Japanese Car Auction Finds: 1966 Ford Mustang

When you think of car auctions in Japan an image of long lines of gleaming Toyotas, Hondas and Nissans might spring to mind, but you will find a small but steady flow of American muscle cars in there too.

Although Japan is an RHD country with relatively narrow roads, there has always been a place in the Japanese heart for Americana. Japan’s love-hate relationship with America was played out dramatically throughout the 20th Century in war, economics and social change, and is still evidenced in the on-going tensions created by US bases in Okinawa.

US muscle cars are an icon of what America means to some Japanese people: Big, brash and excessive, conjuring up an era of excitement and progress when America was putting men on the moon, and Japan’s post-war economy was exploding.

This is a very clean example of a 1960s American icon – the Ford Mustang coupe. The eagle-eyed among you will notice that this car is listed as a 1996 car by the car auction. The thing to remember is that the car auctions in Japan always list the cars by the date of first registration in Japan. The auction sheet says this is a 1966 model, so clearly what has happened here is that this car was brought into Japan in 1996 when it was already a 30 year-old classic.

Here is a translation of the auction inspector’s report:

“Interior C, 1966 model, power steering, LHD gray import, 5-digit odometer, interior trim worn, seats have cigarette burns, console scratches, ceiling lining cut, aftermarket wheels scratches, wheel center caps missing, exterior fully repainted in original color paint, possibly aftermarket suspension, possibly aftermarket aircleaner, scratches dents and waves in panels, left rear exterior paintwork worn, right rear tail lens cracked, front windscreen stone scratches, other marks as per map“

(c) Integrity Exports Co. Ltd. – Japan car auction buyer and exporter.