New guy, things to look for?

[BlancoDiablo]

Hi all! I'm new to Mustangs, but a 1966 has always been my dream car. I'm currently enlisted in the Army National Guard and have a bonus coming to me before I deploy to the Middle East in 2011. I was planning on buying a car with part of this bonus and I think I want to finally get a classic Mustang. I'm very picky so I'm pretty sure I've narrowed it down to between '65 and '67, and my price limit is $6k. I've been finding some nice looking ones for ~$4500 around my area and once my bonus comes in next month or so, I want to start actually physically looking at and test driving cars. Now, thought I don't know alot about Mustangs, I know enough to not expect a perfect Mustang in my price range, but I'm pretty sure from what I see that I can get a pretty nice one for that. My main concern is it being drivable and reliable, as this'll be a daily driver. My father's against the idea of me getting a classic Mustang, but then again he's very biased when it comes to cars. Do any of you guys use a '60s Mustang as your daily driver? Is there any reason why one wouldn't be a reliable car if it's in good shape and taken care of? And finally, when I do go looking at them, what kind of things should I look for? In what areas should I look for rust damage?

Thank you in advance for your help. Any motivational pictures would be appreciated too

 

[EP429]

I drive my 68 every day, work, store, movies whatever. A car is only reliable as the person who built it and the person who maintains it. Shop well before choosing, get pictures and ask here for feedback, you'll be pointed the right direction

 

[rsweld]

I have a 65 Conv. that I drive on a daily basis, I even drive it long distance 5 hours or more at a clip. it is very reliable even more so than the new vwhicles that I own and I trust it alot more, it only let me down once in the last 18 years 1 mile from home.. This car has been in my family all its life (originally my Mom's first car and then I have had it the last 18 years. My wife and I went on our first date in and even her high school prom some 30 years ago so you can see this one has a lot of fond memories.

Ron

 

[rsweld]

Areas to look at for rust, the entire floor, inner rocker panels, rear torque boxes (area wher the front of the rear leaf springs attach), Front torque box/boxes (area behind the front wheels back at the fire wall) rear quarters, rear frame rails, trunk floors etc. Take a magnet with youand check it out if the magnet doesn't stick to the sheet metal BEWARE Bondo is present.

Ron

 

[other_shoe]

I drove mine daily for about seven years in the nineties until I did the big restoration.

During that time, it left me stranded twice (dead starter and sheared pin on the dizzy) plus a bout of intermittent stalling that may have been vapor lock or a failing coil. With the first two problems, I walked to an Autozone, got the part, and fixed it where it sat. Cars break. At least these cars are generally easy to diagnose and fix.

It will never be as safe in a collision as a modern car.

Also, I don't like driving mine in the rain both because of handling and because of pretty bad visibility due to the wipers and fogging windows.

I have a second car now and drive it in the winter and bad weather, but I drive my Mustang a lot March through November. The only problem I've had since the restoration came from a seized thermostat (spend the extra three bucks on the failsafe).

 

[tx65coupe]

I used to drive mine daily back in highschool in the mid to late 90's. It didn't bother me. It broke down on me 2-3 times, but I just saw that as what to expect from an older car that was partially restored. The wipers do kinda suck compared to cars from the last 10-15 years, but it worked ok. If it came down to it and I could only have 1 vehicle, I would drive my 65 everyday again.

 

[zookeeper]

If you plan in driving it daily, get as nice of a car mechanically as you can afford. Look at the wiring, look for leaks, and beware of the "Krylon rebuild". New paint does NOT mean new parts. Anyway having said that, one thing about these cars is that if the break (all cars break, it's just a matter of when) then typically it can always be fixed by even a fledgling mechanic and for a minimum of money. Example? Let's suppose the older car develops a miss, you pull a couple plugs for a look-see, then examine the plug wires and maybe squirt some WD-40 into the distributer cap to rid any moisture. There's just not much else to look at, and chances are about 90% that it will be something cheap. Now lets suppose that same thing goes wrong with a 2011 Mustang, where do you even begin? The chances of you even having the training, not to mention the tools are slim to none. Sure it's under warranty and Ford will fix it, but what about a late model car that's not? Ever know anyone who's had an almost-new Ford F250 with the 6.0 diesel? Ask them about late model reliability sometime. Newer doesn't always mean fail-safe.

 

[69gmachine]

I'm constantly developing parts for my car and making upgrades, so for several months a year, it's in a mod period. But when it's up, I don't hesitate to drive cross country. In 2009 I drove from coast to coast. In June this year I drove 500 miles to South Carolina, drove it on a track at a HP driving school, then drove it the 500 miles back.

If you can't afford to buy one that you know is mechanically sound, go through it thoroughly before taking any long trips. Replace as much of the suspension, brakes, drivetrain mechanicals and wiring as needed to make it safe and reliable. Take your time, develop a plan and enjoy your project.

I would mention though that there were some major design changes in '67 that improved the suspension, and larger wheels and tires fit them, so I would look for a 67, but that's just my opinion.

 

[jackson0215]

I am in the process of restoring a 67 fastback S Code and plan to drive it daily. For years my dad has built street rods and we do not believe in weekend cruisers or trailer queens. Just a couple of notes about using a classic for a daily drive, plan on upgrading the at least the front brakes to disks, the wiring will likely need to be replaced at some point and as mentioned before, it is only as reliable as the parts you use and the workmanship you put into it. For the electrical system, over the years people have hacked and patched to add stuff so most harnesses are trash. The wires are also 40 years old. The last thing you want is to stand on the side of the road and watch your restored Mustang go up in flames due to a short.

As for buying one, make sure to wear some cloths that you can crawl around in and not worry about getting dirty. Check the floors, torque boxes, shock towers (look for cracks), rear wheel wells and doors. The other area is the cowl. This was a very poor design by Ford and almost all of them have rust. The intent was to use this area for a fresh air intake and the water should have drained out the sides behind the fender. Most of the the time the water just sat there. Take a couple of bottles of water with you and ask the seller if they mind you pouring it into the cowl. Have someone else pour while you crawl under the dash and look for leaks.

The rust issues should not deter you from buying the car but checking will make you an educated buyer. Most things are pretty easy to cut out and replace and all of these cars have rust. THe cowl area is a little harder to replace since it is visible.

Good luck and you have come across a great site with lots of knowledgeable people on it.

 

[other_shoe]

I have a couple of other thoughts beyond the issue of reliability and the wisdom of using a classic as a daily driver. These are more things to look out for, so I hope you'll bear with the long post.

One thing to look out for is the front brake set-up. If it has drums, that's okay (though I'd plan to convert to discs in the future). If it has discs, you should determine whether it is the original style, the Granada mod, or something else like the Scarebird mod. If you do a search on the site, you'll find a lot of debate about the relative merits of these brake set-ups. I'm not going to take a position on these, but you should be aware of what you are actually buying and the pros and cons that come with them.

Another thing to think about is whether you want or need AC. In the 65-6 cars the AC hangs beneath the main dash, and as I understand it is a relatively easy add-on. In the 67 there were both integral ACs installed at the factory and below dash ACs installed by the dealer. If you decide on a 67 and want the integral, my impression is that it is better to get a car that already has the parts and appropriate hoses and holes, even if it doesn't work.

There are a lot of opinions on this site about power steering on these cars. Look out for the differences in feel at speed among the cars you test drive. There will likely be some looseness no matter what, but you should know that you are going to spend some money if you want tighter steering on the car you choose. My 67 has felt loose for years. Some of this may be a matter of switching back and forth between the classic and late model cars with rack and pinion, but it is pretty clear that the PS has to be in quite good shape to give satisfactory results.

As it turns out, getting the stock steering into quite good shape requires more skill than you are going to find in most shops. I've tried various things to get a better feel in the steering, and my advice would be to not mess around with incremental fixes but instead buy a complete system from one of the reputable re-builders. Again, there is some debate, but I think there is a consensus that there is a considerable variance in the rebuilt parts. If you buy a complete system or at least all of the parts from the same supplier, you can get some accountability. Do a search on the site and you'll find some of the conversation on this.

 

[tx65coupe]

I agree with the comments about finding one that is good mechanically, cosmetics are not as big of a deal. They can always be done later.

 

[jonfor]

Lots of people buy basket cases, cars in boxes, or projects that turn into a car in boxes and it makes them quickly lose interest –especially if they do not have automotive repair resources. I say pick a running car with less regard to aesthetics and more to function. Get lots of seat time in and you will be satisfied with the money you are spending on it. Avoid high speed collisions.

I drove a ’70 formula with a 455 for many years as a daily beater and only had battery and alternator trouble. If you do not have A/C for defrost, rain-x and a towel is your friend. I bought my ’66 coupe to eventually become my daily driver and with the availability of modern parts and upgrades, I suspect it will be as reliable as most new cars.

 

[2+2GT]

Also, I don't like driving mine in the rain both because of handling and because of pretty bad visibility due to the wipers and fogging windows.

I drove my 66 summer and winter for 25 years. No wiper problems. With a well-maintained heater, and plastic replacement defroster plenum, no fogging problems, too. Handles better in the rain than the cars that replaced it. Tire selection is key. If you have P265/ZR18's, any car will handle poorly in rain. I use P205/70R14's, and have Traction-Lok. I once got caught out in a blizzard, 10"-12" drifting snow, drove 15 miles, never got stuck.

 

[other_shoe]

No doubt the cars can be driven in the rain and snow. It rained and snowed in the 60s and people had places to go. However, rain and snow are situations where the car compares less favorably than my other option.

The wipers do not seem to clear water as well as any of the other cars I've owned from the 80s or 90s. Some people like Rain-X for this reason. I'd heard it leaves a film and haven't tried it, but I'd like to hear jonfor's experiences.

I don't have Traction-Lok, but I do have appropriate tires. I couldn't tell you the last time I lost traction, but that is because it has been ten years since I regularly drove it in the rain. My car has handling quirks in dry weather, so I don't chance it.

Fogged windows and windshield have been the biggest problem for me. I'm surprised to read that 2+2GT has had success with defogging since I've been under the impression that it just didn't work well with a heater only.

In the interest of full disclosure, I should also add that I'm doubly biased against driving the Mustang in the rain since it is a convertible and my principal cars has been a quattro, which does beautifully in the rain and snow.

 

[BlancoDiablo]

Thanks for the info so far, guys! My dad STILL says that I should not get one and it's going to be nothing but trouble and talks about how the fact that they have a carb will cause me a lot of trouble and cost a lot of money to take care of etc etc etc. He's very biased against Mustangs though. From what I hear from you guys, on the other hand, it seems like these can be very reliable cars. That brighten my spirits a bit I'm still waiting on my bonus from the Army to come in so right now I'm just looking around online. I'll be sure to post pictures once I start looking at ones in person, though. Hopefully soon.

By the way, the thing with wipers not being good. Would that be able to be fixed by putting brand new wipers and wiper arms on?

 

[zookeeper]

Here's a little something to consider: I bought my fastback from a 93 year old woman who bought it new. She seemed to do just fine with it. Are you as good a driver as a 93 year old woman? As for the "nothing-but-problems" thinking it's 100% wrong. If anything these cars are easier to keep running than any modern car. Why would a carb cause problems? I can see if you let it sit for weeks on end, because today's horrid gas quality can cause problems in seldom-use carbed cars. But if you drive it even once a week, you'll be fine. My fastback has two, 390cfm four barrels and fires right up, even though it only gets driven during the summer. My wife's '69 Corvette gets driven once a year or so and we always have problems with it. If I were to buy a vintage car for daily or semi-regular use, the first thing I'd do is to buy a new carb for it. Stay away from big carbs, 600 cfm or less with vacuum secondaries will be perfect. To finish off a good fuel system, repacing the original, 45+ year old tank with a new repro would be money well spend. You'd be amazed at the crap that accumulates after than amount of time and they're cheap. Second, I'd install a Pertronix ignition conversion, complete Pertronix ignitions ( module, coil, wires) are less than $150 and you don't need to fool with points. Next I'd carefully inspect the wiring, electrical gremlins from age and past owners can really make life hard, but fortunately are easily replaced. NPD and others have compete stock wiring harnesses and they are very inexpensive. Plus there's extremely little wiring in these cars compared to modern stuff so replacement in your driveway at home is much easier than you think. That's way less than $1000 and that takes care of all the things that'll leave you stranded. The safety stuff is also important (brakes and steering) but equally cheap. Then comes the convenience (door hinges and locks, trunk latches heater, defrost and such) then comes appearance (paint, new glass, nice wheels and tires, etc). Buy the nicest car you can afford, don't buy a rusty car (surface rust and a little here and there is normal and expected, replacing floors, quarter panels and even the roof is not) and set a realistic budget and you'll be fine. I drove mine every single day when it was original and loved it. Now it's a bit too nice, and I'm a bit too lazy to get it out! As for the wipers, new ones on good glass are as good as any new car.

 

[j69302]

I have had my 69 for a little over 10 years now. All the money I spent on it was cause i wanted to upgrade it, not because things were broken.

Only thing it NEEDED when I bought it was a new carb and brakes. Eventually I replaced the front suspension, and the water pump and radiator. None of these would be uncommon and don't cost anywhere as much as a new car needed the same things.

Those were the only things that I NEEDED to do.

Don't get me wrong, cars can be a money pit. But it was mentioned earlier, a car is a reliable as the person who worked on it before. But the good thing is, old cars are simple to work on and you can do most everything your self with a 150 peice toolkit and the occasional renting of a special tool.

If it is mechanically sound, it wont cost much. my 69 costs less to keep up than my 2007 Corolla, just in insurance and registration fees alone. Maintenance all I really been doing to either one is oil changes and stuff like that.

 

[runawayabc123]

A bit of a warning, you are being told these cars are every bit as good as a new car, which is true. You still are buying a long time used car with a past and until that "past" (of problems) is fully known, you get what you get.

Lastly, the "cheapness" is also half because we think YOU will be doing the work. Have you done any of these kind of work before?

It'll be a great car, but work your way up to trusting it.

 

[BlancoDiablo]

I have not done work like this before, but I have to start somewhere, and I'm willing to learn. I plan on keeping my Crown Vic until I can get to the point where I fully trust my Mustang, as well.

 

[jonfor]

The wipers do not seem to clear water as well as any of the other cars I've owned from the 80s or 90s. Some people like Rain-X for this reason. I'd heard it leaves a film and haven't tried it, but I'd like to hear jonfor's experiences.

well, in a nutshell, it just makes a film that causes water to bead up and when applied to the outside of the windshield, it should just roll off at speed. for a few weeks it eliminates streaks and smudges and after that, it starts to cause them. re-apply every month.

my gut feeling is that the more hesitant we are to depend on our hotrods, the higher our numerical age probably is. funny that now we cringe at trusting a +40 year old car to get around town when back in our early 20's we would have no issues with extended interstate travel in an old V8 beater with bald tires. $80 to our name, a can of pringles, and a 12-pack of warm beer and it's 400 miles on the open road to find eager young woman for promiscuous sex at the beach.