, more commonly known as the Fox Body. It rides on the Fox platform, which was also shared with vehicles such as the Ford Thunderbird and Lincoln Continental.
According to the owner, the car originally ran with a V6 engine before being upgraded to a 5.0-liter small-block V8. That engine was rated at approximately 175 horsepower and 245 lb-ft of torque. While those figures may sound modest today, they were more competitive at the time, especially given that the car weighed around 3,000 pounds—roughly in the same ballpark as a modern Toyota Corolla. Power is sent to the rear wheels through an automatic transmission.
Turning the Page
The Fox Body generation was eventually replaced in 1994, marking a notable shift away from the sharp, boxy styling. While the SN-95 remained derived from the Fox architecture, Ford heavily reworked it – often described as the “Fox-4” – with substantial improvements aimed at rigidity and overall refinement.
In addition to the Fox Body Mustang, the garage also housed a classic Ford Model A, the direct successor to the Blue Oval’s iconic Model T.
WD Detailing pledged to match the sale price, effectively doubling the amount the Mustang sold for. The channel also helped the elderly couple set up a crowdfunding page and connected them with a friend who volunteered to provide free labor and installation for a new HVAC system.
