Classic Mustang or Classic Camaro: Which Would You Buy?

YAHOO AUTOS

                    

By Zach Doell            

 

 

 

The automotive world is privy to its fair share of rivalries, but perhaps none have captivated fans and owners quite like the age-old Mustang vs. Camaro match-up.

 Across nearly five decades of mostly uninterrupted wheel-to-wheel battle, the two rear-drive pony cars have cemented themselves a spot – if not the top spot – in the muscle car history books.So we’re posing the question, “If you could have one of either of these first-generation pony car icons, which one would you buy?”

Here we have a slick-looking 1965 Ford Mustang. It’s up for grabs on eBay – showing 88,000 original miles on the clock – and notches a few key check boxes in the Mustang buyer’s guide.
In the early part of the 1960s, Ford wanted to build an inexpensive sports car for young America to flock to.

 On April 17, 1964 at the New York World’s Fair, Ford gave us the Mustang … and that sales strategy worked. The lovable Mustang sold to the tune of one million models in its first two years and would go on to spawn the vaunted Shelby GT350 and GT500, nab numerous silver screen appearances, and to this day represent the measuring stick of all muscle cars.

This ’65 Mustang features its original ‘A code’ 289-cubic-inch V8 and four-barrel carburetor. The ‘Stang recently underwent a light “refresh” in the words of its seller, which includes new paint. Factory options like air conditioning, power steering, and power brakes ensure it’s a car you could drive daily.

Understandably, GM wanted in on that pony car action. So Chevrolet debuted its pony car rival for 1967 in the form of the Camaro. And though the top of the GM food chain realized they had a winner on their hands, they probably never envisioned this kind of white-knuckled rivalry.

This splendid ’67 Camaro drop top sports a desirable mix of the factory RS trim package and the SS performance pack. As such, you’ll find a rubber-churning 350-cubic-inch V8 under the hood, mated to its original Muncie four-speed manual transmission.

 Even better, it displays a mere 38,000 original miles on the clock and less than 10,000 since its restoration. However, the seller does note that the Camaro’s block was replaced during the rebuild, though all other engine components are original.