I Have a 1965 coupe that I recived form a friend for $500. all numbers match but I already see the price tag going higher then expected with frame rail replacement and reubuild a 6 CYL motor but I wanted to know is this worth the money to keep it original or should I take a "few" more bucks and drop a 289 and change the rest or better yet make it a GT clone? I just see me puting several thousand in this and never seeing any return if I keep a 6. What are your thoughts??

 

i'd say the same thing about I6->V8 conversions
you'll put in lots of money for no return when you sell it again.
I gave up on being concerned about resell value and just do with the car I like or can afford

in my case EXP will be standing for expensive .. *g*

 

If you are doing this for 'return on investment' stop now. If you are doing this to build the car of your dreams that you want to own and appreciate, then build what you want the car to be. This is not a financial decision other than what you can afford. Its not an investment. You will loose money no matter what direction you take a restoration that is starting with a rusted body bad enough to need frame rail replacement.

 

My intenions are to restore this car and keep it from a salvage yard. I understand that I will not see any type of return other than the satisfaction of doing a great job and restoring this car. This is my first restore so i will see were it goes. Thanks

 

I would convert it to a V8 car. Well I did that to mine. It depends on what you really want the car for and to be able to do. I think a GT look would be cool.

Either way you will probably not be able to make your money back out of it, unless the right buyer comes along.

I would do this project because you want to and not to make money.

 

Exactly. If your dream car looks great on a cruise to see the autumn leaves, restore as-original.

If you want powerful, change to V8. It'll cost more than you figure to do that, so think it over.

 

If you are trying to make a profit, you might be able to do that now. It is going to cost a lot to restore a car. Most likely more than you could ever sell it for unless you did something amazing and made it really special.
If you are going to keep it, then you restore it for what you want. For what you are going to do with it. Daily driving, muscle/racing or show.
I bought mine to restore for my son and I. Making it a safe daily driver. I've already spent a bundle rebuilding the transmission, Brakes (everything new), and differential. I haven't even started on the paint and body not to mention replacing the floor pan and full interior work. The work is a labor of love and something I can do/share with my son. There is no way I would expect to sell it and get near anywhere close to the money I am putting into it. The book value is a lot less for a this car than what it costs to basically build it from the ground up. If you want to make money with it, better convert it into a NEW, powerful, one-of-a-kind car that started with a Mustang that will have people out bidding each other in a custom car auction.
Auto restoration, I think it is more a hobby (you dump money into).

 

v8 ftw who cares about numbers matching I6? no one. get a 302 and have fun man =) best of luck with whatever you decide!

 

This is 100% false.

 

I completely agree! That's the point behind number matching, all original! It's amazing when you see an all original car with half a million miles or more. It means someone really cares about the machine. Not just trash it and to heck if I have to put anther motor into it.