Need Serious Advice

I am having a difficult time making a tough decision. I have about $2000 I saved to from tax return and extra hours working. I have a 67 coupe whose body is in decent condition. It needs a passenger side floorpan and a left side trunk panel. That is the only rust there. Here is the dilemna. My wife and I share a car. So far, we've made it work. But I am possibly getting a job with Circuit City and they are providing a vehicle for me. For the past few weeks, the local dealership is selling a 1995 gt convertible for $5000. The car is in good shape. The top is brand new. The interior is a little worn, but that's okay. It have just about 100,000 mile (for the price, is that bad?) My dilemna is... spend the money on the down payment on the 95 GT Convertible, or get much work done on my 67 coupe? On one hand, I finally get a convertible I have always been dying to get. Yet, my 67 coupe is my love too, and this money will further me along. It just seems like the whole restoration process is taking forever. With shows like Overhaulin, American Hotrod, Dreamcar Garage, My Classic Car, Car Crazy, Horsepower TV, Rides, Musclecar, Hod Rod TV (did I get them all?), all the magazines and all the photos. I sometimes wonder if my car will ever get that way, or does that really matter? Since I don't have a garage and the work is being done in my mom's driveway, progress is kinda slow. I have changed the gas tank, rear end, door panels, and am now strating to tackle the body imperfection and primer. I am just confused. I have consulted others, but their imput is split 50/50. The best advice is from you guys, because you all can understand where my head is at. I may not get the job at Circuit City, but what if I leave for another job? Transport then becomes a real issue. Thanks for letting me vent. I needed it. Any advice?:nice:
 
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Would you get to take you work vehicle home? have it on the weekends? Is The 67' the only car between you and your wife? 60's technology is not very reliable. If I were in your position, the only way I would put the money towards the stang is if you get that work vehicle, and if you get to take it home. Otherwise my friend, you are in desperate need of a reliable daily driver. If the 67 is your sole vehicle, I'm sorry to say the smart money is on the 95'. From what I understand you have a good ways to go on you project. Now, if you had a budget of 15-20K it might be a diffrent story.
 
tylerrocks said:
Would you get to take you work vehicle home? have it on the weekends? Is The 67' the only car between you and your wife? 60's technology is not very reliable. If I were in your position, the only way I would put the money towards the stang is if you get that work vehicle, and if you get to take it home. Otherwise my friend, you are in desperate need of a reliable daily driver. If the 67 is your sole vehicle, I'm sorry to say the smart money is on the 95'. From what I understand you have a good ways to go on you project. Now, if you had a budget of 15-20K it might be a diffrent story.


Thanks for the response. We have a reliable 2002 Mitsubishi (hers really). The 67 is my car. The work vehicle in question would actually be a take home vehicle (a Scion actually). Does that change things???:SNSign:
 
Input from an old fart:

What are your priorities? I assume you're a young couple. Myself, I tried to keep up my automotive hobby when I first got married, but finally had to give it up for a long while as family was the most important to me. I'm now making up for lost time and retirement is coming up soon!
 
Something to chew on, from Middle-Aged Fart:

When my (now ex.) wife and I first started out (1985) our only vehicles were 2 Mustangs, a 67 fastback and a 72 coupe. Though the cars had their issues at times, they were easy to diagnose and repair in the driveway with basic tools, skills and a Chilton manual. When it came time to buy a house, the lack of car payments and low insurance payments made a huge difference.
 
Platonic Solid said:
Something to chew on, from Middle-Aged Fart:

When my (now ex.) wife and I first started out (1985) our only vehicles were 2 Mustangs, a 67 fastback and a 72 coupe. Though the cars had their issues at times, they were easy to diagnose and repair in the driveway with basic tools, skills and a Chilton manual. When it came time to buy a house, the lack of car payments and low insurance payments made a huge difference.

AH, a middle aged Fart with a brain, where have you been hiding. Anyone that claims an old,(60's-70's ) car is unreliable is either an idiot, or has been jerked around by wanabee car buffs.

There is NO NEW CAR that is more dependable or cheaper to repair than a 60-70 car. And the BEST of that GROUP would be a Mustang as the parts prices and availability are unmatched by any other classic.

My daily driver in the good weather,(10 months of the year) is my 70 mustang ragtop, I'd drive it year-round, but the ragtop is colder than a witches you know what in the winter. I've been driving it now for about 5 years. I don't think I've spent 100 bux on it in that time period after my initial repairs.

My work truck has been a 90 E-350 for that same period of time, I have spent about 2K on that truck and everything I have dont to is has been a royal pain in the ass. Because of that, I just bought a 74 F-350 to replace it, and I can guarantee you it will be more reliable and cheaper to maintain than the 90 has been.

If you can't do your own work, you need to look around for a local mechanic that likes classics and will work on it for you. There is NO JOB on a 68 Mustang that should cost more to fix than on ANY NEW CAR. Your engine is simpler, your tranny is simpler, your brakes are simpler. If your paying too much to maintain your 68 then your getting screwed.
,
 
More input:

When my son was in private grammar school, my hot rodding hobby came to a screeching halt as the search for more power cost money. We had already bought our second house so increased mortgage payments obviously took priority. I then decided to buy $1000 cars for daily transportation. I kept those to simple cars so I could repair them at home. We kept our 73 four wheel drive Blazer as a family car as it had all the creature comforts one would want. I then decided to do off roading in beater Baja bugs as they were really simple to work on and could really take a beating. Oh what fun it was.
 
killer medic said:
Great input guys. This really helps me out! Thanks a million...:nice:

Keep in mind, your 68 doesn't have to be perfect to be a reliable daily driver, I bought my ragtop 5 years ago expecting to restore it but with the other projects I've been working on it keeps getting pushed down the list,mostly because I love driving it and I don't want to take it off the road to do it.:D I made it mechanically sound when I got it and have been driving it ever since.
 
WORTH said:
AH, a middle aged Fart with a brain, where have you been hiding. Anyone that claims an old,(60's-70's ) car is unreliable is either an idiot, or has been jerked around by wanabee car buffs.

There is NO NEW CAR that is more dependable or cheaper to repair than a 60-70 car. And the BEST of that GROUP would be a Mustang as the parts prices and availability are unmatched by any other classic.

My daily driver in the good weather,(10 months of the year) is my 70 mustang ragtop, I'd drive it year-round, but the ragtop is colder than a witches you know what in the winter. I've been driving it now for about 5 years. I don't think I've spent 100 bux on it in that time period after my initial repairs.

My work truck has been a 90 E-350 for that same period of time, I have spent about 2K on that truck and everything I have dont to is has been a royal pain in the ass. Because of that, I just bought a 74 F-350 to replace it, and I can guarantee you it will be more reliable and cheaper to maintain than the 90 has been.

If you can't do your own work, you need to look around for a local mechanic that likes classics and will work on it for you. There is NO JOB on a 68 Mustang that should cost more to fix than on ANY NEW CAR. Your engine is simpler, your tranny is simpler, your brakes are simpler. If your paying too much to maintain your 68 then your getting screwed.
,

I dont appreciate being called an idiot, and I speak from personal experience. You may have a wonderful classic that never gives any problems, but the fact is that technology has progressed to a bigger badder beast since the 60's. Sure, I wont dispute the fact that older "mechanical" cars are easier to work on yourself but the fact remains that a modern car will have a decreased chance of leaving you stranded on the side of the road. Car manufacturers have spent a lot of money in bettering thier products. Its all about technology, A car built with brand new parts using 60's technology would be an inferior vehicle to one using modern technology, Now throw in the fact the parts on a classic are now 40+/- years old and reliability decreases rapidly. Now is where we can get into updating parts to be more reliable. Things like electronic ignition, cuble clutches, bigger radiator, ect. all cost money. So the question is do you have enough oney to make it work?

There is NO NEW CAR that is more dependable..............than a 60-70 car.

BULL$HIT
 
Tylerrocks, don't get your panties in a knot there buddy, it was just an expression. As for the newer cars being more dependable, you are way off base. A well maintained 67 stang is just as dependable as a well maintained 97 stang, but the 67 is cheaper and easier to fix when it breaks down. I've been a mechanic for 30 some odd years and worked on everything from model a's to the brandy new ones, and there is no car built today that is easier or cheaper to fix than that 67. If your stang isn't dependable then you might want to find another mechanic. Most of these old cars have been butchered by wanabee's over the years and you can't blame that on the cars. Fix your car properly and it will last forever, or atleast until the road salt gets to it:D
 
Platonic Solid said:
This question still needs to be answered.

It does run, but it needs some work. The passenger floor pan is going, but is is pretty much the only rust. I replaced the gas tank. I am getting ready to switch the front brakes to discs in a few months. I just replaced the rear end. I engine needs a real tune-up. but runs fairly well. As of now, we share my wife's car, which is okay for now, but she hates it. It all really hinges on my getting this job, which I will know today. If I do, then the choice will be clear. They will provide a take home vehicle with gas and insurance paid. I will put the money into fixing my 67 rather than incur another expense, thus making my restoration even longer. But I really am getting a lot out of everyone's point of view. My view is swinging back and forth because of all the good points everyone is making. Keep it going!!!:D
 
WORTH said:
Tylerrocks, don't get your panties in a knot there buddy, it was just an expression. As for the newer cars being more dependable, you are way off base. A well maintained 67 stang is just as dependable as a well maintained 97 stang, but the 67 is cheaper and easier to fix when it breaks down. I've been a mechanic for 30 some odd years and worked on everything from model a's to the brandy new ones, and there is no car built today that is easier or cheaper to fix than that 67. If your stang isn't dependable then you might want to find another mechanic. Most of these old cars have been butchered by wanabee's over the years and you can't blame that on the cars. Fix your car properly and it will last forever, or atleast until the road salt gets to it:D

I dont wear panties. And nothing is getting in knots. I was simply giving "serious advise" based on my experience and a little logic. I never argued the point that newer cars were easier to fix or work on. It is clear that the simpler classic stangs are easier. MY point is that the classic is going to require MORE maintnence than a late model IN GENERAL. A 60's mustang has a higher probability of something going wrong while in commute. Sure, you may be able to get under the car and fix it there on the side of the road. But I would rather not have it happen in the first place. Yeah, I know thats a risk you take driving a classic, but it would be nice to have a newer daily driver. I know I have found a lot of use for my Nissan pickup DD.

Tyler
 
tylerrocks said:
I dont wear panties. And nothing is getting in knots. I was simply giving "serious advise" based on my experience and a little logic. I never argued the point that newer cars were easier to fix or work on. It is clear that the simpler classic stangs are easier. MY point is that the classic is going to require MORE maintnence than a late model IN GENERAL. A 60's mustang has a higher probability of something going wrong while in commute. Sure, you may be able to get under the car and fix it there on the side of the road. But I would rather not have it happen in the first place. Yeah, I know thats a risk you take driving a classic, but it would be nice to have a newer daily driver. I know I have found a lot of use for my Nissan pickup DD.

Tyler

Still can't agree with ya there buddy, the only cars that have ever died on me on the road other than on occasional flat has been computer controled. I've been driving these things since they were new, and they are very reliable cars. And if you maintain them as you should with any car of any age, they will not let you down. If you take care of the basics when you buy them, they will treat you just fine. Like I said before, if your classic isn't reliable you may want to switch mechanics.
 
ANOTHER Middle-Aged Fart's POV!

First; ask yourself these questions:

Is this company car "permanently" yours?
What are the company's policies on use other than company business???
If somebody t-bones you as you're taking the kids to work, are they covered under the insurance? Yes, your car's insurance!
You'd be surprised how many times the other guy's insurance will balk, and who's stuck with the hospital bills?
What's the company's policy on taking the car to the grocery store? The ball game? The local Pub?

If you can live with the answers to these simple questions; then by all means, dump the cash into the '67! You don't need another car payment and the late-model will be all that and soon-to-come mechanical repair bills. Like Worth said, the '67 will be much less expensive to repair. Also, you won't be tempted to make another "project" out of the late model - like I heard somebody admit to doing with their "new" DD on another thread! :D

If you can't force yourself to live with the answers to these questions; well, I guess it's time to see how low you can haggle those payments on the late-model.