1969 Ford muscle car is saved after 40 years of ‘sitting in basement’ and what the buyer found is ‘unheard of’
Published on Aug 17, 2025 at 3:21 AM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Aug 13, 2025 at 8:40 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
A rare 1969 Ford muscle car, a Mercury Cyclone Dan Gurney special, was saved after it sat for over 40 years in a basement, with the buyer finding something unheard of.
This Mercury Cyclone – made by a sub-division of Ford, was one of just 215 ever made, and had spent the previous 40 years sitting abandoned in the basement of a private home.
The car, a Dan Gurney Special, underwent a comprehensive restoration to bring it back to its former glory.
It is safe to say that the restoration was extremely successful, and the car now looks better than ever.
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The Mercury Cyclone spent 40 years in a basement
The car was showcased by YouTuber Lou Costabile, who was joined in the video by restorer Everett Rutledge.
Currently, Steve Breedlove owns the car, with Rutledge handling all the restoration work for him.
Having been bought by its previous owner from new, the car was then parked in 1980 and, for all intents and purposes, abandoned.
Following its discovery, the car was purchased by Breedlove in 2021 and went through a thorough restoration.
It had very low mileage, and adding to its value is the fact that it is virtually all original.
The muscle car now looks as good as new, finished in its gorgeous Dan Gurney white paint.
Ford/Mercury only produced 215 of these Dan Gurney special editions.
The 1969 Ford muscle car has big V8 power under the hood
Sitting under the hood of the muscle car is a 351ci Windsor V8 engine and automatic transmission.
Strictly speaking, the car is a Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II, a special and more aerodynamic version of the Cyclone.
Mercury built this car to compete against the Dodge Charger Daytona, Plymouth Superbird, and Ford Torino Talladega in NASCAR.
Two versions existed, the Dan Gurney Special and the Cale Yarborough Special.
Both cars were finished in white, with the Gurney Special featuring a blue interior and trim, and the Yarborough Special having a red interior and trim.
In total, Mercury built 503 cars, with 285 Yarborough specials and 215 Gurney specials.
It’s one of the rarest and most special versions of the Cyclone ever made, and one of the best looking as well.
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Henry is a content writer with nearly ten years experience, having written for various publications since 2017. Qualifying with a Sports Journalism degree from Staffordshire University, Henry loves all things automotive but has a particular soft spot for classic Japanese cars and anything Lancia. He also has a curious passion for steam locomotives.
