I need help restoring an old one

[eric_6996]

Hey everyone! Im 18 years old and Im dying to restore older cars. I have found a few old mid '60s Mustangs with a good frame that i had concluded were a good place to start. However being new to actually restoring cars i wasnt sure.

As for tools and that those are not a problem. It is all available from my granpda, a retired mechanic. My other concern was pricing and time. I have a few buddies that want to help but if the project will last too long they are off to college. So my bottom line question is what kind of ballpark figure am I looking at in terms of both $$$ and time for this project assuming i work on it casually. Thanks and Im open to any other suggestions you may have for me as well.

 

[LMan]

We will be glad to help, but we could use more specifics on the exact car you will be working on and what you are capable of doing, mechanically speaking.

First rule of advice: buy the best/most complete/most rust-free car you can afford UP FRONT. You will save big $$$ and headaches in the long run.

 

[Hack]

The cost will depend a lot on what you want to end up with and how patient you are.

I have a total rust bucket that my dad bought for me 16 years ago. I've put about 5 grand into it. Basically I'm just keeping it on the road until I have the time and resources to do more.

Some people buy a car and immediately pull the motor, tear the interior out, etc..

What are your plans?

 

[eric_6996]

my plans

Im basically looking for a good first project. i want to get a 67-69 stang that has pretty good paint on it, a livable interior until i can afford to fix it, and just plan on working on an engine that is already in the car. Power isnt really that much of an issue since right now im driving a I4 in my plymouth acclaim so anything a mustang has is more power. Also it is a MUST that my stang is manual (its a personal obsession)

 

[Snail50]

First rule of advice: buy the best/most complete/most rust-free car you can afford UP FRONT. You will save big $$$ and headaches in the long run.

What L said.
You can almost build a brand new car from the aftermarket suppliers like NPD, but that will run you $$$. A rotten frame is serious because it requires major cutting, welding, and you have to be sure its done right or the car won't track straight. A rotten body panel is no big deal because you can either do a spot patch or replace the whole panel for not too terribly much $. You can get a whole brand-new door shell for between $350 & 400, for example. Trim pieces are just cosmetic, and aren't that expensive or difficult to replace, and can be put off to the end of the project, or done anytime during the buildup to give you a "warm fuzzy."

Good luck. Great people and a wealth of knowledge on this site.