The 390 has a reputation of being the Rodney Dangerfield of muscle car engines. It was perhaps the third engine from the postwar era to offer 400-plus horsepower, but Ford failed to exploit it properly until it ended up being outsold by more radical Ford engines. Our Pick of the Day is a car that defies the conventional wisdom of engine hierarchy, making for an interesting collectible today. This 1969 Ford Mustang SportsRoof restomod is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Laval, Quebec, Canada.
Though first appearing in 1961, with the top options being 375 or 401 horsepower depending on carburetion, the 390 carried Ford’s performance torch for one year once the 406 appeared for 1962. Otherwise, the 390 mainly served as Ford’s stalwart big-block for the 1960s. Depending on the model year, the 390 was available with solid lifters and multiple carburetion, just like Ford’s mightier engines that followed it; unlike the 406 and 427, the 390 was also available as a two-barrel torquester.
The 390 served as the perfect tool to compete with the Pontiac GTO. Though available on regular 1966 Fairlanes as a 265-horsepower 2V or a 315-horse 4V, the version included with the Fairlane GT was the 335 horse Thunderbird Special (also known as the “S-code” due to the engine code in the VIN) that was claimed to be capable of twisting the tail of any tiger (a pot-shot at the GTO, which had used tigers in its advertisements). A high-lift camshaft, low-restriction air cleaner, and “bigger” carburetor were some of the functional features. It was decked out with chrome-plated rocker covers, oil filler cap, oil dip stick, radiator cap, and air cleaner cover—fancy stuff.
For 1967, Ford downgraded the S-code 390 to 320 horsepower, then raised it to 325 for 1968, finally settling on 320 for 1969 before the engine disappeared from the Fairlane GT (and its 1968 replacement, the Torino GT) lineup. There was a precipitous decline in S-code 390 production after 1966 when Ford made the engine optional for the 1967 Fairlane GT, falling from almost 38,000 to around 15,000. That’s a huge drop, but it made up by the introduction of the 390 Thunderbird Special for the redesigned Mustang for 1967. Ford built almost 30,000 of those, but that also fell to under 11,000 in 1968.
Production fell even more for 1969. In fact, this Black Jade, S-code 1969 Ford Mustang SportsRoof restomod shares the distinction of being rarer than one powered by an equivalent 428 Cobra Jet—yes, you read that right. That makes this Mustang highly unusual as it sits a little under the radar. Another under-the-radar aspect to this vehicle is that it’s actually a Mach I, but the seller is content to display it with cleaner flanks (sans stripes)—do you see a bit of John Wick in its presence?
“This vehicle is fully restored, has air conditioning, Sniper EFI, and built big-block 390ci engine!” says the seller. “Extensive restoration that took five years to complete. Eighteen-hundred miles since total rebuild. This car has never seen rainy days and was always garage-kept. No expense spared!” Features include the upgraded 390 (now with 460 horsepower), Edelbrock Performer RPM heads, Comp Cam Camshaft #33-245-4, Wilwood 12.19-inch front and rear disc brakes, Rod & Custom Tubular Control Arms, and much more—it’s a restomod, after all! Air conditioning blows cold too!
This is an original Canadian-spec Mustang sold new in Quebec. Sure, the Blue Jays just lost the World Series, but you can still make a Canadian happy by buying this Mustang restomod for $111,900.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
