Topic: time and money questions

[sharpshooter1099]

ok.  im new to the site and new to classic mustangs.  a couple of months ago, a guy was selling his '65 stang down the road and that got me started wishing i could restore a stang myself.  i was wondering, on average, how much money  would it take to get an old junker running again.  a friend of mine, who has restored a cadillac convertible, has offered to help me out.  i just wanna know if i have enough money to start, or if i need to continue saving and start when i have more money.  i also would like to know how much time on average it would take to finish.  i know that this is a kinda subjective question, but i just need a rough estimate and i just wanna get it to run and look nice.  i dont need anything fancy, just getting it in similiar shape to when it was built would be nice.  i am looking for the minimum on both, but given the choice, i will take the cheapest option(but not a rip off, though).  also, i want my stang to have a manual tranny.  i've been searching on ebay and craig's list, but it doesnt seem all that popular.  how much would it cost to replace an auto with a manual of some kind and where could i find one.  thanks in advance!

[rmodel65]

anywhere form 1 dollar to 20k just depends how complete the cars is and how much you gotta do to it

[Soaring]

That is an impossible question to answer without more information.  Go take some pictures of the outside and the interior and share those with us.  Also, drive the car around and see just how mechanically sound it is. 
Here is a for instance:
I paid 5K for my 65.  I had the body stripped and all the cancer replaced with new metal, then had it painted.  That is the ony way to restore the body.  I replaced everything in the interior myself.  I bought new wheels and tires.  Now all of that came to 6K, so now I have over 11K in my car, and that is all it is worth.  It is a 289 V8 with a 3 speed stick shift.  I have not had to touch the engine or transmission or rear end, but that would be another 7 or 8K if and when I do.  If you want one to be factory fresh, you will sink 20K into it easily.  I have thousands of hours in labor into it as well.  It is not something you can accomplish in a short time, but in years.....

[sharpshooter1099]

i guess i was a little vague.  i dont even have a mustang yet.  i just wanted to know how much money i was gonna sink into it.  my friend and i have decided that a mustang might cost a little too much for my first refurbish.  dont get me wrong, if i see an awesome deal, im gonna get it, but for right now, i will prob. want to invest more money in a mustang than i've got right now.  still not sure what im gonna get, but it'll be a ford for sure.  for now, im just gonna put my stang project on hold.  thanks for giving me some of your time.

ohh, and soaring, nice stang.  i like the manual tranny.  thats what i want in my stang.

[Soaring]

If you are going to invest in a mid 60's Ford, then the Mustang is the correct investment route.  The other Fords from that era are not increasing in value like the Mustangs are.  If you don't have the money to invest at all, then find some other hobby.  This hobby is expensive. 

[rmodel65]

if you want a nice car other than the mustang the cougars are really nice but still


mustang>all other fords

[Thierry]

 The Ford Torino was also a great muscle car especially with the 429ci engine. A basic model can be found for cheaper than a Mustang.

[Soaring]

Yeah, but that Torino couldn't keep up with even the 429 Cobra Jet Mach1 from 1971.  And they were slow in comparison to their ancestors such as the KR.  I love car talk.  Makes my old blood flow. 

[Thierry]

 I havn't driven any of them but the magazine Car and Driver created a list of the top 10 muscle cars and the Torino was the only Ford listed. It was also a very good car in Nascar races in its time.
- 1966–1967 Plymouth/Dodge intermediates with 426 Hemi
- 1968–1969 Plymouth/Dodge intermediates with 426 Hemi
- 1970–1971 Plymouth/Dodge intermediates with 426 Hemi
- 1966–1967 Chevy II SS327
- 1966–1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS396
- 1968–1969 Chevy II Nova SS396
- 1969 Ford Torino Cobra 428
- 1969 Plymouth Road Runner/Dodge Super Bee 440 Six Pack
- 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS454
- 1969 Pontiac GTO

But I still think the lines of the Mustangs were much more attractive than the Torino's

[Soaring]

Yeah, but that was the Cobra 428, not the 429.  Two different animals.  What does car and driver know?  Just opinions based on almost nothing but speculation.     Let's see some track times with gears and mods included.  A 428 is a 428 from the factory.  What was done to create a muscle car other than driving it off the lot?

[Thierry]

 Yes but I still would be happy to own a 429 SCJ Torino 

[Soaring]

Wouldn't we all?   Especially one in the condition of the one you posted.