120mm

So, I bought a 1967 I-6 200 Mustang convertible in 1976, with something like 16,000 miles on it. Since that time, I put 13,000 miles on it. Back in 1996, I sold it to my FIL because I was in the "sell the car to feed the family" mode.

I have recently started to look around for a '65-'68 coupe to turn into a daily driver, and when the FIL heard of this, he started making noises like he wanted me to have the convertible back. At first, I was thrilled, because the convertible I remembered was in perfect shape, needing nothing.

Well, years of storage and "**** happens" changed the whole "perfect shape" thing. Forces beyond our control led to some underbody cancer, which look like they are restricted to the front driver and passenger side.

The brakes are trashed; they need redone. The carb is also trashed; needs replaced.

If I were still going to get a V8 coupe, I was going to put front discs on it and run it.

If I rebuild the convertible, I will also replace the front discs. Which makes it pretty dumb not to replace the rear end to make it 5 lug. And if I was going to go to the effort to do that, and clean up the rust, I will need to pull the engine, replace the carb, and go to electronic ignition. And if I were going to do that, why not replace the front springs, get new motor mounts and put a V8 in?

And oh yeah, here's some pics, to make this thread less worthless...












Passenger side floorboard rust


More pax side floorboard rust


Driver side floorboard rust


More driver's side


More driver's side

tx65coupe

I think that if you don't get it back and he ends up selling to someone else, you will always regret it. I'd repair it. Its cool as an I6 or a V8.

120mm

Yeah, that figures in it, too. Your car is almost exactly my ideal, btw, including the dark blue color. Except I wouldn't have had such a nice car. I have very limited expectations of what my daily driver Mustang should look like. I like "rough and ready" more than "pretty and polished".

To make things worse, FIL is taking his time making a decision.

This will turn into a family politics PITA before it's over no matter what happens.

cashs mom

That's a tough one. On one side there is the fact that you'd know what you're getting with this car. You'd have a good idea what had and hadn't been done to it. On the other side, it's usually easier to pay more money and avoid the family politics. I'd go with avoiding the family politics.

Jonk67

I'd also weight the use of the car as a daily driver convertible. I really wanted a conv. as a DD to start but the more I thought about someone cutting the roof to get into the car and the difference in interior DB between a well insulated coupe and the conv. I ended up going with the coupe. I also had trouble finding a decent shape conv. though, yours looks like the paint/interior is still in good shape, that rust probably would have occurred if you kept it all those years too.

I'd still like to get a conv. for a spring/summer car. Most of the changes you would do to make the 6 an 8 would need to be done to a car needing a resto - new steering, brakes, wheels. A good used 8" is pretty easy to find for a good price as most are looking for a 9".
Jon

120mm

Ah, that's the rub. If I buy another car, I risk an almost certain family melt down, if I take this car (price still not mentioned) I will always have someone looking over my shoulder as to what I do with it.

With the '67 and later cars, steering and spindles should be the same. If my research serves, of course. So yeah, there is no reason, other than you WANT a 6 cylinder to keep the 6 cylinder. And if you want to hop it up even a little, the costs go dramatically in favor of an 8 cylinder. I was going to look for 8" rear ends first, but if I find a smoking deal on an Explorer 8.8" I'd definitely think of that as well.

Coupes are lighter, stiffer and better in any kind of weather. And the $5k - $8k cars I've found could be used hard and put away wet for quite awhile before sinking big bucks in them, from my experience looking so far.

Well, in one way I am fortunate to be in this position. Depending on the conditions that come with the car.

1slow67

Its not as easy as getting motor mounts and putting in a v8. If I had to do it again, I would sell it and buy a V8 car.

I had a restomod 67 w/ 302 T5 manual conversion. Was a pain in the *** to convert.

120mm

If you'd care to list the high points on what made it difficult, I'm willing to listen. As it is, once I decide to put front discs on it and deal with the cascading second and third order effects caused by that, what are the things that should put me off it?

I am tentatively planning to put a 289/302 in it, hooked up to the already existing C4 tranny, 8" rear, CSRP front discs, electronic ignition, new front coils and three point seat belts, along with getting rid of corrosion, doing the engine bay, undercarriage, and possibly a repaint.

All of that involves at least removing and replacing every single thing I'd need to do to convert I-6 to V-8. Except engine mounts and radiator. Or am I overlooking something insanely obvious?

1slow67

The biggest problem I ran into was finding correct motor mounts. I think I went through 4 different sets and even then I really have to work on it to fit. I think it was the fact I didn't have factory 67 frame mounts. 67 had a specific bracket/mount that is not reproduced since it was a 1 year deal.

I also ran mid-length headers instead of shorties or longtubes and that caused complications with the equalizer bar conversion I had. That was only because I went with a T5 manual found in the fox bodies and I used a late model bellhousing instead of an early model one with a spacer.

Lastly due to my intake I had I ran into problems with my distributor seating and my air cleaner was extremely close to not allowing the hood to close. I had an old weiand intake and a HEI distributor.

I had a stock 8" rear, but if I remember right the explorer 8.8 actually has an offset pumpkin.

I believe you have to change a couple of things to make the C4 to bolt up, but I could be wrong since I only dealt with manuals.

I also did this on a budget which could have also complicated things. I did the swap when I was 18-19, so I couldn't spend the money to get everything correct.

I haven't dealt with a classic since March so I might be forgetting some things.

andrewmp6

The inline 6 c4 isn't built the same as a v8 one,I believe you could have it rebuilt to the v8 specs but if its going to be a DD i would use a aod for the overdrive.