A few more Mustang pictures (sorry), and a cute offer from my son

"Nothing" (nothingatalluseful)
05/21/2020 at 10:48 • Filed to: None

As you may know, I bought a Mustang on Monday. The specifics, it’s a 1968 C code (289 2bl) hardtop that’s been parked for 20 years and was bought for $5600. The list of what it needs is long, but not as long as it could be. For now, I’ll continue to live in the honeymoon phase and not worry too much about what it needs.

When we picked it up, my son offered to help pay for the car. He said while it wasn’t much, he’d like to offer $20 towards the purchase. Cute kid.

One thing that’s fairly solid on it is the body. On the body panels themselves, there is no rust, except on the rear deck, where it’s just started to bubble. But really, everything else is solid, which is the reason I took the leap. I could be made a fool, but if I am, oh well. Before I bought it, i did the magnet thing, looked at the quarters, door bottoms, rockers, fenders, floors, etc, etc. Of course, I’m worried about what’s hiding under that vinyl top, but for now, it’s fine.

I’m guessing that the rear quarters were replaced with ‘67 quarters, rather than the ‘68 turn signals being filled in.

The restoration is an older one, late 80s. The seller mentioned a transmission leak and the car being hard to shift. While I’ll agree with the leak, the transmission shifts fine, I’m guessing he wasn’t familiar with the B&M shifter, as I wasn’t.

Electrically nearly everything is functional. Two things I haven’t looked at troubleshooting yet are the hood turn signals and the horn. Everything else works, dash lights, all exterior lights, all interior lights, stereo (although I haven’t tested the wonderful Alpine trunk mounted CD changer. The Custom Autosound Kenwood head unit has RCA jacks, so I can easily add a bluetooth connection and stream from my phone.

I do need to go through the steering, brakes, suspension...well, go through is the wrong phrase, replace is more like it. I need to come up with a solid end goal, and plan accordingly. That will most likely frustrate my wife, as she wants it comfy and drivable NOW, but I do not want to rush it. I still don’t have a plan of attack.

Compared to the Cougar, it’s a much more solid car and a better starting point. The body is more solid, the floors are solid (torque box on driver’s side will need replacement), it runs/idles better.

And, all three fit in the garage!

DISCUSSION (35)

Sovande > Nothing
05/21/2020 at 10:55

How do you like the shifter? I am probably going to replace the transmission in my El Camino and I’m looking at floor mounted shifters, but I just want a simple lever I move into each gear, no handles and levers and all that jazz. Yours looks nice and simple.

The car looks great! I would not have guessed a price as low as $5600 by looking at the pics, it looks like a lot more car than that.

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > Nothing
05/21/2020 at 10:56

Looks really clean. Does this one have the sequenced taillights?

You are going to Craigslist those rims, right?

Tapas > Nothing
05/21/2020 at 11:00

$5600 is a steal. The car looks amazing!

vondon302 > Nothing
05/21/2020 at 11:01

Congrats! Looks great and np

Nothing > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom
05/21/2020 at 11:02

Yes, wheels and tires will be early on the list. Initially, I was going to swap new tires on them and run them like that for a while, but I’m not going to stay with 14" wheels, so that killed that plan already. I’ll go to a 15" wheels similar to what I did on the Cougar.

No sequenced taillights on these. They do make a kit for it though!

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Nothing
05/21/2020 at 11:02

That mustang looks very solid. I think you mad a great buy. Even from my computer screen I can see that red polishing up nicely.

jimz > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom
05/21/2020 at 11:02

IIRC the GT500 was the only Mustang back then that had those; sequentials were otherwise only on the Thunderbird and Cougar.

lone_liberal > Nothing
05/21/2020 at 11:04

That looks great! Ditch the wheels (both road and steering) and it would ready to go. Well except for the mechanical needs.

Nothing > Sovande
05/21/2020 at 11:12

It took some figuring out on how to get back into reverse/park, but once I got that down, it’s works perfectly fine.

I’m still quite happy with the price. I’ve been looking for a long time (since before I bought the Cougar) at V8 Mustang prices, and this is the least expensive I found. I looked at it when it was advertised at $7k, and before I even negotiated, he told me he considered a $5500 offer. I was actually surprised he still had it for me to pick up on Monday...we didn’t any contact information, and he didn’t want a deposit from me. I offered, and he just said he took me at my word and considered it sold.

Nothing > lone_liberal
05/21/2020 at 11:14

Agreed on both. I don’t love the ‘68 two spoke steering wheel, so I’ll probably go with a 3 spoke wheel.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Nothing
05/21/2020 at 11:16

That looks a LOT more solid than any $5,600 classic should be.

Nothing > Tapas
05/21/2020 at 11:16

Thanks! I’m pleased. The first couple of days, I just looked at it in the garage....last night it was finally sinking in that it’s actually my car!

Nothing > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
05/21/2020 at 11:20

The trunk has a little bit of fade, but that’s it. The rest will polish up nicely!

Nothing > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
05/21/2020 at 11:21

I’m happy. I did not think I’d find a project in nearly the condition I wanted, solid body and interior needing a little mechanical refreshing.

Nothing > vondon302
05/21/2020 at 11:22

Thanks!

Sovande > Nothing
05/21/2020 at 11:24

That's awesome. I had a similar experience buying the El Camino. He wouldn't take a deposit after I test drove it. He just asked if I really wanted it and when I could pick it up. I showed up the next weekend and it was washed and the tank was filled for me.

Nothing > Sovande
05/21/2020 at 11:40

Cool. I think he may have had a few frustrating tire kickers and was happy to have a serious buyer.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Nothing
05/21/2020 at 12:06

If it was in any better condition it wouldn’t be a project, it would just be a normal used car.

f86sabre > Nothing
05/21/2020 at 13:28

Good looking car for the money! Having no rust in the rear quarters is a good sign. You and the family, in particular your son, will have a great time with it.

I still hav e my first car, a ‘68 with the I6. Its been sitting for 20 years as well, so your post made me nervous!

functionoverfashion > Nothing
05/21/2020 at 13:32

I think I already said this, but if not, congrats. Nice purchase all around.

Does it already have a dual master brake cylinder? If not, that would be near the top of my list - although, I admittedly drove my truck at least one year with the original single master.

Small details: What’s up with the 302 badge? And... on the Kenwood unit - are you positive the RCA is an input and not a preamp output? If not you could do something like this:

https://www.lmctruck.com/1957-72-ford/audio-security/long-beach-retrosound-radio

Chariotoflove > Nothing
05/21/2020 at 13:34

I really like this purchase. Now all you need is for the swimming hole s to open up this summer, eh?

fintail > Nothing
05/21/2020 at 13:54

It’s almost like the price it would have sold for 30 years ago. What a deal.

Tell wifey to simmer down, and that you got a bargain. You can have it on the road before the end of summer.

Nothing > fintail
05/21/2020 at 14:22

I just printed out an inspection list so I can start recording what needs what. Then I just need to decide if the goal is to have it roadworthy this summer, or take a little more time. Who am I kidding, sometime this summer is the goal.

And thanks. Even with the work it does need, I’m still surprised at the price. Nice guy, and it may have been discounted because they’re also moving out of state. W hen I pulled up, the house had an Under Contract sign...and the obvious remnants of a garage sale.

Nothing > Chariotoflove
05/21/2020 at 14:22

I do. Maybe I’ll have it on the road by the time the pools actually open up!

Nothing > functionoverfashion
05/21/2020 at 14:37

Thanks!

I’m guessing with the 302 badge that maybe there was an engine swap done when the car was restored. I’d prefer the correct 289 badges, but that’s way down the list. Once I start digging in the engine bay, I should be able to get the engine details sorted out.

Good call on the amp output. Believe it or not, the schematics/user manual for the radio was still in the glovebox, so I just gave it a look. I had a friend tell me there were RCA jacks. It’s an old Kenwood KRC-1 006 head unit. I guess for now, I’ll stick with FM radio. I didn’t even have a functioning stereo in the Cougar.

I’m debating a power brake conversion, but even on the Cougar, I found after going to discs on the front, I didn’t feel power was needed. Since my wife is quite interested in the car, I want to make it so she could easily drive it, too. The master is currently a dual.

Nothing > f86sabre
05/21/2020 at 14:40

I had a ‘67 convertible, I6. It was a fun car...when my sister bought it, I asked for right of first refusal. Flash forward 10 or so years, and I had a buddy with an MGB that was moving overseas, and asked I wanted to buy it. I decided to check with my sister and see if she was ready to sell the Mustang before I made an offer on the MGB . She awkwardly told me she had sold it a couple of weeks earlier for $3k. ARGH! The MGB was fun too, until it blew up.

fintail > Nothing
05/21/2020 at 14:41

Most of the work sounds pretty easy, too. Looks like cosmetics aren’t needed. The mechanical bits are pretty much bolt -on and can be sourced from dozens of different places - I suspect everything for that car is still being made, no rare bits that I can imagine. Give it several weekends and you’ll be up and running before Labor Day, I bet.

Beauty part of this one is that you’ll likely get every penny back if/when it comes time to sell, and maybe even run a little in the black. I am kind of surprised it didn’t sell, but then again in this crisis, maybe it makes sense, toys are probably slow movers, but that won’t last forever.

Nothing > fintail
05/21/2020 at 14:47

He wasn’t terribly patient, he posted it for sale on Saturday night for the first time, sold it to me Sunday morning. Thanks, Mr.!

It is all bolt on stuff. I’m pleased with that, and it’s all work I’ve done before. Lots and lots of different places to source from, unlike some of the scarcity issues I ran into with the Cougar. To be fair, most of that was body/trim/interior, which all needed work. Mechanicals were Mustang in front of the A pillar, and other full size Ford from the A pillar back.

19JRC99 > Nothing
05/21/2020 at 15:17

Those shifters are actually pretty good. It’s the QuickSilver, right? Dad had one in his Firebird, and it’s more or less the same thing at the Hurst ProMatic 2 in the Chevelle. Once you get used to it, you’ll probably love it.

The more I look at it, the more I lean towards full 80s with Centerline Auto Drags and Radial T/As.

Nothing > 19JRC99
05/21/2020 at 15:36

It is the Quicksilver. So far, it seems a-ok to me.

Chariotoflove > Nothing
05/21/2020 at 15:48

I need them to. That’s one of our most important forms of physical activity.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Nothing
05/21/2020 at 18:34

Wow, a Cougar AND a Mustang! Congratulations and looking forward to your re- restoration. The body looks like it’s in good shape.

Verdog ~ manual Bro, Bro - HellHawk Equipped > Nothing
05/21/2020 at 18:53

I mean, $30... Final Offer.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Nothing
05/22/2020 at 08:17

Hey Mister, I think that looks like a great purchase, and $5,600 is well within the not-stupid range, especially for such a nice looking car. Personally, the 289 is the engine I’d want, and I’d be curious to discover how feisty it could become with a mild cam. I mentioned that I’d prefer period-correct rims, or even some reproduction Mustang steelies (first choice, actually), but the rubber that’s on there now is nicely proportioned. Enjoy! (He types, as he heads out to his beater Vic...)

CaptDale - is secretly British > Nothing
05/22/2020 at 16:20

Hell that is awesome!