Adrenolin

Hello everyone! I've been a reader here for sometime. I've always been a fan of mustangs though have never owned one. Hopefully that changes soon and thus my questions here in this post. While I can do routine maintenance myself and have assisted in rebuilding a few cars at stages in a restoration I honestly dont know much about what I should be looking at when buying a 40 year old car. So can you help by providing me with some things to look for and/or to ask when i go to look at the car?

The car is a 67 fastback here on the east coast that was originally a texas car. It was bought new and has lived out there till just the past 4 or 5 years when the current owner had it shipped east. It has been completely stripped out already, comes with the original 289 (currently disassembled) and has all original glass still in car. I'm told that everything is there to rebuild the car including complete original deluxe interior, trim, moulding, gauges, etc. (does need new carpets, headliner). Body and rails I'm told are solid with only a bit of rust 'in the normal areas'. The short floors and toe boards do need replacing and a dent needs to be popped out over the drivers quarter. A/C is included but missing the compressor. Automatic trany in included however I'll be swicthing over to manual.

As is the old story.. the guy simply doesn't have the time to finish the project and wants to sell.

Any pointers or suggestions on what I should be looking for? Anything specific I need to go over other than just the walk around and knocking here and there?

Thanks!

Edit: I'm looking at taking my time on this. Its going to be a learning project I know and I'm ready for that. Looking forward to a complete restoration. I dont want to just buy a car already done.

nealro

I would definitely want to get under the car and see the frame and make sure it's as solid as you're being told. You also mentioned floor boards need replaced, I'm assuming due to rust, make sure to check the rest of the car over for major rust as well. I mean of course parts are going to be rusted and need replaced, it's a 40 year old car but make sure it's repairable stuff - for example, if the roof were completely rusted out that would be a bad thing but floor boards, rocker panels and doors are all typical places to check for bad rust. other than that, sounds like you found a nice car. I looked and looked for a '67 fastback and couldn't find one.

By the way, I think it's very commendable that you are taking on a project knowing that it will be a learning experience and learning to restore it yourself as opposed to sending the car off to a hot rod shop for somone else to do.

Mustangdemon67

the main thing for me when looking for the car was rust. but you wont be able to find everything until you actually own the car. check the floor, the trunk floor, torque boxes and cowl. make sure the windows roll up and down, anything you can think of. to check if the cowl is rusted through, just look up from under the dash and see if you can see light coming through the top. these are great cars and alot of fun, i wish you the best of luck

Adrenolin

Thanks. Yeah I have a few friends able to offer assistance where needed but plan on doing as much of the restoration myself. I pretty much want to do the body work and engine rebuild to learn. Starting from finishing the strip down to getting it on the rotisory, stripping the paint all the way to long boarding. The car will be professionally painted but I want to do everything up to that point myself. I have the time and very much looking forward to the whole miserable experience! Expecting to have a lot of fun cursing up a storm now and then.

Even if its not this car I will find another. I've already bought an original Ford factory shop manual. This is hopefully 1 of 2 as the wife wants one as well. I figure I'll do 1 and give it to her and then do another for myself.

Adrenolin

Yes the rust issue is important for me. I would like to retain as much of the original metal (and car) as can be done. If its a rust bucket I'll pass on the car. Didn't think of looking up from under the dash to check the cowl. Thanks for that suggestion. I know what you mean when you say 'until you actually own it'. My father picked up an older car to restore a few years ago and while it was in really good shape we found quite a fewother small rust spots once the paint was stripped off. Nothing big but more than we thought.

nealro

ha ha. sounds like you know what you're in for!

I spent the better part of the summer getting my '68 driveable so it could be the getaway car at my wedding 2 weeks ago. There was plenty of cursing and tool slamming the last couple weeks - we were finishing the car up 2 hours before pictures started the day of the wedding. But all in all, I had a blast doing it and it was well worth the bloodied knuckles and sore back.

RolandT3Speed

Check for rust under the cowling. Pour a couple of glasses of water into the cowl vent and see if any leaks into the car from under the dash. Inspect the areas around the fresh air intakes under the dash very carefully using a flashlight. Check the wheel wells in the back where the quarter panel attaches to the wheel house. Look for signs a quarter panel has been repaired or replaced.

JMD

Welcome to the Forum!!!

I really cant add much to what has been said above.... except for rust is the enemy...