imbest123

Hi guys well ill just write my story here. i am currently driving an acura rsx-s, however, i am getting sick of the car. im still making payments, paying insurance and constantly modding the car but i want something new and american muscle is drawing my attention. i have a few questions about classic mustangs (1st gencoupe, fastback is too expensive)that i will list and i do not mind spending money on maintanence, to a certain extent. well here are my questions and ill add more if i think of any as the thread continues:

1. what would a 21 year old with a good driving record expect to pay yearly or every 6 months on insurance.

2. are the horror stories of muscle cars true? like will the car just randomly not start up one day. i do plan on rebuilding the engine at my uncles shop and modding it lightly. basically am i going to need a backup car while having this one?

3. what are average prices on a 1st gen stang? i do plan on getting the car repainted.

4. what should i look for when buying a car this old?

5. how much on repairs and maintance should i look towards in maintanence alone?

6. and just out of curiosity whats the average mpg? my ex had a 65 with a 302 and got 9mpg while my other friend with a 289 is getting 11mpg lol.

7. along with the previous question how big is the gas tank and what grade of gas is required?

8. where do you recommend i look for the car?

9. do you regret buying a muscle car?

ninteen66mustang

dang it, i just answered every single question and then clicked OK and it crapped out and signed me off. here it goes again:

1- not that much, insurance on old cars is cheap.

2- ya, it will prolly not start every once in a while and maybe even die at an intersection, but if you have a good car and take good care of it, it will be pretty reliable. if you have a job that will fire you for being late one day or something than you might want a backup car or something, but otherwise if you have a good engine you shouldnt have to worry.

3- mine was 5 grand. good paint, decent but tired out engine, good body, not much rust at all, interior needed work.

4- little or no rust is the best thing to look for. rust is the most costly thing to repair, and is just a royal pain in the behind. keep in mind that the less your spend on the car, the more you are gonna spend fixing it up.

5- cant help you much here. as long as you do all the work yourself it should be fairly cheap

6- mpg has lots of factors, if you get a newer transmission or AOD then you will get much better mileage

7-i believe my tank (66) is sixteen gallons, but you can get fuel cells and bigger tanks for not too much money.

8- CRAIGSLIST.ORG its your best friend.

9- not at all, and I prolly never will. It is pretty much the best choice i have ever made. I dont need to worry about reliability cuz i have a subaru that i drive daily (that could prolly smoke your rsx-s) so the stang is just my weekend car and whatnot.

Good luck finding a car. If you find one on craigslist or something, post the link here and we can help you decide if it is a good choice or not.

REAVER117

I just recently purchased a 1969 Mustang, and if I can offer one piece of advice: install an electronic ignition system. After swapping the old points system for an Ignitor II with a Flame Thrower coil and new sparkplug cables, there was a very noticable gain in reliability. It's really easy to do, fairly cheap and apparently it improves gas mileage too. Good luck with your search!

plainsman1876

My 65 FSTBK , traded my Harley for it the best thing I ever did ,I drive my car everyday , miner problems , usual maint. 16 gal tank 14 mpg , thinking about getting Autolite 4 - barrel carb. and get rid of Edelbrock 600. I would rather drive my FSTBK than my 02 F-150

ninteen66mustang

also, if you are thinking about getting a stang without breaking the bank, dont expect to get a fastback, convertible, gt, or shelby...

coupes look the best anyways, not that i am biased or anything

bluovalguy

I dont think you will find anyone on here that regrets buying their cars. Are they a PITA, yup, sometimes they are. Will it eventually let you down and not start, yup, it probably will. Will you start spending more of your free time under the car, yup, but you will do it cuz you enjoy it. Will it end up being the best car you ever owned, probably so. I love my car and the only reason I would EVER get rid of it, would be to upgrade to a 69 Mach, or a 66 Fastback.

connor90

1. what would a 21 year old with a good driving record expect to pay yearly or every 6 months on insurance.

im 17 and pay $100 a month for insurance...thats less than i would be paying if i were to be insured under my parents toyota camry so its pretty reasonable

2. are the horror stories of muscle cars true? like will the car just randomly not start up one day. i do plan on rebuilding the engine at my uncles shop and modding it lightly. basically am i going to need a backup car while having this one?

my mustang is my daily driver...only had one time it wouldnt start and i was able to fix that in about an hour. just like any other car, if you take care of it, it'll take care of you

3. what are average prices on a 1st gen stang? i do plan on getting the car repainted.

mine was $2500...but that was with a crappy interior and it was only primered. after painting it and re-upholstering it it cost me about $6000 total. thats doing all the work myself...its generally cheaper to buy one already restored.

4. what should i look for when buying a car this old?

rust, rust, rust, and more rust...and evidence of past accidents.

5. how much on repairs and maintance should i look towards in maintanence alone?

it depends...if we're just talking about upkeep its no more than a regular car. not including my new interior, paint, and all the other upgrades i made that werent really necessary, ive spent about $70 on maintanence in the last year (oil change and new starter).

6. and just out of curiosity whats the average mpg? my ex had a 65 with a 302 and got 9mpg while my other friend with a 289 is getting 11mpg lol.

my 302 averages about 12mpg and my mom's 289 gets around 8mpg (its desperately needs a tuneup though)...so theyre not really economy cars

7. along with the previous question how big is the gas tank and what grade of gas is required?

16 gal...i run mine on 87 with no problems but if you dont have hardened valve seats youll need to add a lead additive every time you fill up.

8. where do you recommend i look for the car?

craigslist.org...best site ever! local classifides can be good as well

9. do you regret buying a muscle car?

not at all, it has been GREAT to me so far!