Ok I'm in the market for a 65+ mustang. I just have a few questions. First off ive never drove a mustang around this age so i know close to nothing.

Transmission --- Whats better to look for ? a Auto or 4/5speed? I wanna make good power, but nothing crazy, just enough to keep it fun. I dont mind auto, I'm just more worried about it as a handicap.

Motor --- Not sure how great the stock motor is and what not. Whats a reasonable motor you can fit in a 65 w/o changing lots of parts. Also tranny to go with the motor.

One reason I ask about a 65 is that, a guy near me is selling a 65 (Auto) with some rust and other stuff. He claims the car is 100% stock. Ive also seen a few more in the trader for sale around my area, most are 65-66 but 2 are 67+

Thats most of what I can think about right now. Any extra info would be great. Thanks.

 

Welcome to the classic section of the MF. You have asked a boat load of questions, and they all can be answered on this forum, but you need to break it down a bit so that we can answer each question fully. I suggest you visit the FAQ section above and do some reading before you ask questions, as that FAQ section will answer most of your questions. You also need to decide what you want to do with your Mustang. Will it be stock, street racer, track racer, etc. Again, welcome aboard.

 

well i can answer your tranny question....

auto's are very common thus, least sought after....

a 4 speed toploader would probably make your car worth more although a 3 speed might even make it a smidge more desierable than an auto as well......depends on who is buying it......


as for engine...the engine bays arnt really big so the 351 is the largest you can reasonably fit and i think thats even tough to do...id stick with the 289 or 302.

 

Well I'd say I'm going for the street racer look. I like the wide rear tires and lowerd look. I'd like it to be some what fast . say 14's if possable. It will most likly never see a track or road course. It may see a few strait line runs but I'd dont really care if I win or not.
I'm more after the "Wow what the heck is that" and so on effect.

The car I pick will most likly be built 100% from the ground up over a pretty good amount of time. I'd like to have a some what powerful car in the end to match it's looks. The closet I've come to working on cars older then the 80's is my best friends 72 mustang with a 351 that auto. I dont know how the 2 cars compair, but his is pretty slow right now cause we havent built a overdrive cable for it he says it needs.
I'm 24 so I dont know a huge amount about these cars. So this is why some of my questions may sound stupid. I've been reading and looking around but I just wanted to jump out and ask questions before the car for sale is gone, cause its pretty cheap.

Thanks

 

All us old mustang guys who have been through it will tell you that the body work is the most expensive part of the restoration process. Rust is the #1 enemy, and the most expensive to repair whether you do it yourself or have someone else do it. There is also an unwritten rule. #1= safety #2 Performance #3 looks. There are a ton of articles in the FAQ secrtion to answer all those questions.
Whenever you go to lookat a prospective buy, take a refirgerator magnet with you, and check the body for any bondo repairs. If it doesn't stick, then there ain't no metal underneath. Bubbles in the paint is also a tell-tale sign that there is rust underneath.

 

Stay away from the rust. A few little rust bubbles turned into a 3 month ordeal for me.

 

yeah ive got a few bubbles and i tapped through them....now i need to get them patched up....they are no bigger than a dime and all the metal around them is good metal but i still think its going to cost a pretty penny......

you have to also realize that all classic cars have rust somewhere, some more than others, so dont keep searching forever because you will never find a car with zero rust....its just realistic....a small amount though? yes, very possible, and very reasonable in the whole realm of things....

 

Be careful of what this seller tells you if he says you are getting a "good deal", as most "100% stock" mustangs go for a high premium in price. Check to see what similar cars are going for on www.classiccartrader.com and ebay, to make sure you're not being ripped off. With that said, welcome to the trade! It's a slow, sometimes expensive, but very rewarding process! [sm=lol.gif]