1966 Restoration Project - Help!
 

Hi.

I have a 1966 Mustang coupe I plan on bringing back to the road. It's been off the road for 18 years. Here are the estimated problems at this time:

Needs Brakes
Bad Water Pump
Exhaust System
Possible seals on the engine

It is a 6 cyl 3 speed. The engine can turn over (with a bit of help from canned starter). I would love to get it running on the road. To get the core work out of the way, I was going to take it to a mechanic. What do you think it will cost in repairs, and what other issues may I find.

Heck, is it worth "restoring", or are there other/better options. Needs some minor bodywork as well.

Thanks.

So you've got a money pit on your hands, eh? First thing to do is to list everything its gonna take to get Mustang Sally back on the road. Be fair to yourself and list everything. If you're planning on professional help list that too. Get several catalogs and with your list figure up the cost of all parts you think you'll need. Included are tires, brakes, interior, engine, suspension, etc. Once you get a total, then triple it. Say your parts total comes in at $2,500. Now if your plan is to have a mechanic or body shop do the work then multiply the parts by 3 and you'll have an idea of the labor. So in this example, you need $2,500 in parts and $7,500 in labor. Total is $10K. Add this to the cost of the car and this represents your investment in the car. If the total is less than the "Old Car Guide" value of the car then its a good deal, else it is not meaning you could buy the car restored for less.

Sounds like u could do most of that yourself, and save a bunch of money. This site has plenty of knowageble ppl. (go fiqure, I think I spelled knowageble wrong:rolleyes: ) If u ever have any problems, we will be glad to help u out. Just ask.