Opinions on this "100% original" 1983 GT

[homer302]

EDIT: Alright. I am going to edit this. I zoomed way in on the picture and it does appear to be correct. The exhaust is obviously still wrong so it's not 100% original either way. But since we are here, it is pretty nice. Mods should move this to the FYI forum.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1983-Ford-Mu...lZdmQu&vxp=mtr

[tORMENtOR]

The "one owner" phrase tells me its a flip. Not many details in the listing, I never understood why so many of these low mile cars have some of the worst write ups. Nice car though and good color combo for 83. Seems to be bringing decent money.

[roush235]

Super nice car. Hope it ends up with a collector.

[83GTJIM]

Nice car, looks minty fresh but a couple of questions..so what is this? An alarm system maybe? Not factory as far as I know. I can see that it is a front prop rod car but all of my cars have the underhood light on the other side of the hood. The picture under is kind of dark but I would like to see more detail on the insulator pad. I can't put my finger on it but something looks off.

[sowaxeman]

I have a problem with sellers that like to claim "EVERYTHING IS ORIGINAL" when it is obvious the exhaust is not. That is a major red flag for me. I'd have to see this car in person with a VERY thorough inspection before I would buy it.

[palm city mike]

just looked @ eBay link. looks like it sold for 12K

[KWH]

Current bid:
US $12,100.00
Reserve price not met

[sowaxeman]

If the exhaust is the only thing wrong with this car, and it is as original and mint as described....$12k was probably a bit low. But not many people are going to go higher than that "site unseen" given the exhaust red flag and dishonest description. If it is a TRUE one-owner car, then the owner selling the car should know that exhaust is not original.

I bet the seller has Barrett-Jackson on his mind

[bwguardian]

My 85 GT vert has the hood light on that side along with the original insulation pad I restored. I think it was a change in mounting location for this year as I have looked at a friends 84.5 and it is on the passenger side like this one should be. I see the pad is also missing some securing tabs at the bottom...which is common. However, why is the prop rod on the passenger side...it's been a while but I seem to recall mine hinging and securing on the drivers side. Maybe this was also a change for 85 for one reason or another like the light...nice car nonetheless...

[Capri-Magic]

Someone with a stock 83 GT post a pic of the back of the hood scoop. It looks like in the picture of the speedometer, it has some kind of mesh in there, and I'm sure its supposed to be a black plastic strip. Hard to tell in the pics, but one more thing to look at.

Nice car no doubt. Not worth that kind of money IMO.

I'll bet some little old lady croaked, and left this to a grand son. He started tinkering. Went out and got blasted off the road by a V-tec Civic, and now rich uncle bob talked him out of it to flip for a huge profit.

That all said. I'd sure like to have that steering wheel. Thats nice. Mine looks like a dry river basin.

[83GTJIM]

Someone with a stock 83 GT post a pic of the back of the hood scoop. It looks like in the picture of the speedometer, it has some kind of mesh in there, and I'm sure its supposed to be a black plastic strip. Hard to tell in the pics, but one more thing to look at.

Nice car no doubt. Not worth that kind of money IMO.

I'll bet some little old lady croaked, and left this to a grand son. He started tinkering. Went out and got blasted off the road by a V-tec Civic, and now rich uncle bob talked him out of it to flip for a huge profit.

That all said. I'd sure like to have that steering wheel. Thats nice. Mine looks like a dry river basin.

I missed the back of the hood scoop and you are right, that is not factory correct BUT more glaring than that (and I can't believe I missed it!) what is that where the radio is supposed to be? That is not a correct OEM radio for 1983. I don't want to nit-pick a super nice car but as several of us have pointed out, if you go so far as to declare this a 100% original car and even declare that the tires are original, I think there needs to be an explanation or it is a dishonest description.

[swearint]

Did not sell, relisted: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1983-Ford-Mu...640023?vxp=mtr

[Dave9052]

Also is that a hood release cable? Mine is not visible at that angle. Light should be on passenger side.

[sowaxeman]

However, why is the prop rod on the passenger side...it's been a while but I seem to recall mine hinging and securing on the drivers side. Maybe this was also a change for 85 for one reason or another like the light...nice car nonetheless...

All prop rods from 82-86 (and I'm assuming 79-81 since I never owned one) hinge on the passenger side and clip down on the driver side. This car is certainly a MAJOR red flag now that I see the 85-86 digital radio in the hole (hacked dash or replaced dash) and the cut-out/vent holes at the back of the hood scoop. I would say this is a full blown restoration/repair that someone is trying to hide.

Also as noted in the pic near the top...this car has a dealer installed alarm system...evident by the "vending machine" style key in the front driver fender. My '82 GT has the same thing:

[sowaxeman]

Also...does anyone have an ORIGINAL 83-84 GT in Silver to compare to? Looking at the picture below I created, compare the car in this ad and my '83 GT I had several years ago (all original), this sure looks like a repaint to me. The pin-stripe is a single line breaking up the base color, rather than a dual thin/thick pinstripe. It also looks 85/86 matte charcoal in color, not matte black, but I know cameras and lighting can play tricks.

[bwguardian]

All prop rods from 82-86 (and I'm assuming 79-81 since I never owned one) hinge on the passenger side and clip down on the driver side. This car is certainly a MAJOR red flag now that I see the 85-86 digital radio in the hole (hacked dash or replaced dash) and the cut-out/vent holes at the back of the hood scoop. I would say this is a full blown restoration/repair that someone is trying to hide.

Also as noted in the pic near the top...this car has a dealer installed alarm system...evident by the "vending machine" style key in the front driver fender. My '82 GT has the same thing:

Jason, I think you may be right about the prop rod. I have had the carb off the car for a while and always struggle getting the hood open and/or closed given I no room and having to do it from the passenger side. Just couldn't recall which end I was having trouble with given the hood rarely comes up on the Stang.

I do remember those dealer installed alarms with the ignition switch on the fenders. I had a padded one on my 82 GT that I mounted inside the ash tray area given I don't smoke. I also seem to recall on my old 82 that I don't think I had to do any cutting on the dash to install the 86 electronic premium sound unit...but I have slept since then. I also had a 86 cluster, steering column/wheel, 8.8 rear end with quad shocks, and seats installed in it.

[sowaxeman]

You definitely would have had to cut the dash in an '82 if you installed an actual 86 electronic radio. That or your dash was already cut by a PO. 1979-1984 had molded dash openings for an old school, twin post, install from behind radio. Based on the cluster you described, that work/dash swap was already done prior to you owning it?

[homer302]

The red cars also only had 1 stripe beside the black I believe. I have an unpainted front bumper off a red GT and it just has the single black stripe on the side like this grey one. I still believe this car has had a TON more work done to it than the seller is letting on though.

[jessesandy]

My early '83 GT hatch hood prop up rod is all on the driver side. It's a stubby that swings up - not across - the car.
And, the hood release cable is easily visible from the firewall area to the release.
It is an original silver/black car but the paint is in no condition to use for a comparison.
And, the plastic cover at the back of the hood scoop just has horizontal lines.

[83gtstang]

So it was a GT convertible, very nice.

[bwguardian]

You definitely would have had to cut the dash in an '82 if you installed an actual 86 electronic radio. That or your dash was already cut by a PO. 1979-1984 had molded dash openings for an old school, twin post, install from behind radio. Based on the cluster you described, that work/dash swap was already done prior to you owning it?

No, I did them. I bought the 82 GT in 83 and a wrecked 86 GT convertible is what I got the parts from in 85. This was the car I got the parts I sold to the original owner of my now 85 GT vert which sat in covered storage until I bought the car in 2011.

[sowaxeman]

My early '83 GT hatch hood prop up rod is all on the driver side. It's a stubby that swings up - not across - the car.

Do you or anyone else have pictures of this odd prop-rod? I have NEVER seen this....my 82 is hinged on the passenger side and clips down on the driver side across the upper core support. The '83 I owned several years ago, and the '84 I worked on this winter...all the same way. Every fox I have ever owned or seen is like this. Any one know the difference and why there was a difference on some cars?

[83GTJIM]

I have two pics of the short prop rods from 83 GT's that I own. Check your earlier cars, you may see the word PROP stamped in the hood half way down on the drivers side of the hood even if the car has the long prop rod.





The hood stripe isn't original either. I have a NOS medium charcoal grey stripe kit and the stripe is actually about 3/4" thick and is the paint color, the black stripe and then the body color again. I have a NOS kit in red also and it is the same. You can see the paint color stripe but on this car you see its just a single thin black stripe. If I can get my hands on the stripe kit I will post pics of it.

[sowaxeman]

I have NEVER seen that prop rod on any other Fox Mustang. Would love to see Mick or anyone with knowledge chime in about it. My '82 is definitely not like that, nor was my '83

[homer302]

I have seen cars with the short prop rod. I always thought it was just an early year thing as I have never owned an '83 and back.