The cheapest V8 Ford Mustang in Australia didn’t exactly inspire confidence when YouTuber Matty Willo first laid eyes on it.
The battered 2016 Mustang GT showed up at a salvage auction with its front bumper barely hanging on and several panels sitting out of alignment.
At first glance, it looked more like a risky gamble than a bargain.
But within just a week, the rough-looking muscle car would prove to be one of the best automotive bets he’s ever made.
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The car had fewer than 35,000 miles on the odometer
Matty picked up the ruby red Mustang at a Pickles salvage auction for $17,250AUD ($12,100).
After auction fees and delivery, the total came to an even $20,000AUD ($14,030).
That’s a risky purchase for any project car, especially one with accident damage, but the Mustang had a few things going for it.
First, it came with a 5.0-liter Coyote V8 paired with a six-speed manual transmission, a combination that enthusiasts love.
Even better, the car had just 34,092 miles (54,866 km) on the odometer.
For a 2016 model, that’s extremely low mileage, and the interior still smelled like a nearly new car.
There were also some uncanny coincidences that made the purchase feel almost meant to be.
The previous owner’s registration plate read ‘Matt Stang,’ which just happened to match Matty’s name.
Even stranger, the Ford Mustang shares the same birthday as the YouTuber himself, April 17.
Of course, the car still needed plenty of work before it could hit the road.
Most of the damage was concentrated at the front.
The radiator support had bent from the impact, the front bumper was cracked, the grille was broken, and several components, like the bonnet latch and crash bar, were missing entirely.
A V8 Ford Mustang is worth a lot more in Australia
Luckily, the structural damage turned out to be minimal.
After carefully measuring the chassis rails using factory specifications, Matty confirmed that the car’s frame was still perfectly straight.
That meant the repairs were mostly a matter of replacing parts.
He ordered genuine replacement components, including a new radiator support, crash bar, and bumper, all sourced from a Ford dealer.
The total parts bill came to around $2,500AUD ($1,750), which was surprisingly reasonable for OEM components.
With the new parts installed, the Mustang quickly started looking like a proper car again.
Matty also repaired a broken headlight tab using plastic welding and reused many of the original clips and fasteners that had been left in the car.
After inspections, registration, and a new set of wheels, the total investment came to roughly $26,000AUD ($18,235).
That’s a serious bargain considering similar V8 Mustangs in Australia can easily sell for far more.
If you want to watch the full restoration process of the cheapest V8 Ford Mustang in Australia, you can check out the full video below:
The evolution of the Ford Mustang
1964: Ford Motor Company launched the first Ford Mustang at the New York World’s Fair, creating the ‘pony car’ segment and selling over 400,000 units in its first year
1969: High-performance variants like the Ford Mustang Boss 429 were introduced to meet NASCAR homologation rules and cement the Mustang’s muscle-car reputation
1974: The downsized Ford Mustang II debuted during the 1973 oil crisis, prioritizing fuel efficiency over raw power
1987: A major facelift of the third-generation Mustang revived performance interest and helped keep the model competitive during the late muscle-car revival
2005: The fifth-generation Mustang arrived with retro styling inspired by the original 1960s model, sparking a major resurgence in popularity
2024: The seventh-generation Ford Mustang launched as the latest evolution of the iconic sports car, featuring modern digital interiors while retaining traditional V8 power
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