1966 Ford Mustang GT - Spectacularly Original
Lee Iaccoca had to push Henry Ford II hard to get the Mustang approved, but it remains an unparalleled success story. We still debate which model is better-looking, the fastback or the convertible. The GT Equipment Group fitted to Jim and Earla Turcich’s fastback consisted of grille-mounted 4-inch foglights, front fender badges, rocker stripes, dual exhaust, flared tailpipe tips, disc brakes, fast-ratio steering, and improved suspension.
What's even more amazing (to us at least) is that this mega-Mustang has spent decades just a few miles from our Florida offices yet remained completely off of our radar.
As Jim described his '66 fastback via email, it took a while for it to fully sink in. But the morning of our photo shoot, there it was, an original, unrestored '66 K-GT with the very best options, the perfect combination of dealer accessories, and a stack of supporting paperwork.
Don’t you just want to grab it and go?
The first thing we had to know was, how did such a superb driver's car get benched for so long? Jim explains: "In late 1966, the car was special ordered in the small town of Albemarle, North Carolina, just outside of Charlotte. The dealer took delivery in November following a sizeable, for 1966, deposit of $200. Unfortunately, the buyer was unable to complete the deal. Because of his youthful exuberance and his pending military duties, the car, with its new car price tag, premium options, and accessory performance parts, sat unclaimed in the showroom."
The redesigned '67s had arrived, making the '66 look like old news. It sat through the holidays and New Year's, through winter and spring, then summer. It was looking like this once-fetching fastback was destined to become an old maid. But just as the '68 Mustangs were about to roll into the showroom, a prospective buyer appeared.
GTs receieved the Deluxe interior. This one also got the optional 8,000-rpm Rally-Pac, console, and fold-down rear seat. Shelby racing belts, part of Ford’s extensive high performance parts program, were dealer-install as part of the original sales contract.
"It sat unsold until September 25, 1967 when, according to a salesman who recalled the sale years ago, it had to go because the '68s would be arriving soon. A local woman, likely unaware of its performance add-ons, signed on the dotted line and drove it out."
The new-car honeymoon didn't last long thanks to its sports car edge. Between the manual choke, solid-lifter cam, four-speed transmission, and dual-point distributor, it was probably more demanding than what she had in mind for her short commutes to work.
"The car was sold about a year later," Jim notes.
Believe it or not, there were two previous owners who did not like to drive this Mustang. A third liked to drive it too much (or too fast, anyway) and so lost his license. That’s how such a desireable car has such low mileage.
Soon it attracted a buyer who knew what performance was all about. Jim says, "In February, 1970, the car again had a new owner who gained a reputation with local police." His heavy-footed antics on the back roads put his license in jeopardy. He racked up enough tickets to get his driving privileges suspended.
"The Mustang sat," said Jim. "In June of '73, after sitting idle for nearly two years, the Hi-Po changed hands again with just over 11,000 miles on the clock. The intention was for the owner's daughter to use the Mustang as her daily transportation, but she didn't like the four-speed, and she didn't like the visual obstacle of the fastback's sizable C-pillars."
Again, the Mustang fell into disuse. "The car was used little and ultimately pushed inside a basement, where it was stored," says Jim. There it sat for about a decade.
Pre–big-block Mustangs were offered with three different V-8s: the basic 289 two-barrel, the step-up 225hp 289 four-barrel Challenger Special, and the feisty 271hp Cobra 289, also known as the High-Performance (Hi-Po) 289. Unlike the 390 that was optional in ’67 models, the mechanical cam 289 loved to rev.
Jim heard about it through a friend. His curiosity high, he went to have a look. Sure enough, here was a Mustang in a basement. And what a Mustang! Jim was young and working on a career. He was not in the market for a special car. But deals have a way of coming along whether the timing is convenient or not. Jim talked himself into it and purchased the low-mile Mustang with just under 12,000 miles on the odometer.
That was 30 years ago. Other than the odometer now registering 13,162 miles, the Mustang remains as it was. No restoration, bodywork, or detailing has been done. The car spends its days in protective storage, preserving its originality for better and worse.
Those used to seeing over-restored cars may be surprised to see how a truly original Mustang looks. Body panel seams are inconsistent—some fit well, others not so well. There are color codes and inspection marks all over. Paint overspray, orange peel, and skippers are just like the folks at the Dearborn factory left it.
The utility of the folding rear seat was a selling point for the fastback body style when it was introduced in September 1964.
The interior has the original carpet, clock/tach Rally Pack, rubber floor mats, upholstery, and sport steering wheel, cracks and all. It also has the wide Shelby seatbelts installed by the dealer.
Under the hood is the Hi-Performance 289, with factory paint and the heads still factory sealed. The intake was removed when the dealer installed the Cobra kit, which also adds the classic cast aluminum valve covers, Tri-Y headers, and an aluminum Cobra competition oil pan. All the takeoff parts were stored in the trunk and are still there. A few service items (battery, air cleaner, oil filter, and upper radiator hose) have been replaced.
Even if you attend all the big shows in the Southeast, don't expect to see this one. It doesn't get out much. Never has. Since its first days, it's taken a different path, a path that does not include much public exposure. Instead, it resides in indoor storage, carefully preserving a premium piece of ponycar history.
At a Glance
1966 Mustang GT
Owned by: Jim and Earla Turcich
Restored by: Unrestored original
Engine: '66 289ci/271hp Hi-Po V-8
Transmission: 4-speed manual
Rearend: 3.50 gears
Interior: Deluxe interior
Wheels: 14x5 styled steel
Tires: 215/70R14 BFGoodrich Radial T/A
Special Parts: GT Equipment Group, Cobra Kit (aluminum valve covers, Tri-Y headers, competition oil pan), Shelby seatbelts
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