Questions for the classic guys

[afast93stang]

Hey guys, Ive got a few questions that I hope my fellow stangers can answer. My wife and I are thinking about getting a classic mustang in the near future.

When looking at one of these cars what are some major problem areas to watch out for with rust and other issues?

What are some good sites to locate cars besides cars.com, craigslist, traderonline.com?

Thanks,

Trevor

 

[Cannoball888]

When looking at one of these cars what are some major problem areas to watch out for with rust and other issues?

Most common Mustang rust areas:

1) Rusted cowl vents. Pour water in the cowl vents then watch if it comes out from under the dash and on to the floor

2) Rusted floorpans. Often from cowl leak.

3) Bottom of door panels. From clogged drains and pooling water.

4) rear quarter panels

 

[krash kendall]

Shock towers and under the battery tray are good places to look as well. On the later 71-73 models the top of the aprons where they mate with the fender flange seems to be a common area that can get overlooked if there's a shiny motor under the hood.

 

[afast93stang]

Thanks this is alot of good info. We are still trying to decide if we want to get one thats running or not. I guess it will depend on what we find at the time...

Oh, we were looking at a 70 fastback on a local lot the other day, all of the places you guys mentioned looked okay. It did look like it had part of the transmission hump cut out and sheet metal was rivited in place. At one time it had a cage because there were 4 plates welded in (2 in front, 2 in rear) to the floor pan with the cut remains of a cage. Also, in the trunk there was fiberglass filler along each side of the new fuel tank. It looked like it had been in a rear end collision but the fenders were straight. The lot was wanting $4900 for it, clear title but no engine or transmission.

Is this a fair price for for that car or does it sound like more trouble than its worth?

 

[krash kendall]

You can put new straight fenders on a bent car.

Filler around the gas tank? Cut out cage? Possible rear end collision? Previous owner kept the drivetrain? Modified tunnel? Sounds like an ex-race car or wannabe of some sort. I'd wait for something better even if is going to cost you slightly more. Pictures would really help.

 

[afast93stang]

Allright, thats what I was thinking...

 

[electricgreen]

Frame rails too. Check everywhere underneath and beware of undercoating and fresh paint jobs. Check the DSO too-northern and coastal cars tend to be rustier due to salt. Door jambs seem to be a weak area too. Just driving around and car shows can net some cars, as well as local sites/car club sites. Found our classic on traderonline, but it was actually on the road we drive to work so we would have found it anyway.

 

[chepsk8]

Classic Buying

In a word, RUST!!!!

The guys above have pinpointed the areas.

Other things when looking:
Front suspension - It gets beat up bad. Inspect it and the power steering VERY carefully.
Electrical - Make sure ALL harnesses are not cut up and spliced.
Overall appearance - Make sure it looks good.

The loaded question - The classics cover many years. Which year and style are you considering? Your choice with that will affect how much the car will initially cost you, and the availability of replacement parts. For example, 1965 Coupes are plentiful and almost everything is available. On the opposite end of the spectrum, a 1971 429 SCJ convertible is one of 50, and nothing is available. Buy with your heart, but be aware of the possible nuances of your selection.

 

[afast93stang]

I think on the year of the car we are going to keep it between 65-70 because of the aftermarket parts available. I am partial to the 67-68 fastbacks but I know those are going for a premium right now. My wife likes the 69-70 fastbacks. A coupe isnt out of the question, but it would have to be the right one...

 

[RedGTvert]

As far as aftermarket, the best years are 65 & 66. As the car gets newer parts are a little more scarce. Trying to find certain parts for the '70 I had was daunting at times. Even the 67 I just picked up has taken some effort to find some things. 65-66, you could build a brand new one with all the aftermarket parts out there.

What price range are you wanting to be in. Are you looking for driver or occasional condition?

 

[afast93stang]

Since we already have 2 cars it would be a weekend cruser. I would like for it to be drivable when we find it but its not a must. Right now I'm really trying to do my homework on problem areas, prices for a certain condition and available parts. Are there any books that you would recommend?<?***:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o></o>

 

[rbohm]

as the others indicated, rust is problem with these cars, along with some having been modified for racing. after you have gone through these problems, check for body filler in the panels. you can do this easily by looking down the panels and looking for wavey sections. also carry a small magnet ot better a tool called spot rot(iirc), it is a spring loaded magnet that lets you know how much body filler is in a particular area.

i would recommend getting a running car rather than a project car that doesnt run. the reason is that is it easier to keep your enthusiasim up for the project if the car runs, and you can drive it once in awhile.

one more thing to consider is accident damage. you might want to take the car to a frame shop BEFORE you buy the car to see if they can tell you if, or how bad, any accident damage might be. if you know going in, you can make a better choice when buying.

there are alot of books out there that can give you good info on mustangs. look for most any restoration guide, how to projects, etc. i like hp books, sa design, and cartech books. check out motorbooks website for many books on mustangs.

 

[afast93stang]

As for pricing so I can know what is a good reference, there is a local 65 6cyl coupe for sale, the asking price is 6000 OBO, is this a good price for the car?

From the ad:
"1965 model Mustang (made in November 1964). The engine is a inline 6 cylinder with a 3 speed manual transmission. Shoulder seat belts have been installed for driver and passenger sides. "

https://webspace.utexas.edu/dvn58/1965Mustang/mustang.htm