iProZombies

So My b-day is coming up soon, and I was told by my father that I have to earn and work on my own first car, so I thought to myself what my top 5 choices were: 63-72 Corvette Coupe, 74 Porsche 911, 67-71 Camaro, 65-68 Mustang Fastback, and/or chevelle/ fire bird. Fiberglass is expensive and difficult to work with (especially for a rookie), Porsche's are to iconic, LS swap my ***, chevelle and fire-bird? Sorry not feeling' it. Ah, but what a beauty the Mustang is. I would like to put a coyote in it (once I decide or find which year to work on), but need to know what a good transmission/trans-axle is good to pair it with, what smooth riding and great handling suspension and steering for it to power, and what brakes to stop it with, along with any simple engine mods to use. I was going to go with a stripped interior also, unless anyone has affordable suggestions for it. PLEASE NOTE THAT I LIVE IN CALIFORNIA AND HAVE NO SET BUDGET AS OF APRIL 13, 2015. Thank you for your help!

67LimeCoupe

My suggestion, which comes from experience, is not to buy an old car as a first car, it can be really fun and a great learning experience but ultimately they tend to be bigger money pits than newer cars.

If i could go back and make my decision again Id definitely get a fox body or a 99-04, OR get a completely rust free classic, which most people would agree are either really rare, or expensive.

youll probably be going to college soon, you might move out and not have your own garage to work on it in, and youd like to have a reliable driver since you probably wont have a second car.

groho

The biggest lesson I learned 40 years ago. . .never have a proj car as your only transportation. Best advise, go buy an inexpensive reliable first car, learn the basics, tune-ups, tire-changes, oil changes, etc. You will always have that car as your beater to get you to and from school and to work to earn the money you need for your project. THEN go find a second car as your proj car that doesn't have to be running Monday morning to get you to school or work. Proj cars can last weeks or years, and not having the stresses of "gotta have it running to get to work" eliminates many problems, like money, deadlines, commitments, etc. Your dad is a wise man, listen to him.

ajzride

Everyone here has given some great input. Just to put things in a perspective. It would be pretty much impossible to put together a classic mustang with a coyote for under 30K-40K, and that would include doing all the work yourself and getting a steal on the car. Putting a coyote in a classic is no small task as you have to install a completely new front suspension to make room for it. There is lots of cutting and welding involved in that.

fastbackford351

You want your first car to be something you can just hop in, turn the key and go so you REALLY don't want something that will be a constant source of frustration. Follow the K.I.S.S. theory.

I'll tell you what I'm seeing all over craigslist for dirt cheap and are great platforms are the late 80's - 90's Thunderbirds. A bitchin' little SuperCoupe or a V8 can be a hoot.

Slem

I'm with all the above input! I bought a 68 FB and planned on resto-modding it out. I set out with a small budget but one thing always leads to another. You will dang near always add a new part then decide the surrounding area looks like crap and needs to be redone too! Like I said, I started with a modest budget and 13 years later-1 divorce-5 moves later I'm into mine for over $50K!! OMG! No wonder it took me so long to do it!! It's done right fo sho but at what a cost!!! The best advice is to get a P.O.S. whoopdie and drive that for a bit. Keep your eyes peeled for an affordable Mustang that you can rebuild. Set it aside...save money...than when money-space-time permits do it up!! AJZRide adds a very good point too! When you start to go the custom route (coyote motor) you step into a new realm that drives up costs and takes more time to do!

racer_dave

Save up your $$. Just get a reliable car for now. Hey, it can still be a mustang. Good running driving cars from the late 90's are dirt cheap. Keep saving those $$ and be patient. I'll say it again, be patient. You'll want to get the first thing you like or can afford, but don't. watch craigslist, want ads, car show corrals etc... get a good feel for the market in your area. Then, when you do find a great deal you'll have the $$ tog et it (you kept saving $$ right?) Last, cars (Especially classics) are cheaper in the fall than in the spring.

Good luck, let us know how it goes.