Thinking of just restoring my '65 A-code coupe, looking for opinions...

[1320stang]

I bought this car in '87. It has a disc brake front end, came with a 3-speed (I got rid of it, DOH!!), has factory air, bench seat (has buckets now, changed by some PO), standard black interior, black vinyl top, Honey Gold exterior. I want to restomod a Mustang, but the '65-'66 bodystyle isn't even my favorite, plus this car, although a coupe, has a lot of desirable options.

In looking at Mustang Trader and on Ebay, these cars are commanding a pretty good penny restored (asking price anyway). I'm seeing anywhere from about $8500 to $18000 asking prices. Most of the restomod cars don't seem to bring quite that much. The car has a little bit of rust, but for the most part is pretty solid, nothing that I wouldn't have to fix anyway. I have most of the original parts, except the tranny and bench seat.

I'm fixing the car up out of spite, LOL!!! My father has said he's hauled this car more miles on a trailer than it ever drove in its life. He says I'll never get it done. Since '87 the car has been stored inside, except for 2 years. One year it sat on a trailer under a canvas tarp, and one year it sat outside my garage as I was rebuilding another car.

My other thought was that I'd restore it and give it to my mother, she loved driving it when I first got it and it was still in running condition. The cool thing about this is, my mom will have a car she'll love to drive, and my dad will have to look at it in his garage, LOL!!! Don't get me wrong, I love and respect my father, he's whom I've tried to model myself after. I just don't like it when someone tells me I can't do something.

My thought was to find a '67-'68 (my favorite body style) that might have frame rot or something and bring it back from the dead as opposed to using a more complete car.

 

[Snail50]

Keep it. kEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeep it. (but do something about the rust, first) never sell unless you have to. And don't give it to Mom, either.

 

[1320stang]

Keep it. kEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeep it. (but do something about the rust, first) never sell unless you have to. And don't give it to Mom, either.

Well, if I gave it to mom (she's 58) I'd get it back. She takes very meticulous care of her cars. Her '98 Taurus only has about 24k on it and looks like new, you never see it dusty. I can't think of any better hands my car could be in than hers. The title would still be in my name, she'd just carry the insurance and keep the tag up. Once she got tired of it, I'd get it back. For all my parents have done for me, it's the least I could do for them.

 

[mustangfb66]

If you really want a '67-68 mustang don't waste your time restoring a '66. Sell the '66 then use the money to buy a '67-68 stang. Don't worry about your dad so much that you do something that you really don't want to do, just because he says you can't.

Also, don't fix it with the intention of selling it and making some money, because you won't make much money. Although you will have used up a lot of time that could have gone towards something better such as a '67-68.

 

[1320stang]

If you really want a '67-68 mustang don't waste your time restoring a '66. Sell the '66 then use the money to buy a '67-68 stang. Don't worry about your dad so much that you do something that you really don't want to do, just because he says you can't.

Also, don't fix it with the intention of selling it and making some money, because you won't make much money. Although you will have used up a lot of time that could have gone towards something better such as a '67-68.

Well, the '65 has the potential to be a really nice car. I'm into it for about $3500 over the years including the purchase price. I've disassembled the motor (it was rebuilt before I got it) and you can still see the honing marks in the cylinders, so new rings and bearings and gaskets and it'll be great. I figured I'd use it for practice too as I've never painted a car, or put 1/4 panels on. I already have all the sheet metal and own a 130 Miller MIG with gas and I've been practicing putting patch panels on my '76 F-250. The only big thing I don't have is a compressor and a good gun. I have a DA, straight line air sander, cheap primer gun, flanging tools, hammer and dolley set, etc. I plan on building a rotisserie anyway for this and other projects. The only thing I'd really have to come up with would be a tranny, I have everything else to be able to get it up and running. I could even conceivably put the car back together right now and drive it, put I'd really deem that as a waste of time since it's already blown apart, although if I had a compressor and could work it a bit at a time and put some catylized primer on it, I wouldn't mind it so much.

I partially like the '67-'68 body style because it's more aggresive looking. Another reason is I was born in '67 and a third reason, my first Mustang was a '67 'vert that I never finished restoring as a lady ran a red light and t-boned it in the pass. side, totalling it and the '68 GTO (a month restored) she pushed me into. It was a rust free NM car and she worked for her insurance company, so needless to say, I was screwed.

I also have a '63 Fairlane that I will be putting a stroker FE into for a drag only car, which is why I don't really need a fast Mustang (plus I'm 37 and don't like paying tickets or high fuel bills, so a Hot Rod isn't needed).

My dad is cool, he didn't tell me about all the street racing he did as a kid until well after my rebellious years (pretty wise guy ). It's more of a personal challenge to myself than anything else. Part of the reason it's taken so long was at first, the lack of funds to do it, now it's the lack of time (3 kids ages 2-11) AND money.

I'd probably have $10k-12k in it when I was done, and it'd probably be worth that at finish as it won't be a half a$zed project. Plus I plan on trying to get my kids involved. Nothing can really take place until my youngest goes to school and the wife goes back to work part time. Right now we're working on paying off credit cards and other debt load, first things first ya know.

 

[Pakrat]

Sounds like you have already made up your mind to me.

One sure way is to always flip a coin and see how you feel about fate's turn. If your first reation to the outcome is either "ok so be it" or "let's make it best out of 3", then you have your answer.

 

[1320stang]

Sounds like you have already made up your mind to me.

One sure way is to always flip a coin and see how you feel about fate's turn. If your first reation to the outcome is either "ok so be it" or "let's make it best out of 3", then you have your answer.

Well, that's the way I'm leaning, nothing is ever set in stone. I only recently thought of it that way when I saw '65-'66 V8 coupes with less options than mine in the asking price range of $18k, which I thought was nuts.

The previous plan was for a Trans Am looking coupe with modern refinements. Sorta along the lines of Historic Mustang's fastback, but streetable.