1st gen buying tips?

LarsD · Aug 18, 2010

Hi all, I normally post in the Fox section, though I thought I would troll over here and see if you guys had any wisdom to share.

Within the next year I would like to buy a 64 1/2 to 68 Mustang coupe for my wife for our tenth anniversary as a surprise. Highest on the list is a solid body, brake system, and drive train. A/C, P/S, and PB would be nice, but given my price range ($6K-$8K) I'll assume that isn't going to happen. My question to you guys is, what are trouble spots to look for as far as rust and other known problems to look for?

Thanks!

Ferf · Aug 19, 2010

The cowl, floors and frame rails seem to be the most prone to rust and are very time consuming to replace.

See if the owner will allow you to take a garden hose and and run some water into the cowl vents in front of the windshield. Then get inside the vehicle and feel around the carpeting up under the dash.

If the carpeting is wet then the cowl obviously leaks. If the cowl leaks then there is a good chance that the the front floor pans are rusted. If the front floor pans are rusted then the front frame rails may be shot too.

Also check the trunk floor for any rust.

Chris

LarsD · Aug 19, 2010

OK great, thanks, this is the type of stuff I need to know about them.

tims67 · Aug 20, 2010

I would agree with ferf, the cowl is a major trouble area that leads to the problems he listed. the cowl is also difficult to replace unless you have pretty good skills & equipment(welder air compressor ect.)

zookeeper · Aug 20, 2010

I think you can find a good car for your price range, but as these guys said, look for as rust-free of a car as you can find. Another common rust area is under the battery, which spreads to the radiator support and frame rail over time. Also, if at all possible get the car on a lift and you can tell a lot of the car's history. Once underneath look for bent sheetmetal (evidence of past damage pulled out on a frame machine) or cracked brake lines, leaky fluids, including shocks, trans, engine and coolant. Run the windows up and down (coupes have 4, so make them all work) and don't be shocked if the driver's side is harder to get up and down than the rest. There are LOTS of these cars out there so don't think you have to jump on the first one you find, but if you find a nice one with the stuff you want, grab it. And don't forget to post pics when you get it!

LarsD · Aug 20, 2010

zookeeper said:
I think you can find a good car for your price range, but as these guys said, look for as rust-free of a car as you can find. Another common rust area is under the battery, which spreads to the radiator support and frame rail over time. Also, if at all possible get the car on a lift and you can tell a lot of the car's history. Once underneath look for bent sheetmetal (evidence of past damage pulled out on a frame machine) or cracked brake lines, leaky fluids, including shocks, trans, engine and coolant. Run the windows up and down (coupes have 4, so make them all work) and don't be shocked if the driver's side is harder to get up and down than the rest. There are LOTS of these cars out there so don't think you have to jump on the first one you find, but if you find a nice one with the stuff you want, grab it. And don't forget to post pics when you get it!

Thanks! I found one I want to take a look at assuming he doesn't sell it before I get to look at it. There seem to be a lot of them for sale down here in Texas, but weeding though the bondo buggies and ones that have been monkeyed up is going to be the troublesome part (or maybe part of the fun). It would be a lot more fun if I wasn't having to hide it from the wife.

LarsD · Aug 22, 2010

Well the first one sold before I got to look at it. Found another one that is on the lower end of my price range. Probably won't get a look at it until next weekend. From the pics the body is a little rougher than I'd like, but it has power disc brakes, working A/C, power steering, and a 302/auto.

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