Hey ya'll I am new to this thing. I have a 1966 Mustang that needs to be fixed up a lot. I know I want to repaint, new ulpolstery, power steering, tires and wheels, and I am not sure if I want a new motor?! It has a 289 in it, is it quick? Does anyone like a different motor better? About how much is all of this going to cost?

 

Hey ya'll I am new to this thing. I have a 1966 Mustang that needs to be fixed up a lot. I know I want to repaint,
Do this second-last

new ulpolstery,
Do this last

power steering
Do this before the others

, tires and wheels,
I prefer the OE styled steel wheel, less fitment trouble, great looks

and I am not sure if I want a new motor?
Not unless your original has a rod sticking out the side

! It has a 289 in it, is it quick?
Um, yeah, and for less than you might think- see photo

Does anyone like a different motor better?
Only if you want to modify the car and spend lots of money

About how much is all of this going to cost?
Like Burt Reynolds said, "…a fast car. Faster than that. Faster than that."

Seriously, you can get a very good handling, very quick car for surprisingly little. For starters, lowering the upper control arms 1" will make the car handle much better, and will cost you 4 holes and a wheel alignment. No kidding.

 

2+2 Burt said "Speedy car, speedier than that..." if I remember right. Sorry , Trans Am guy. The order 2+2 put things in is pretty good advice.

Best advice I can give you is;

1. Learn to fix it yourself, it will give you the satisfaction of doing it yourself and save you some coin on labor.
2. Its not about how much it costs, if cost of repair is the most important thing to you buy a new car with a warranty.
3. Ask lots of questions, and read as much as you can, the FAQ and the search function on here are your friends use them often.
4. Welcome to the world of old Fords, they are simple to repair, easy to work on, and fun to drive.
5. Enjoy yourself, you arent stuck in a minivan wishing you had a cool vintage car, you own a Mustang.

 

Welcome to the forum. How about some pictures of your 66?

I would advise the same things that were already mentioned. Definitely do paint and interior last. Get everything mechanical done first. Also, if that 289 is in good shape, there is no way I would change it. Even if it is worn out, I would rebuild it if it is repairable. If need be a 302 can be swapped in fairly easily.

This forum is a great resource and people will try to answer your questions. Having a manual can really be a help also.

 

+1 keep the 289 in there. You can always mod it over time but after driving it a while, you might find it is all you need. I have a buddy with a 66 and 289 and it is plenty quick to leave some rubber at a stop light. Will it win a race with a modern stang? Course not but who really cares? If I were you, I would just do some easy mods to your 289 and be happy. Adding dual exhaust, 4 barrel carb and a good intake will really perk up your ride and is very reasonable cost wise.

As for paint, I totally agree to hold off on that for a while. As for interior, I see no reason why you can't work on that at same time you are doing some mechanical stuff. I guess it depends on how much interior stuff needs to be done. Alot of things such as dash pads, door panels, recovering seats, etc, can be done any time. Oh and +1 post up some pics!

 

Ummmm...good luck with that. Read up and learn about Classic Cars. Is this going to be a show car then making sure part numbers match and other things all match to maintain the integrity of the car. $$$$$$ so save your pennies and yes we'd like to see some pictures.