The ‘Vietnam Fastback’ will be donated by the host of YouTube’s ‘Coffee Walk,’ Dennis Collins, to benefit veterans transitioning to new careers in civilian life at Worldwide’s Auburn sale.
Worldwide Auctioneers
Auburn, Indiana – Worldwide will continue a tradition of philanthropy at home in Auburn this September, confirming that a storied ‘Vietnam Fastback’, donated by the host of YouTube’s ‘Coffee Walk,’ Dennis Collins, will sell at the Auburn Auction, with proceeds benefiting veterans. The singular 1967 Ford Mustang is one of just five examples built at Ford’s Metuchen New Jersey plant that would be delivered new to South Vietnam, and the only fastback of the group. It will be offered at no reserve on September 3rd at the Auburn Auction, with proceeds fittingly benefiting the nonprofit J. Kruse Education Center Career Coaching Academy, to be applied to scholarships for veterans transitioning out of service into individually meaningful and purposeful careers.
1965 was a pivotal time for the American people, the year that U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson made the momentous decision to officially declare war on communist Vietnam. At the same time the new Ford Mustang, introduced just eight months prior, had quickly become America’s sports car. As the war would evolve, so would the Mustang, becoming a symbol of American-made automotive pride. Authenticated directly by Ford as well as a Deluxe Marti Report that the current owner, well-known automotive enthusiast, and host of YouTube’s ‘Coffee Walk,’ Dennis Collins, acquired during his own research, this Ford was first purchased by the U.S. government and built for the Head of the Navy Defense Contractors in Vietnam. Further documented by the buck tag, it was specifically built with the HXO option, the heavy-duty export suspension similar to that carried by the high winding Shelbys. He would drive the car for two years before selling it to Mr. Ron Cain of the 98th Paratroopers, who drove it in the war zone itself for a further two years. The Vietnam Fastback still bears the River Rat decal put on the car by a friend, one of the fierce and dedicated U.S. Navy sailors of the Brown Water Navy who patrolled and engaged the enemy on the rivers and tributaries of the Mekong River. After Cain’s tour came to an end, the car was shipped back to Fort Bragg then to his home in Florida. After enjoying it for a short period of time, he passed it on to his daughter who would drive it throughout her time in high school. After she graduated, it was sold to a close friend and would then lie undiscovered until it was acquired by current owner, Dennis Collins himself. The Mustang has been brought to road-worthy mechanical condition, with the exterior and interior remaining untouched and still wearing its ‘battle-worn’ Moss Green paint.
Worldwide Auctioneers
“What could be more fitting than the sale of this unique vehicle, this rare and very special 1967 Ford Mustang ‘Vietnam Fastback’ that was positioned right alongside the allies in Vietnam, should benefit fellow veterans who have also sacrificed so greatly for America,” said Matthew Toth, Executive Director of the J. Kruse Education Center. After serving and sacrificing, one of the first questions many veterans are faced with is what comes next. We’ve created an on-ramp that gives veterans a successful transition to the workforce and these scholarships ensure that our veterans who have already paid a huge price do not have to pay as they reintegrate into civilian life on a path to peace and personal fulfillment. We are extremely grateful to Mr. Collins for the generosity of this donation.”
To learn more about the J. Kruse Education Center Career Coaching Academy, visit www.jkruseeducation.org.
“The timing of the sale of this special Mustang is fantastic, as there has never been a time where more men and women will leave their armed forces careers in numbers as great as today. After being at war on a large scale for the last twenty years, along with a horrifically executed exit from Afghanistan, it is anticipated that some 400,000 troops will be seeking new and rewarding careers. It is our hope and mission that we can assist as many of these great people as humanly possible. It is something that I, along with the rest of our members at JKEC are very passionate about,” said Rod Egan, Co-Founder of the J. Kruse Education Center.
Worldwide Auctioneers
Building on Auburn’s unique automotive heritage as the birthplace of the collector car auction business in America, The Auburn Auction will run as a significantly expanded, three-day automotive event from September 1-3, with a hugely increased auction offering and a curated marketplace of automotive lifestyle vendors, car corral and swap meet. Visitors can look forward to a world-class selection of exceptional pre-war automobiles, racecars, sports, customs, classics and select American muscle cars, including several significant no-reserve collections, and a curated selection of memorabilia.
Full information on The Auburn Auction is available at worldwideauctioneers.com. or 1.260.925.6789. More information about Destination Auburn can be found online here. Kruse Plaza, Worldwide’s Auburn headquarters, is a 30-acre campus with a
200,000- square-foot, climate-controlled auction facility that offers ample space for both RV and vehicle parking, as well as housing the company’s dedicated private sales division, The Salon.
About Worldwide Auctioneers. Worldwide Auctioneers is a US-based, boutique catalogue auction company that is unique in having principals who are owner auctioneers, wholly invested in seamlessly delivering the optimal result for every client. In addition to the acquisition and sale of classic automobiles at auction, it offers an extensive range of personalized services to the serious collector, including appraisal, collection direction and consultancy, estate planning and asset management. For those seeking to sell a car or collection privately, the company’s private sales division incorporates The Salon showroom, housed within a 200,000-square-foot, climate-controlled facility at its Auburn headquarters, along with a dedicated memorabilia division. Worldwide’s annual schedule includes The Scottsdale Auction in January, The Enthusiast Auction in April in Auburn, Indiana, The Auburn Auction, held over Labor Day Weekend in Indiana, and stand-alone auctions of significant private collections.
If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.
Want a taste of Old Cars magazine first? Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter and get a FREE complimentary digital issue download of our print magazine.
View the original article to see embedded media.
*As an Amazon Associate, Old cars earns from qualifying purchases.