restoring a old mustang?

Question

what year mustang would be the best to restore (65-70)? How much am i looking to spend? What would be the best engine for power and speed? Is there anyway to fix rust? ( i have heard that that can be a major problem). Within reason is it possible to obtain all the needed parts for a reasonable price and how hard will that be? I mean im not rich so am i going to get in the middle and have to quit the project or can the average person do this?

help will be greatly appreciated? thank you

Answer 1

get a first or second year with the v8 289 and get it from a dry area like the south or west, they have a minimum of rust :)

here is a good group to join
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/classicmustang/

Answer 2

Holy cans of worms batman

The main question is what are your goals for the car? What body style do YOU like? 64-66 has a smaller engine compartment, a 351 will be the largest that will fit in a stock compartment and will have a few clearance issues (spark plugs will be accessable but a little tough, headers, etc). Since you mention power and speed then I assume it will not be a stock inline 6. You want to look for a car that was originally a V8 car. If you purchase a 6cyl car and want to put a V8 into it then most of the front suspension will need to be replaced with V8 parts.

What you will end up spending is entirely up to you. How much of the work can you do yourself? That will be a major factor. It will ALWAYS cost more than you expect it to, I guarantee it.

The best engine for power and speed.....this is a little too open but Ill take a stab at it. You can build a nice budget 302 with some ported 351 heads, a decent intake and 4 barrel carb, 4 or 5 speed, and some 3.55 gears that will be a fun cruiser. This is assuming a moderate budget, sure you can build a 351 with a cam, forged bottom end, aluminum heads, intake, carb and a supercharger/turbo.

Any way to fix rust? Sure, cut it out and replace the sheet metal. How good are you with a welder? Got a buddy who can weld? On a 64-66 at least: pour a cup of water in the cowl and see if it ends up on the floor where your feet would be, the cowl is a good indicator of how much rust you may find elsewhere. Check the wheel wells, under side of the doors and undercarridge. Check for bubbles in the paint, that means that there is rust under the paint.

I pretty much scratched the surface here but they are difficult questions to answer. What is the best to restore? I vote for 64-66. How much will you spend? Totally up to you. Best engine? A matter of opinion but a million options available to you for any price range. Parts attainable? Most of the parts can be purchased from NPD, California Mustang, etc, etc, etc or found in a junk yard.

The main thing that I see discourage people is rust. They purchase a car that has more rust than they thought it had. Take someone with you to look for your project, hopefully someone who knows that specific years quirks. Have fun with it, good luck

Answer 3

Your not going to want to hear this , but if you are not able to spend 5-6 grand for the car , and another 5+ grand for restoration parts ( no labor) you will just have a sloppy project you wont be happy with.

Its also hard to modify a 65 - 70 with out bringing the value down. If you have never done something like this before , get a mid to late 80's mustang with a 5.0 . You can have fun , find cheap parts , and have a sporty car for a little bit of money

Answer 4

I'd try for a third or fourth year 'Stang; preferably a fastback, not a coupe or convertible. '68 and '69 models all came with both six cylinder or v-eight in various sizes (if you're really tight for cash, look for a used six and think of swapping in an eight later. Look in Hemmings Motor magazine ($5.95 on the newstands) for the type of car you need; they start really cheap (around $1,500 - $2,000 for a "restoreable") car and quickly climb in price from there, depending upon condition, options, etc. I'd say that anyone with a moderate amount of skills can restore all but the most trashed starting car. As for rust, try to find a desert car (Arizona, Texas, Nevada), which will have the least amount of "tin worm" damage. Nearly all panels are available to repair rust-through. Just be careful you don't get one that's been wrecked since chassis damage is much harder to fix than body rot!

Body panels, interior parts, trim, engine and running gear parts are all available (check eBay) from reliable sources. When you're done restoring it, its value will have increased at least ten-fold, so after you've driven it a few miles, you can sell it, recoup most, if not all, of your expenses and start again! Put aside between six and eight thousand for a starting amount of cash, and you'll probably make out fairly decently, depending upon your skill, ability and willingness to do most of the work yourownself (labour costs are the highest part of restoring an old car!)

Answer 5

Best Year Of Mustang

Answer 6

no offense intended but I hope you have a friend who knows you sound a little confused and I am all about teaching someone I just would hate to see you start something and get discouraged. I wish you the best of luck but anyof the 65-70 stangs can be a great choice.

Answer 7

67 to 69 are good years and my opinion is to get one that has a good body and paint and runs, you will pay more but it is worth it by the time you figure in your labor and time and the price of the parts now you will be a lot further ahead.