OT: Mustang for the wife

[patrija]

Guys ... looking for some ideas. Wife needs a new car next year and is debating between a "new one" and an "old one". Challenge is this will be a daily driver and she requires the reliability and convenience of a new car.

A favorite possibility would be a 64 to 68 mustang convertible but with modern conveniences, including: 4 wheel disc power brakes, power steering, rebuilt/new engine with EFI, heat/air, CD stereo, etc. Think cl***ic car exterior with new car reliability. Obviously would not want to take a car that should be taken back to original show condition ... so I'm thinking the ideal starting point would be a 6 cyl Mustang convertible and yank the engine, etc.

Ideas? Better financial decision to buy one that is pretty much done already? Suggestions?

[will butterworth]

you don,t want the old 6 cyl. one, have to upgrade suspension in front , guts in diff., trans., to handle v-8. Motormounts, then work body and all comforts.Will-alabama

[patrija]

That's a good start, so would need to be a V8 (260/289) to start from. Thanks!

[YerDugliness]

... so I'm thinking the ideal starting point would be a 6 cyl Mustang convertible and yank the engine, etc.

Ideas? Better financial decision to buy one that is pretty much done already? Suggestions?

I went this route when I shoehorned a 351 Cleveland into the motor bay of a 1971 Mercury Comet GT, which was the Mercury version of the Ford Maverick. I suspect that there will be little variation between the Maverick and the Mustang, so if my experience with the Comet is of any benefit my best advice would be to find a V-8 Mustang and start from there. I had to change out the entire front end and rear ends to get the 5 hole wheels (not to mention that the 6 cylinder differential would never have held up to the power of the Cleveland) and then I had to get a different transmission crossmember, as the 6 cylinder crossmember didn't have the "double hump" configuration needed for the V-8's dual exhaust.

After that there were other issues, such as the steering box, throttle cable length and radiator size, that were constant irrations. I feel it would have been much better to start off with a V-8 factory build.

Doug

[cobracobra]

Dosnt sound like budget is an issue....I'd by a 67 w/ a 289(engine comp. is larger than previous years for a big block) Then do all your modern convienances. Well then if budget IS an issue you'll get out cheaper w/ a V6 2006/2007 mustang.....

-Mike
67 Mustang
Unique 427

[Aggressor]

Wow.. Does this ever sound familiar. Deja-Vu perhaps.
Seven years ago my wife wanted a new car. She said a Mustang perhaps. So I said, do you want a new Mustang or an old Mustang? We found a real nice freshly painted 1968 convertible with new chrome for $10,200. We added a new top, new front suspension/steering, urethane bushings throughout, 620# springs, and small parts which jacked the total to around $14,000. The car had 86,000 miles on it and now has 143,000 and change. We used the car every day for the first 3 1/2 years as our workday driver. Pennsylvania winters are very unforgiving and now the car needs new quarters and ***orted trim items. At 143,000 she's starting to smoke a bit on startup but still runs like a champ. It carries cl***ic plates and is driven 3 to 4 times weekly.

-Geary

[Aggressor]

This is hilarious! I just realized that the forum filtered all instances of the word azz imbeded in my above response! Really cracks me up, but then again I have a low threshold for entertainment.

For those of you still trying to figure it out the terms were, in this order, "azzorted trim items" and "clazzic plates"

Gotta love it .... Keep on smiling

-Geary

[will butterworth]

Zach and me started with a running 1966 ---289 three speed, never done so much work in my days, but have seen cars in better shape than what we started with. Rebuilt 289--years later migrated to a hooot 302--should see some spinouts and burnouts, Cyrus finally sold it cause he knew where all the bugs use to be. She was a beauty, copper color, -----289 is in old house on farm, .Will-alabama

[will butterworth]

you mentioned familiar---yea, it is, but that mustang was a --is---a pretty car. Will-alabama

[patrija]

Thanks guys. Budget's always an issue to some degree, so I'm not sure what she'll end up deciding. I haven't looked at mustangs lately, but damn have they risen! For a 65-66 convertible 289 in what I'd consider to be good condition, I'm generally seeing around 14-18k. Figure by the time down converting to PS and PB discs, add another 4-5k and end up somewhere around 20-23k. That sound about right? For that amount, appears I could pick up a very nice recent full restoration.

[Aggressor]

Kept your eyes open for deals in your local auto locator publications. We had a check cut for $12,900 to purchase a 67 red convertible with a manual white convertible top. It was located at CJ's PonyParts in Harrisburg, PA. We missed out on this car by coming into their shop 15 minutes after a deposit was made by another couple. We picked up a local auto locator magazine on the way home and chanced upon a better car for $2,700 less. We purchased it the following day. On the subject of disc brakes, I find that the V8 drum brakes do a fair job on the street if they are maintained and adjusted periodically. They are not discs but function fine for cruzin and the daily beep and creep.

-Geary

[mgreene]

Will,

While it's not a convertible, I have this 64 1/2 Coupe (original 260 V8, 3 speed, now 351W 3 speed):

http://www.gt350h.com/64mustang/

A little rough around the edges, but runs and drives good. 4 wheel drum brakes, a few rust bubbles here and there. I'd take $4500 for it (Huntsville, AL area).

[patrija]

Thanks. She has a convertible requirement unfortunately.