Part of what made muscle cars so popular was the fastback body style. In the 1960s that came as a result of the 1964 Plymouth Barracuda and 1965 Ford Mustang fastback. The sloping top design goes back to the 1930s but fell out of favor in the early 1950s. So popping back in the mid-1960s made it new again. For this week’s Rusty Monday we have some classic fastback dreams turned into nightmares.

1966 Shelby Mustang

This one will make your heart sink. Not only is this a fastback, but it is a Shelby Mustang. It looks very complete and in not-too-bad condition. It even has undamaged fiberglass scoops on the quarter panels that normally get torn off. Why this Mustang has been left in the elements is a mystery and a mistake. Did you know that for every 10 Mustang coupes made there was only one fastback? 

Mid-1970s Corvette

Corvettes got these sleeker, sloping rear ends starting in 1974. What they never got was a hatchback. This is a homebuilt that from a distance looks well-conceived. Whether it actually is we can’t say. But it ties into the sail panels as well as it does to the sloping rear end, turning this into a true fastback. Would you restore it or try to keep it like this?

1968 Ford Torino

This was the first year for the newly-designed Torino and this one doesn’t even look to have rust in the rockers or lower doors. That’s probably surface rust rather than tree sap but it would still be fun to clean it up, get it running, slap on some new Cragar wheels, and have some fun. That goes double if this has a four-speed transmission.

1968 Ford Mustang

Ford restyled the Mustang in 1967 and this is the 1968 version. You can tell where the side-marker lights go, although this one is missing those. Also, you can barely see the side indent doesn’t have little vents in the quarter panel. But based on how the back is sagging and the rust it is probably a goner. Especially where you can see the leaf spring on the passenger side that should be a few inches closer to the ground. But we’re sure it has survived as a parts car for hopefully a nice restoration happening on the other side of that door.

1972-77 Toyota Celica GT

The GT version of the Celica was the fastback. With overtones of cribbed from the Mustang, it was a smart-looking car. With the five-speed manual, it was a fun, smart-looking car. They seemed to be everywhere and now you never see them. With all of the brush around it, you can’t tell what shape it is in but what we can see looks cancer-free. That’s always how you want to start a project, with the most rust-free example you can afford.

1969 Dodge Daytona Charger

This one has made the rounds and is even trailered to events as you see it. The Daytona Chargers had the big wing and beak. It also had a true fastback for better aerodynamics. All other 1968-70 Chargers-except the 1969 Charger 500s, had sail panels that hid the more abrupt rear window angle. Some of the most expensive of all muscle cars, the prices of these hit six-figures a long time ago and have never fallen since. Only 503 were ever produced. This one has had that rare flush rear window and surrounding plug cut out. It is probably now in a nice Daytona clone. All of the other rare Daytona stuff like the A-pillar covers and wing probably went with the rear window. And if the vin tags were pulled as well, which is a big no-no, whatever Charger they went on instantly increased in value 10-fold.