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  1. #1
    New User tom83gtconv's Avatar
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    Default 83 Mustang GT Convertible bright red/red in Buffalo NY

    #880 of the 1001 (993 US + 8 Canadian) made as confirmed by Harland Russel who runs the 83 GT conv registry. I have a Marty report to also authenticate the car. Build date is Aug 15 1983. The radiator buck tag is stamped with “GT” in the lower corner as physical confirmation. Car is Bright Red exterior with Medium Red vinyl interior. Originally built with white top but now has a black top in perfect condition. Car still has several visible factory date codes. Current mileage is at 55,252 miles that can be documented by service receipts from previous owners.
    Car has won multiple local awards including best of show/late model at the Erie PA Ford Dealer show.
    I purchased car in April 1999 with 45,678 documented miles from a local Buffalo NY car collector who owned ~60 cars at the time. I have documents of this including a unique story with photos and documents about the car’s history that I will share with the serious buyer.
    Car is kept covered in my home’s attached garage in the summer and stored in an offsite heated garage in the winter. Is only driven on nice dry days. In the 19 years of ownership I maybe got caught driving in the rain 2 times (once returning from a mustang show at the Ford Assembly plant in Oakville Canada).
    Car runs perfect and is fully loaded except it does not have power door locks that I’m not sure were offered.
    Car is in factory stock condition except I added a Steeda short throw shifter, Koni Red shocks, Ford racing 1” drop front springs, BBK ceramic coated headers with Grafoil gaskets, complete stainless-steel dual exhaust with polished stainless mufflers and a Maximum Motorsport strut tower brace. I can share a story where the clutch was replaced right after I bought it. The Holly 4180-C was professionally rebuilt and concours finished. Car has the original AM/FM Cassette radio with the factory amp. I replaced the door speakers with hopes of getting a little better sound quality. I only run ethanol-free 91 octane gas. I have all receipts.
    Currently has TRX tires in like-new condition. TRX rims have been stripped of the factory clear coat and are now highly polished uncoated aluminum. No external weights and no curb rash. People think they are aftermarket chrome plated rims.
    Spare parts include subframe connectors (never installed), 2 like-new TRX tires, 1 TRX rim (not polished), roll of OEM seat vinyl, full front-end bra, gauge cluster and misc. rubber parts. Also included are service manuals and dealer brochures.
    Car originally a California car (DSO 71 and sold by Encinitas Ford, CA). I have documentation of being the 6th owner with most of the later owners being collectors. I have the names of previous owners. I purchased the car with 45,678 miles and currently the odometer reads 55,252 (as of May 201. In the 19 years of ownership I have logged only 9,574 miles.
    Best I know car needs the A/C system charged. The driver door was repaired (possibly re-skinned) by a previous owner so the inside lip around the door needs a little touch-up paint. Future projects that could be done is to do is to install LED bulbs in the gauge cluster to brighten it up and to replace the water pump that sounds like its just starting to make a slight noise (new OEM water pump, hoses and thermostat come with car but not installed). I bought the car with an alarm system what has since been removed so there is a hole drilled in the gauge cluster cover for a small LED indicator light (I’m searching for a NOS cover that are tough to find in solid black for a GT).
    Other than the driver door; best I know it has never been wrecked as evidenced by the door gaps (although not the best out of the factory in 1983) and the date codes on the bottom lip of the trunk and engine lid, radiator support, and both front fenders.
    When I first purchased the car, I looked under the carpet and there is zero rust (not typical for a convertible). The interior is all original with no cracks even in the dash pad. I had a seam open-up on me in the driver seat center section that was professionally repaired using OEM material. The car is rust-free underneath (worthy of mirrors) and rust-free all around. The engine and engine compartment are detailed to an extreme level but not overdone. I believe the car was repainted by a previous owner who did a very nice job but its over 20 years old (but does not look like it). In my opinion the overall paint is an 8 out of 10 where 10 is perfect. All the body side moldings are in near perfect shape and are not coming loose.
    Car was professionally appraised on April 2014 (exterior & engine overall #2+ and interior #1-) by the current AACA Museum Executive Director in Pennsylvania who is willing to discuss the car ONLY with a serious buyer. The written appraisal values the car at $14,500 (final issue dated July 2014). Per Haggerty’s valuation guide a #1 concours is valued for $20,600 (as of May 201 and a #2 excellent is valued for $14,900 (as of May 201. I discussed the sale of the 83 with the appraiser who indicated that Fox body factory original documented cars in my condition are appreciating in value over the last few years. I will only consider serious buyers with $20,000 cash. No trades.
    Why am I considering selling? I also own a 1967 mustang that was a 5-year ground-up full restoration project. I seem to allocate more time to the 67 so the 83 does not get the attention she deserves. As you can see I’m passionate and knowledgeable about 83 GT convertibles. I will only consider selling the 83 to a person who appreciates its rarity and will baby and enjoy the car as I have. Otherwise I really don’t have reason to sell.
    Car never been smoked in and is located in Lancaster NY which is just east of Buffalo NY.

    Picture of car is older and does not show hood blackout that has since been professionally and correctly painted.

    I have a history report that lists no accidents or other reported issues.
    Attached Images Attached Images     
    Owner of #880 of 1001 factory stock show condition 83 GT convertible.

  2. #2

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    There were 993 total 1983 GT convertibles made. That includes US and CAN combined.

    There were not 993 US + 8 CAN for a total of 1001 US and CAN combined.

    http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthread.php?178854

    Quote Originally Posted by PONYRYD View Post
    It needs to be noted and corrected that there were actually 24 cars built for Canada not 8 as Tom Wade originally reported. Tom and I worked together to get the VIN databases sorted out a few years back.
    Quote Originally Posted by PONYRYD View Post
    There are 24 cars that were produced for Canada. ... It was originally thought that there were only 8 total. The original VIN list(s) have been placed into excel spreadsheets and are now more easily sorted. There were/are multiple VIN lists that Tom Wade acquired from Ford. We have successfully "linked" them through various sorting options to better understand how many cars were produced.
    Harland Russel is "PONYRYD"
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    Wanted (Dead or Alive): VINs, door tags, buck tags, build sheets, window stickers, owner cards, transmission tags, axle tags

  3. #3

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    20k is the price?

    Looks very nice.
    82 ford fairmont futura
    quicktime turbosystems 70mm turbo
    10.67@128.38

  4. #4
    FEP Senior Member Dave9052's Avatar
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    Hi Tom, where did you get the #880 of the 1983 GT verts. I also have a 83 GT vert that is almost a twin of yours. Mine is red. not bright red, same interior with a white top. I have never seen a number such as #880 of 993 given to a 83 vert? You have a beautiful car, good luck on the sale!!

  5. #5

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    The only possibility for a number of 880 is this would be the 880th GT convertible 'scheduled for production' (VIN assigned). It's not the order in which GT convertibles were built because they are not built in order by the VIN and nobody knows, not even Ford, the order in which every car was built.
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    Wanted (Dead or Alive): VINs, door tags, buck tags, build sheets, window stickers, owner cards, transmission tags, axle tags

  6. #6
    FEP Senior Member Dave9052's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by FoxChassis View Post
    The only possibility for a number of 880 is this would be the 880th GT convertible 'scheduled for production' (VIN assigned). It's not the order in which GT convertibles were built because they are not built in order by the VIN and nobody knows, not even Ford, the order in which every car was built.
    Thanks once again FoxChassis for sharing your knowledge with me.

  7. #7
    New User tom83gtconv's Avatar
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    Default

    Thank you all for your input. Yes, $20K is the asking price.

    We all know there has been a lot of controversy over the years regarding the real number of 83 GT Convertibles made. My 993US/8CA was the going numbers I knew at the time. It may have been updated since...honestly I have not stayed on top of it. My Marty report does list a total of 993 and I now see that mustanggt.org updated their info as well to 993. Guess I rather have a 1/993 versus 1/1001 made units to make it even rarer.

    My documentation is at home regarding the #880. I believe that came from Harland that he got from Tom Wade. Maybe I confused matters and maybe my car was #880 on Tom's list. I have to check.

    My VIN is 1FABP27F7DF217774 with a build date of 8/15/83
    Owner of #880 of 1001 factory stock show condition 83 GT convertible.

  8. #8
    New User tom83gtconv's Avatar
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    I have a email dated 4/27/99 from Tom Wade where he wrote me "Out of 1001 built it was #880". So that is where I got the #880. Since then the total number of units made was revised to 993.
    Owner of #880 of 1001 factory stock show condition 83 GT convertible.

  9. #9

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    Yah that's old info. Harland Russell (FEP name: PONYRYD), whom took over the registry from Tom Wade, worked with Tom to figure out that there were not only 8 that went to Canada, there were actually 24 that went to Canada, and that there were also not 1001 total, there were 993 total. The total number of 993 has been confirmed by many Marti reports.

    Regarding "Out of 993 built it was #x"...that is not possible to conclude. Units are not built in order of the VIN assigned. They are built out of order. All anybody can do is tell you "Out of 993 VINs assigned it was #x".

    For someone to legitimately be able to tell you what build # it was out of 993 means they would have to know not just the day each unit was built -- Ford, Marti Auto, and anyone else that has Ford production data knows this -- but if more than one unit was built on the same day (they were) it would have to be know the order on the assembly line each unit was. Ford doesn't even know that because they did not keep track of build order each day, so anyone that has data from Ford could not possibly know that either.
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    Wanted (Dead or Alive): VINs, door tags, buck tags, build sheets, window stickers, owner cards, transmission tags, axle tags

  10. #10
    New User tom83gtconv's Avatar
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    Thank you. I personally know Harland thru emails & LinkedIn. We share the same passion since he also owns a 83 GT convertible. Over the years he has been a wealth of knowledge.
    Owner of #880 of 1001 factory stock show condition 83 GT convertible.

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