China, it seems, really loves Mustangs. When they aren’t converting their SN-95 Mustangs into cheap Mercedes knockoffs, they are taking other cars and throwing a bunch of banners and pony emblems on them in order to recreate that classic feel. While we shouldn’t find it surprising that more than a few Ford Mustangs have found their way into Chinese ownership, it seems as though these cars are rarely, if ever, actually collectible.
Take the latest Mustang find from China Car Times. Coming from the notorious 2nd-generation line of Mustang II’s, this is the kind of “classic” Mustang you could pick up for less than a new flat screen television in America. But in China, the going price of this “classic” is a staggering $26,000. And it isn’t even a V8.
Rather, this Mustang II sports the infamous V6 motor, and there doesn’t even look like there is room enough to shoehorn a V8 into that tiny engine bay. The rest of the Mustang actually appears to be in pretty good condition, with a decent paint job and a mint interior. The tires are worn, and the hubcaps have seen better days, but all told, this is one of the nicer Mustang II’s we’ve seen on either side of the Pacific. That said, we’re not sure why it says “Rord” instead of “Ford” on the trunklid. Inside joke, or maybe the owner couldn’t find a replacement F? The world may never know.
However, the asking price of $26,000 is heart-stopping. China Car Times speculates that this Mustang once belonged to a businessman or other foreign entity, back when it was legal to import cars like this. No doubt, even this undesirable Mustang II is probably more rare than Ferraris in communist China, but a cursory glance at eBay reveals not a single Mustang II with a price over $10,000.
In fact, the most valuable Mustang II on eBay is a one-owner, 1976 Cobra V8 with 8,100 miles on it, with bidding currently stalled around $6,500. That is less than a 1/4 of the asking price for this Chinese expatriate. Just another reason to be happy we live in America, and not China.