The Iconic Mustang That Rick And Corey Argued Over On Pawn Stars
Anyone who watches "Pawn Stars" knows Rick Harrison of the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop doesn't deal in junk, and he drives a hard bargain. But when he and Corey went to see a seller's '68 Mustang GT, Rick's reaction was surprising.
There it sat: a rusted heap of metal sitting on blocks. "This is what we're here for?" Corey asked in disbelief as Rick assured him it most certainly was — and he was ready to hear all about it. The seller, Paul, was happy to oblige, pointing out this was the car actor Steve McQueen used to drive in his movies. Well, not the exact car, but the same model. That had to count for something, right?
In Rick's eyes, it most certainly did. "This is the quintessential muscle car," he raved. "Steve McQueen was one of the biggest movie stars in the '60s and the '70s. I'm a huge fan. ... I want it." Rick was confident he'd be able to make money on a sale to another McQueen fan, but Corey was skeptical. Was there anything Paul could say that would convince him this deal was worth exploring?
Corey's best plan: walk away from the deal
For Corey, a big issue was the rust covering the entire car. It wasn't exactly "pretty," as Rick described it, but Paul pointed out that the body was solid. That was probably more important overall than the fact that the exterior — and the interior, for that matter — needed a significant makeover.
Still, Corey wasn't buying it. "Does it even run?" he asked. Paul's confidence when he answered, "Absolutely not," was far from reassuring, and he maintained that sense of self-possession and composure when Rick asked him to name his price. "I've gotta get $20 grand out of it," he said. "When this car is like new again, it will be worth around $100,000."
Corey likely heard that as an incredible boast, but Rick took the figures in stride. All he wanted to do next was bring in an expert who could verify the car was indeed a Mustang GT. If it was, he was clearly eager to make a deal.
Rick had his mind made up
When Danny, owner of Count's Kustoms in Las Vegas, arrived on the scene, Corey had just one request. "Please talk him out of buying it," he said.
But wouldn't you know it? Danny had a thing for Mustangs, too. He couldn't say enough good things about the model and even said Paul's version — called the "fastback" for its sloping roofline — was his favorite. Checking it over, Danny called the red velvet interior "sexy" and the doors "solid." He also revealed that the rusty exterior wasn't actually rusted at all. It only looked that way as the result of a chemical agent a former owner had used on it. He concluded that the car was in great shape, and yes, it was a real Mustang GT. He priced it at between $12,000 and $15,000 as-is.
Rick didn't need to hear any more — from Corey or anyone else. He bargained Paul down to $12,500 and walked away happy, the proud owner of a quintessential muscle car.