Ford and Porsche both launched their defining cars in 1964, and sixty years later that pair still sets the price map for 60s cars: CLASSIC.com's market benchmark for a 1965 Mustang GT fastback is $66,807, for a 1965 Porsche 911 it is $197,375. We think the 1960s is still the decade where a collector gets the most car for the money, as long as you pay for the right body style and not for the poster on the wall.
$22,895 vs $197,375: CLASSIC.com's market benchmark for a 1965-66 Mustang hardtop, against a 1965 Porsche 911 (October 2026). Same model year, almost nine times the money.
$52,262 vs $35,219: a base 1965-66 Mustang fastback against a base convertible (CLASSIC.com). The market pays $17,043 more for the roofline than for the open top.
$3.74 million vs $81,981: the Bullitt car at Mecum Kissimmee in January 2020, against CLASSIC.com's benchmark for any other 1968 Mustang GT fastback.
$1,200 and 5%: ocean freight per car from our New Jersey warehouse to Southampton in 14-16 days, then 0% UK duty and an effective 5% import VAT for an original car that qualifies as a collectors' item (WCS rates table, October 20, 2026; HMRC).
$1,100 and 7%: New Jersey to Bremerhaven in 30-33 days, then 7% German import VAT on collectors' items of heading 9705 (WCS rates table; UStG section 12 and Annex 2, no. 54).
$2,250 and 0%: California to Melbourne in 33-36 days with asbestos testing included, then no Australian customs duty on a passenger vehicle 30 years or older (ABF Customs Notice 2022/34) and 10% GST on the landed value (ABF).
$1,350 and 5%: New Jersey to Jebel Ali in 65-70 days, then 5% UAE customs duty on the CIF value (WCS rates table; UAE government portal).
About $71,410: a $66,807 Mustang GT fastback landed in the UK, with $1,200 freight and 5% VAT on car plus freight, before destination charges of £620. That is our arithmetic on the figures above.
The Mustang was a pony car before it was a muscle car, and the 2026 market still prices it that way. CLASSIC.com benchmarks a 1965-66 hardtop at $22,895, a base convertible at $35,219 and a base fastback at $52,262. That gap of about $17,040 between fastback and convertible tells you what collectors want now: the roofline, more than the open top.
Our view: the hardtop is the smart buy if you want to drive it, and the GT fastback is the one that holds its place in a collection. 1965 GT fastbacks sold for $28,000 (a project, Hagerty Marketplace) to $99,000 (a modified car, Mecum) in September 2026 (CLASSIC.com). Condition and originality move the price far more than the year.
A 1965 Porsche 911 benchmarks at $197,375 on CLASSIC.com, about three times a 1965 Mustang GT fastback. A 24,000-mile 1965 car sold for $168,000 at Gooding Christie's in Fernandina Beach, Florida, on March 5, 2026, and CLASSIC.com showed none for sale in October.
We think the gap is fair and will hold. The early short-wheelbase 911 is the car every air-cooled collector ends up chasing, and it rarely changes hands. The Mustang was built for everyone, which is why it is still the easiest way into a real 60s car. Read more on the Porsche 911 as a collector car.
Clubs did more for these cars than any auction house. Their registries, judging sheets and parts networks are the reason a 60-year-old Mustang or 911 can still be restored to factory spec, and the reason a buyer overseas can check a car's history before bidding.
Our advice to anyone buying a 60s car from abroad: join the marque club before you bid. A club inspector who has seen a hundred of the same model will spot a wrong engine or a tired body faster than any listing photo.
The 1968 Mustang GT from Bullitt sold for $3.74 million at Mecum Kissimmee in January 2020 (Jalopnik). CLASSIC.com benchmarks any other 1968 GT fastback at $81,981, and one sold for $80,000 on Bring a Trailer in August 2026. That is roughly a $3.66 million premium for one car chase with Steve McQueen at the wheel. The full story is in our post on the Bullitt Mustang.
Music did the same work for cheaper cars. The Beach Boys' 'Little Deuce Coupe' did it for hot rods. We would not pay a film-car premium for a lookalike, but a correct 1968 GT fastback is a fine way to own the scene without the $3.74 million.
Most 60s cars that leave the US go by ocean container: $1,200 from New Jersey to Southampton in 14-16 days, $1,100 to Bremerhaven in 30-33 days, $2,250 from California to Melbourne in 33-36 days (WCS rates table, October 2026). Air freight is the option when a car has to make a concours date. Every 60s car is over 30 years old, so in the UK, the EU and Australia it can qualify for the lower collectors' rates, which our EU vs UK classic duty guide breaks down.
For the next decade on, see 70s cars and their values, 1980s cars under $25K and our list of 1960 classic cars. Destination rules are on our UK, Germany and Australia pages.
CLASSIC.com's market benchmarks for 1965-66 cars are $22,895 for a hardtop, $35,219 for a base convertible and $52,262 for a base fastback. A 1965 GT fastback benchmarks at $66,807.
Ocean freight from New Jersey to Southampton is $1,200 per car in 14-16 days. An original car that qualifies as a collectors' item pays 0% duty and an effective 5% import VAT, so a $66,807 Mustang GT fastback lands at about $71,410 before £620 destination charges.
No customs duty applies to a passenger vehicle 30 years or older. 10% GST is still due on the landed value. Freight from California to Melbourne is $2,250 with asbestos testing included.
Not automatically. The 0% rate under Regulation (EU) 2026/1455 is granted by the customs office handling the import and is tied to proof of origin, which is usually available for new cars, not for a 60-year-old classic. An original car over 30 years old can instead enter as a collectors' item under heading 9705, which in Germany means 7% import VAT.
Found your Mustang at a US auction, or your 911 at a sale abroad? We run our own warehouses in California, Florida and New Jersey, covering all of the US for imports and exports, and our own team loads every car and handles every document. We ship door to door by ocean or air. Check the price in our calculator, then talk to us.
It's your dream car. Let's bring her home.