Second thoughts after all.....

65straightsick · Jul 25, 2004

This car mught be too much of an undertaking. I am thinking about keeping the stock 200 motor in there because of cost. Rebuilding it...cleaning the car up....painting it.....throw in a cheap power brake system.....some a/c....and a nice stereo setup and hold on to it until i can find another mustang with a V8 instead or a 69 camaro SS. It seems like too much money to try and swap from 6 to 8. What do you guys think? We got the car for 3800 and can easily make more than that by the time we sell it...Suggestions???

65fastback2+2 · Jul 25, 2004

well, if you need a new suspension and want front disc brakes, then the 6-8 swap wouldnt be any more than keeping the 6 cuz you can just go ahead and get the suspension for the 8.

red65 · Jul 26, 2004

I can vouch for the 6-8 conversion being an awful lot of work - especially if you catch the 'while I've got the thing apart...' bug, which leads to an ever-expanding project. Conventional wisdom around here is about right, I think. If you're not too attached to your 6-cylinder car, the far simpler thing to do is buy an original V-8 car.

But a Camaro?? Say it ain't so.

65straightsick · Jul 26, 2004

red65 said:
I can vouch for the 6-8 conversion being an awful lot of work - especially if you catch the 'while I've got the thing apart...' bug, which leads to an ever-expanding project. Conventional wisdom around here is about right, I think. If you're not too attached to your 6-cylinder car, the far simpler thing to do is buy an original V-8 car.

But a Camaro?? Say it ain't so.

I think we have come to the decision to clean it up and sell it. By the time we throw in paint...new carpet...a freshly rebuilt engine..and a clean interior...what will it be worth? Remeber baseline price was 3800 and that was with dents, flaking paint and leaking. Thanks

Oh yeah...i guess not everybody is a muscle car enthusiast..I am more than a mustang lover you know...the only thing I like better is a Camaro. Can you blame me....

brtnstrns · Jul 26, 2004

I like all muscle cars too, I was looking at a whole bunch of chevrolet's, pontiacs, dodges before I got the mustang. But restoring a mustang seems to be the easiest restoration projects based on the fact that there are a whole lot of parts for cheap prices. So I'm definatley going to be doing the 6-8 swap whether the people in here support it or not. It'll probably be the best learning experience I'm going to have with the car. Sure it'll be tough but since we'll basically be replacing all the internal parts of the car I'll be able to learn all about the car which will in hence help me out in the future working on any other car and saving a whole bunch of money by doing the labor all myself. I cant wait to buy a 302 block and build it up on an engine stand then dropping it in and replacing all the rest of the parts...in the end it will be worth all the work and money...I'm planning on keeping my car for a looooong time, its just too much of a part of my life now and I'll keep it as long as I can. So in my opinion do what you want, sell it and get a camaro - that'd be pretty sweet. But it would also be awsome to do the V8 swap. I say whatever floats your boat man.

302 coupe · Jul 26, 2004

you paid too much to start with, it's likely that the more you spend fixing it up the more $ you will lose. I've seen some really nice 6 cyl. cars have trouble selling for more than 6k. If you decide to sell it, do so before you start fixing it up(unless its something you can fix cheap).

When I swapped my car over from a 6 to a V8, my reasoning was, "hey, I've got to either replace or rebuild all this stuff, why not change it out for V8 parts." It really doesn't cost much more so long as you know where to get the parts. I got a complete 8" rear assembly for $150, V8 steering for $75, granada disc brakes for another $200, new coils up front for $70, and new leaf springs in back for $100. Thats only about $600. Now subtract what it would cost you to rebuild/replace your existing 6 cyl parts and subtract that from the $600. It really doesn't cost much. If the body is solid and straight, I'd keep it, especially if I paid that much for it.

Ronstang · Jul 26, 2004

Good luck. I would do the swap myself. I think you paid a little much for the 6 cylinder to begin with so you might as well start there. My buddy just bought a decent V8 coupe for $3500 here in TX with no rust and reasonable paint. It needed about $500 worth of frame work but that could have been reduced to $200 if he had taken the sheetmetal off himself. If the car needs a suspension rebuilt it doesn't really cost much more to switch it over to V8 stuff like 302 coupe said. Do the suspension and rims/tires now and build an engine later down the road. I passed up an original driveable 6 cylinder with no rust and no major damage a few months ago for $1500 and I would have done the V8 swap on it but I just don't have space right now.

Good luck.

brtnstrns · Jul 26, 2004

the way i see it...my car only cost us 2800, and that includes discs up front, body in nice shape except for the roof, rebuilt engine, everything working like it should. I figure I got a good deal. And doing the V8 swap will probably be cheaper than selling the car I have now and buying a V8 since the prices of mustangs are going up so much now. But like 302Coupe said, find the right parts from the right places and you can get it done fairly cheap.

5.0n66 · Jul 26, 2004

if I had to do it all over again....based on the situations at the time I think would have just turbo'd my inline instead of switching everything.... then again I would have wanted 5 lugs too so who knows.... but if you have a 6 it's worth contemplating for a while instead of getting the "8 must be better than 6" bug like I did. sure the intake manifold is really.... really...really poorly designed for any type of performance but when it is pressurized it matters alot less, and you'll have something unique for slightly less work than swapping everything to make your 6 just another 8 (this all of course assuming that you have some engineering/machining/fabricating expierience... no shop would touch this idea w/ a 50ft ratchet extension)

65fsbkhipo · Jul 26, 2004

Why not just get a front disk brake setup for the existing suspension? Take a look...

Disc Brakes 4 Lug Conversion

65straightsick · Jul 26, 2004

Damn I love this forum....I am having the toughest money decision of my short life right now. But 302Coupe cut the cake for me. If I can build a complete V8 suspension cheap then I will in a heartbeat. Thanks 65fsbckHipo but I prefer not to pay $1,000 for brakes. My original plan was to build a solid suspension and give myself time to build the 302 the way I want and drop it in when it was ready. I think I have decided to keep the 65...it is a good straight body..and has only surface paint rust...which is now being worked on. And best of all...the dash is already cut for a modern stereo. I never once wanted to sell my car...I wanted a bigger engine but without the bill. Thanks for the support guys. This is what makes this hobby so great...with that said..anybody wanna donate some suspension pieces cheap???

65straightsick · Jul 26, 2004

Well another question is the tranny..what did you guys that did the 6 to 8 swap use for a tranny...theres more money I gotta put in...damn.

kirbyalaska · Jul 26, 2004

5.0n66 said:
if I had to do it all over again....based on the situations at the time I think would have just turbo'd my inline instead of switching everything.... then again I would have wanted 5 lugs too so who knows.... but if you have a 6 it's worth contemplating for a while instead of getting the "8 must be better than 6" bug like I did. sure the intake manifold is really.... really...really poorly designed for any type of performance but when it is pressurized it matters alot less, and you'll have something unique for slightly less work than swapping everything to make your 6 just another 8 (this all of course assuming that you have some engineering/machining/fabricating expierience... no shop would touch this idea w/ a 50ft ratchet extension)

I hate to tell you this, but if a person were to add a bunch of power to the 6, then logic says that they should also switch to the heavier duty drive train as well otherwise risk shelling parts or not stopping in time.

Damein17 · Jul 27, 2004

hey my 67 stang was a i6 but now a v8.. hmm give me a list of parts for the suspention that you need and ill see what i have around extra.. and well dependong on what ya need i just might charge ya shipping... but im not sure what all i have if much of any of my old v8 suspention... i used to haev alot of v8 suspention parts. that why it was soo cheap for me to do the swap. well just let me know and ill go look in my garage to see what all i have

bull999999 · Jul 27, 2004

red65 said:
But a Camaro?? Say it ain't so.

At least he didn't say riced out Civic.

302 coupe · Jul 27, 2004

If you want a T5 transmission setup, lemme know. I'll probably be converting mine back to a C4(for bracket racing), and I might end up selling my parts to fund a race prepped C4.

Glad I could help 65straightsick. I was in the same situation when I first got my car almost 8 years ago. Been there, done that.

65straightsick · Jul 27, 2004

Damien, I need an entire 8 setup, whatever it takes to go from 6 to 8 suspension wise..i need it. 302 Coupe, how much would we be talking in the line of the T5? If it isn't in the best of conditions I would still take it if the price is right.

302 coupe · Jul 27, 2004

PM sent 65straightsick

Pakrat · Jul 27, 2004

So you are basically just in it for the money and you have no brand loyalty?!?!?!?!? I am very disappointed.

65straightsick · Jul 27, 2004

I am in it to get something put together as cheap as possible to hold up while I get the money for other things....i don't have the money to buy brand new kits..no product names mean nothing to me as long as it works.

Second thoughts after all.....

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