This 1983 Ford Mustang GLX Convertible Has A 302 V8 With 17,000 Miles And Charm For Days - Jalopnik
The Malaise Era was one of the darkest periods of history for car enthusiasts. The regulations of the era put the kibosh on the 'roided-out horsepower wars that produced so many iconic American muscle cars. The...
The Malaise Era was one of the darkest periods of history for car enthusiasts. The regulations of the era put the kibosh on the 'roided-out horsepower wars that produced so many iconic American muscle cars. The era of automotive sadness was widely said to have lasted between 1973 and 1983, but Ford and Chevrolet's muscle cars got a hefty injection of good old fashioned American-style performance in the early '80s, with the Camaro Z-28 and Mustang GT in the form of 5.0-liter V8s.
In 1983, Ford offered a topless version of the original Pony Car for the first time in a decade. And though this particular 1983 Ford Mustang GLX Convertible might not be the more performance-minded Mustang GT, it still packs a four-speed manual and the all-important Windsor 5.0-liter V8 under its long hood.
With an odometer that reads just 16,917 original miles and with the pristine bodywork, black vinyl upholstery, tasty tri-spoke wheels, engine bay, and underbody to match, this is an exceptionally well-maintained example of the droptop Fox Body Mustang. It's a great example of a car that reignited the pony car torch after its flame dimmed in the dreaded days of the Mustang II. It's currently listed for sale for $21,900 at High Octane Classics in Auburn, MA.
It's a V8-powered time capsule on sweet tri-spoke wheels
Early Fox Body Mustangs aren't necessarily the most sought-after iteration of the steel pony, as they were still saddled with some Malaise-era residue, but they're an important step in the history of one of the most beloved American cars to leave burnout marks on the hearts of millions. Plus, it still packed a respectable punch; when new, its 302 cubic-inch V8 produced 175 horsepower and 245 lb-ft of torque, which was enough to scoot this ragtop from zero to 60 mph in about 7.0 seconds, despite it weighing about 200 pounds more than its hardtop counterpart.
As an early Fox, this '83 car still has quad sealed-beam headlights and tail lights with amber-lensed turn signals, and the seventies-looking four-spoke steering wheel, but if you ask me, that's where its charm comes into play. This was before the world decided that powerful cars have to look macho and angry. This Fox, in GLX guise, complete with swaths of 'wood' on the dashboard and the absence of an aggressive spoiler or body kit? There's something almost friendly about it.
The Fox Body chassis underpinned Mustangs for years after this car was first sold, and it became more dressed-up and aggressive-looking along the way. Admittedly, I grew up in the back seat of my dad's 1986 Mustang SVO so I have an affinity for this era of Mustang, but I think this absurdly low-mile, well-documented '83 Mustang GLX convertible is a uniquely charming piece from an overwhelmingly bland era.