cgtk

Just joined a few minutes ago and looking for some info. My wife and I went to a car show today and she thinks I need a project car. As luck would have it, I found a 66 Coupe with 6 cylinder today. Not sure of mileage, a little rust on the hood and the right side has been scraped with bondo showing from a previous repair. It looks 100% original and in fair shape. The interior is worn but not trashed. The sign says it runs and is drivable, but I haven't driven it yet. I have lots of experience working with Jeeps, but none with classic cars. Is this an easy restoration and are there specific things I should look for in regards to condition of the car or equipment? They are asking $4K. Looking forward to your replies, thanks Tom

atomsk680

post some pics and we can really tell if anything major is wrong, but the I6 is a slow engine, trust me, your going to want to have a V8, and its cheaper to just find a car with a V8 already.

Cannonball888

Choose wisely because later you may say...
































I could have had a v8!

289FB

I agree, be sure that you are to be satisfied driving a 6 cylinder most buyers change their minds and spending a lot of money on modifications ending with a non-original car very difficult to sell..but is only my opinion.

deadcarnahans

I hate to say this, but when it comes to Mustangs, sellers are asking way too much for junk.
You are better off buying a $11,000 car that is in good shape, than buying a $4000 piece of rust that needs $10000 in work.

I gave my 67 to a guy that wanted to restore it. Then I went searching for others and found cars for $3000 that were in worse shape than the one I gave away.

These cars are not rare at all. Why should it be a sellers market?

I urge the buyers not to cave in to inflated prices.

Shifty101Easy

i bought my 68 coupe with new 302, new disc brakes, prefect interior, little bit of rust etc. for $3500 i think anything over 3k for a 6 cylinder is outrageous....its like buying a boat that cant float....same as buying a muscle car with no muscle....

Cogtx

Tom...welcome to MF. The choice of I6 or V8 is a personal preference depending upon what you are planning to do with the mustang. We have a six banger and happy with it at this point. Absoultely not the muscle car to hot rod around and race the ricers on the street but that's not the purpose here. It is a daily driver for my son which has a cool factor of being a classic mustang, easy to work on, and fun to drive. As others have pointed out, 4K may be a little steep for the inline 6 but may be dependent upon how much rust/repair has been already done by the previous owners. Most common rust prob would be the floor boards and cowl. Be sure to ask the owner if cowl repair was done and take a look at the floor boards. Check out the FAQ section about cowl repair/rust for more details. You may be able to get the price down signficantly if rust is a major factor. Good luck on the purchase and keep us posted on your progress!!!

Lumbergh

First, unless this car is in really good shape, and it doesn't sound like it is, you should be able to get it for $3000 or less. The I6 cars are not all that desirable. Having bought a 68, 289, I will say that the I6 cars have much more room to work in the engine bay, which is a big plus in my mind. It's just with the I6 motor, you are buying the style and look of a Mustang without any power.

I bought my 68 numbers matching, 289, headache - I mean coupe - for $4,300. Unfortunately, I didn't know about the cowl problems at the time. If I had, I would have asked about it and asked if I could pour some water over the cowl area to see if it leaked (the driver's side does on mine[:@]), and with what I have discovered since tearing it apart, I likely would have passed. Since my purchase, I've seen what appear to be well restored 68 coupes with a 289 or a 302 for $12k and less. Of course, Ive also seen V8 mustangs advertised for what I consider ridiculous prices. Before I bought mine, I looked at a 66, I6 in what I consider fair condition (no welding needed, just mechanical work and a paint job) for $3,000, and a 67, I6 coupe in good condition for $4,500. However, I had to go for the V8 because my wife absolutely wanted a muscle car. Now I'm sorry I didn't wait and spend more time looking for a completed car in good to excellent condition, rather than go the fix-it-up route. As stated before, there are a large number of Mustangs for sale out there; take your time and make sure you are getting what you want.

slickman

Look around and don't jump on the first one you see.. I paid $6000 for my 66 coupe with a 289 which was in great condition when I got it. I could have just driven it the way it was. The last guy was trying to restore it to original but, I'm a muscle car guy and don't give a hoot about originality. With that said, I have spent to date (12 months later) $10,000 on the car so far. So, think about what you want in the car and what you want to do with it going forward. Then and only then start looking around for just that car. You will spend less in the long run.

I'm not overly concerned about all the money I have in my coupe cause I know I can get my money back in short order. You just need to be smart about what you purchase at the start. The last owner of my coupe put all new qtrs, new front fenders, floor pans and interior panels. I have sense did a total over haul on the inside as well as replace the entire drive line and many suspension components. Still have plans for a rack an pinion setup this winter along with frame connectors and some frame rail reinforcements.

So, all depends on what you're looking to have at the end of the tunnel. Is there an end??

jus4ale

I agree depending what you want the 6 can be a great choice. It is ok as a cruiser, a few simple bolt ons can perk it up alot and make it much more responsive, for those that think a six is a slug check these links

Fast six

Ford Six Performance Forum

formerly known as Ford Six Performance Parts

Also the six usually gets much better mpg

And finally if you do get the car, fix it up and even mildly do some engine work, you will how much attention it will command when the hood is popped, it is uncommon and unusual to see fixed up sixes, even though in earlier years it was much more common

Think what you want and how you are going to use it and look around, do not be afraid to read these forums and ask questions....

Good Luck

Tim