Got 2nd vin report, need to pick which car to keep now. (really really long)

[351pacecar]

Car 1: (Blue)

0 1970
F Built at dearborn
02 Mustang Sportsroof
F 302-2V

05/70 Built: May, 1970
63A Mustang Sportsroof
6 Medium Bright Blue Metallic Paint, Ford #3077-A
BB Medium Blue Rhino/Corinthian Vinyl Bucket seats
6 3.00 standard axle ratio (8" I assume but I got it with a 9" so I dunno)
5 Four-Speed Wide Ratio Manual Transmission (kinda odd with that engine)
44 Twin Cities ordering district
Dealer # 58K430 (wonder who that is)

Ordered with following options:
Four-Speed wide ratio manual transmission.
F70X14 Belted Tires w/raised white letters
Console (cool but its not there anymore)
AM radio
Heavy Duty Battery
Produced on may 14 1970 one day ahead of scedule.
----------

Car 2: (Green)

0 1970
F Built at Dearborn
02 Mustang Sportsroof
F 302-2v

02/70 Built Feb 1970
63A Mustang Sportsroof
Z Grabber Green paint, Ford #3658-A
BA Black Rhino/Corinthian Vinyl Bucket seats
3 2.79 Standard axle ratio
1 Three speed manual transmission
32 Cleveland ordering district
Dealer # 42F496

Equipped with following options:
Grabber special value package
Three speed manual transmission
F70x14 Belted tires
White sidewall tires
AM radio
Color Keyed racing mirrors
Trim rings/hub caps
Acutally built on February 24, 1970 seven days behind scedule (feb 24th is my birthday oddly enough)

-----------------
What would be the better car options wise? the blue 4spd console car or the Green Grabber package car?

Externally I like both colors but internally the green car wins with the black interior.

The blue car spun its original tranny (literally spun it) while racing and so I got it with the 4 spd out of what i think is a 68 390 GT close ratio (rug-ad), neither car has an engine. Blue came with a strange built 9" race rear, itll need a new center section to be streetable and will be transferred to whichever car i keep.

Would blue have come with the racing mirrors? I love those things. (no mirrors on it now)

Both cars are basket cases though the blue one may be somewhat less work to fix.

I'll be taking what parts I need to make one good car and will still have enough for a complete second car to sell, so iam trying to decide.

Are both of these cars interesting enough options wise to stand out?

 

[68GEETEE]

Assuming you are trying to keep the cars stock or close to original, I would say the blue car because V-8 4 speeds are alot more fun to drive. I should know, I have one

 

[351pacecar]

As far as originality, I dont really care, they dont have any original drivetrain anyways. Iam keeping the colors original because blue/blue and green/black are both good, and I am keeping the type of engine tranny combos right to the extent that it will still be a 302 and manual tranny.

I had actually planned to sell the 4 spd and a rebuilt t-5 I have and just upgrade to a tremec, possibly tko, with the cable clutch which would all bolt nicely to the 88 5.0 HO carbed I have.

Id hafta figure the linkage or lack therof out before I could use the 4 spd, plus I think it still has the snout for the 390 on it, and it has a hurst v gate (was told it was a z gate but its actually a v gate) shifter that would be great for racing but i hate it (specially since the floor had to be hacked for it) and it has a lakewood steel scattershield to complicate the linkage issue further.

 

[DarkBuddha]

As far as originality, I dont really care, ...

If you really don't care, then the easy answer to your question is to keep the one that is in better shape overall. This will end up saving you money in the end.

As for the racing mirrors or any other stuff you like, since you don't care about originality, then add the mirrors or whatever else you want to the car. In other words, build the car you want. There is no rule you have to keep the car original or even close.

Now, if you are vaguely concerned about end value, then choosing the car that would be more valuable in its original form may be of some consequence. In this case, I suspect that the Grabber model will have a bit (a very small bit at that) of an edge in value over the 4 speed blue car. While 4 speeds are certainly desirable, the appearance of base model cars often has more effect on value. I think the Grabber paint with all the Grabber appearance package (psuedo Boss302) would easily win the original value debate.

Whatever you decide, just remember, 99% of people don't get their money back out of their car when/if they sell it. It just doesn't happen that often, and mostly only happens on super rare and desirable models like Boss cars, Shelbys, and big block Machs. Even K code GTs often barely break even. IMHO this means you should build the car the way you want and enjoy the heck out of it and not worry so much about the end value.

Hope this helps... Good luck!

 

[351pacecar]

My whole sentence on originality was kinda necessary not just he first part of it, certian stuff I suppose I do care about.

Its not the cash value of the car iam interested in, its the conversation value of it. A mustang with an original K code 289 and a 4 spd would be more interesting than a car that was originally an I-6 but now has a 427w stroker with a 6 spd behind it, because anyone with cash can build the second, but the first is uncommon and therefore I like it better. Obvuiously neither of these are super rare, but if I change everything its no longer an uncommon mustang, its just a nice car.

I dont have any original drivetrain and finding correct date coded pieces would be a real bitch to put it lightly so i say screw that part. But I like the colors and so those at least should stay original so I have at least something nice about the car that is original.

I had planned on sticking the 9" in the grabber car, then borrowing whatever parts I need from the blue one to finish it. I really havent decided if it would be easier to stick the right input shaft on that 4 spd and then put together all the linkage for it. For starters I dont have a clue where the engine side pivot for the bellcrank would go since its a later 5.0 and a lakewood bellhousing. I hafta sort the whole mess out in the spring. when iam ready the blue one will end up getting sold for near nothing to the first person I find that has a real chance of completing it and not just spripping it for parts or making a lawn ornament out of it. It is a near complete car acutally with the exception of the guts for the drivers door and the interior parts that are replaceable (door panels carpet ect).

 

[TazerRE]

Keep the grabber one.

I absolutely love sportsroofs, so I'm into either.

You said the grabber had a 3spd, but if you aren't so concerned with originality, swap them! Go for the Tremec, totally.

I just love black interiors, too. not such a fan of blue, and I agree, it does look GOOD with the grabber green.

Hey, she was built on your birthday, it's meant to be!!!

 

[DarkBuddha]

I hear ya on the originality thing... I've taken a similar approach with regard to balancing some originality with personalization. For example, when I was thinking about colors to paint my car, I went through the gamut trying to pick the "right" one. Well after removing the fenders, I was able to see some original paint overspray which looked Grabber orange-ish. I liked it and I liked the idea of keeping the car semi-original, so I decided that would be the color.

Then I got my Marti report and it said "Bright Gold Metalic" (fairly uncommon color aparently) which through me for a loop. I started thinking "I don't think I've ever seen a '70 that color", "what the heck does that look like?", "will it look way out of date?", "will I still want it original if it turns out to be an ugly color?", etc... Then I saw a pic of a '70 Boss in Bright Gold Metalic and I fell in love. Looked great with the black stripes! So I went with it and I'm glad... its a classic color, fits the time period of the car without being dated, and it is the original semi-rare color.

Still, I've made tons of other mods to the car, but they all appear "stock" even if they're not original (like a/c, remote passenger mirror, reclining stock seats, AOD w/stock shifter, etc.). This makes it more the car I would have ordered new if I could've.

For you, I think the Grabber car is probably the more interesting and desirable of the 2. The Grabber package was a special order thing and got the buyer the appearance of a Boss 302 for poor man cash. What a great marketing idea...