Not to buy? 'Tis the "?" I've been beating my skull wif over and over. Almost go-time for project... um... well... that's the thing... here's where I'm at (I could care less for #'s matching... if it looks nice and moves fast, I'm happy)...

Since the '69 draws a hefty price-tag and everyone wants to rip everyone off, I can...

1) Throw some greenback on a '69 'Back/Mach in need of some resto only to find I'd be replacing half the frame-rails, panels, interior, etc...
2) Throw some serious coin on a '69 'Back/Mach that has had most of the work done (i.e. no surprises) but wind up with a color I don't like, motor I didn't build and time lost NOT spent building it... etc.
3) Say screw it all and start my own '69 'Back/Mach project from scratch... ground-up with entirely brand new frame rails, chassis components, mounting hardware, suspension, interior, etc - so the finished vehicle would be my own device and not someone else's.

I figure for the cost to build a body (minus suspension) the condition of the 69 i'd buy for the same green would require half of what I'd throw at a ground-up, anyhow. Not to mention I'm extremely picky about parts on my cars - so suspension, interior and the like would have my own "style". Mind you nothing that looks modded, because I want to keep true to the '69. SO... basically it wouldn't have an original motor, trans, susp or rear... just the body and interior.

Here's some pix below of what i'd like to end up with... What route should I go?

Thanks in advance!

- Ninja

[IMG]local://upfiles/37228/FC95C7FFA36043B7B56EA33AB93E58FB.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/37228/7BA4D23AC912428899F4A9780EE021AC.jpg[/IMG]

 

Great looking car. I'd say start with one and build it just how you want it. It's more fun that was and will mean more to you in the end.

 

the seats look like pieces of foam.

how much?

 

I have no idea what kind of seats - but I'm not getting seats that don't look stock. I do want to keep the look of the vehicle as stock as possible - but at the same time simple and clean. I think I'm leaning towards starting my own project from scratch - I think I would actually save a few $$ in the end by not getting a "real" Mach 1 or Fastback. Research dictates that my finished product would cost some serious coin if it were real with #'s. Part of the my reason is that I won't touch body work. I don't paint or repair - but I can turn a wrench with the best of them Everything else on the car for me will be cake (I hope) - but trying to look for a real shell that isn't half-eaten by rust and God knows what else is nearly impossible.

And if I do go about "faking" my own '69 from the ground-up... how would I go about getting a title and VIN? I'm assuming buying one of those that only has a rear quarter in good shape for like 500, lol.

Plenty of time before I make my final decision. It's been a while since I last posted because we finally finished moving in. Our shed will be finished in 3 weeks so my lawn-maintenance toys can finally be moved out of the garage and I can work on setting up my garage over the winter. Almost everything is moved back... all of my tools (less my air compressor) are finally back with me. All that's left is moving crap to the shed, laminating the garage floor, hanging FRP paneling throughout, setting up my air compressor and cabinets and we're off to start the project!

By this time next year I should have already started her... sigh... can't come soon enuff! Thanks again for all your feedback and support, everyone!

 

so...how much?

building one literally from scratch is more expensive then you think, body panels are expensive and slot of the stuff you have t fab yourself, so unless you have mad fabrication skillz, i would continue searching for a 69 fastback, or get a coupe. i was looking for a fastback myself but then a moderetly priced coupe showed up with a clevo, so i took that

 

Pricing out body panels, frame rails, and a donor shell would be the way to go. Paying the same price for a real '69 - i'd have to replace most all of the components anyway. IMO the real deals are waaaaaaaaay overpriced. You can't touch anything that doesn't need some real work for under 15k. Not to mention God knows what else needs replacing when you get into things. So for the price of a ground-up chassis - i'd get a car that needs most everything replaced anyhow, besides the shell... so i'm not going to kick up twice the cash for what i can do with just a shell. I've already priced out most everything down to aftermarket A/C and window tinting. The list is EXTREMELY long - but in the end, still cheaper than the same condition mach 1 I'd get from a private party. And by same condition i mean all brand new parts. No rust... ever... no rain... snow, etc... you get the idea.

 

It's just a pipe dream, and you will only wind up with a butt ugly car in the end that is too expensive for you to afford, and you don't have the skills to make it that butt ugly way in the first place.

 

Well since you said you want it to look kind of stock that's obviously not the right car. If the price is right I would say go for it though, I disagree with Soaring and think it looks pretty nice...just get rid of those rims.

 

Pipe dream? Don't have the skillz? LOL

OTAY! I work on average 20 hours of overtime each week for 10 months out of the year. The rest of the year I sit my happy *** on unemployment enjoying my vacation time. I've got more than enough to buy one outright but then it wouldn't be "my" device, now would it? The point of me building this car is just that... building it. And yes I can build just about anything with my eyes closed, underwater, in a straight jacket, upside-down while sleeping. I've just never touched body work, not my thing. SO... finding a shell is what I'm about to do. I don't need/want a complete car, even though I may have the cash, I'm not stupid enough to throw it away on crap I don't intend to use: frugal. I was simply inquiring opinions on how I should go about my project.

I can do: motor, trans, 3rd member, suspension, electrical, interior, cutting, welding (frame support, 4-link, etc)
I cannot do: body

So... I'm not looking to waste money, just looking for the best way to go about what I cannot do on my own. What would be the pros and cons of finding an all around decent slingshot or just using a shell to start with for a ground-up?

And thanks for the vote of confidence about my "pipe dream", Soaring. And I thought moderators were supposed to represent a more "positive" attitude when on forums.

 

I plan on using rims more particular to the year of the vehicle, that pic isn't EXACTLY what I want it to look like, tho. I have enough respect for cars of that era not to pull a Chip Foose on something so beautiful. Not saying his work isn't gorgeous, but "modding" a classic Mustang in the way some do is just blasphemous to me.