Need advise on car purchase

[65fastbackresto]

I`ve been looking for a drivetrain for my 65 stang, currently 6 cyl.

Found a 79 Stang with mildly built 302, C-4 Tranny, and he said 8.8 inch rear with 373 gears. Body is pretty good on it. I want it mainly for the drivetrain though.
Can get it for $2500 or maybe less.

What do yall think?

 

[geostang351]

I`ve been looking for a drivetrain for my 65 stang, currently 6 cyl.

Found a 79 Stang with mildly built 302, C-4 Tranny, and he said 8.8 inch rear with 373 gears. Body is pretty good on it. I want it mainly for the drivetrain though.
Can get it for $2500 or maybe less.

What do yall think?

If you want it only for the drive train (8.8 rear? That will take some work) then $2,500 for an engine and C4 - NO DEAL.

 

[65fastbackresto]

I was also thinking..

My daughter is 14 now, and is gonna need a car at 16. I could put my drivetrain in her car and make a good little first car for her. My motor is solid it just aint got enough horsepower for me.

 

[Rusty67]

No dice. That rear is going to take too much to modify to get it into your 65. What I would do if I were you is look in the auto trader for a Fox Mustang 86 or newer that way you get a roller cam motor and you can get an AOD trans. Puting an AOD trans in will only cost you a few hundred bux extra but it will save you money if you ever drive the car on the freeway.

Also, check craigslist and the local junkyards. You would be surprised what you can find for cheap if you just wait. Timing is everything.

 

[65fastbackresto]

If I just took the motoer and tranny out

Would it be ok? I was thinking if I had a complete motor (brackets, distrubtor, carb, all that) and just dropped it in it would save me alot of money.

I talked to some builders and they wasnted $2500 and up just to do a motor and thats just a standard deal. I`d still have to buy everything else for it to work, and have the complication of trying to figure out how to put everything together. FYI, my engine builder recommended I go with a 79 or older block to get rebuilt cause they have stronger cranks in them and the heads are better......
I`ve got a good 8 inch rear in my car now, I can leave it in there.

So are there better ways for me to get a motor and tranny in the car? cheaper way?

 

[BlackGMC]

Is that year 302 a roller motor (lifters)?

 

[65fastbackresto]

I dont think its a roller but...

like my engine builder said, the crank is stronger and the heads are better. Plus the heads have already been ported on this car I`m looking at. Has edelbrock intake and holley 600 cfm carb too.

Cant I just add rollers later anyway when I finally get enough money rolling to get it rebuilt?

 

[C6AE]

recommended I go with a 79 or older block to get rebuilt cause they have stronger cranks in them and the heads are better......

I dunno about that bit, I'd bet my 88 roller motor is better than anything made in the mid to late 70's

 

[65fastbackresto]

I dont know either, thats the bad part

I have very limited knowledge on the motor thing. Any of you guys know anything about this?

There is a 86 crown vic in todays paper for $300, said it runs good....thinking on that one too.

 

[calpolymustang]

85 and newer 5.0s have roller cams
86 and newer have roller cams with EFI

I just put a 92 5.0 HO in a hot rod, and probably wont do EFI again. Carbs are way simpler. People could argue EFI vs. carb all day, but carbs are easier for most people to troubleshoot.

If you dont want to rebuild, then I'd try find the lowest milage 85-92 engine and trany. The 92 5.0 had 60,000 and came with an AOD, but its been sitting for 10 years, and I wont be suprised if the AOD needs rebulding.

If you dont drive much on the freeway and dont mind a C4, then its probably cheaper to rebuild, but I dont know if it directly bolts up to a 5.0

Why not find a V8 coupe with a good engine and trany then swap the 6 in that and the V8 into the fastback? Dont forget about falcons, fairlanes, and comets

 

[65fastbackresto]

Hum....

You got me thinking on the find an older car thing, coupes are still cheap enough i might be able to pull that off.