opinions

[the_kid]

hi this is my first thread here i guess i will introduce myself aswell
my name is andrew im 20 years old and a great hello to everyone

i just got a 1965 mustang it needs restoration but not too much.
Its not a 2+2 or nething its the lower class one its all original still paint and all.its got a 6 cyl in it and i was wondering about engine swaping for a v-8 possibly a 289.

my issiu is this i hate seeing guys my age put there hands on a antique like this and butcher it. I like originality,altho i want to modify this one a bit but im scared to over do it these are the changes ive been thinking of

1)from v-6 to v-8 but im ushure im not a big 351w or c fan that leaves the 302 and the 289 im leaning twards

2)automatic transmission (floor shit)to standard yet i have no clue what would be better 3 or 4 speed

3)rear diff is not full lock i would like to convert this but yet unshure how the best way would be including gear ratio

4)this is tricky i wanted to have a hood scoop or a shacker but i have no clue on how this would look or if it would be over doing it

5)heavy duty suspension

6)i wanted to add power stering and power breacks

7)the paint i was wanting either red,white, or black with racing stripes but i don`t know if it would be taky because its not a shelby a 2+2 ect...

8)single to dual exust
i guess the general question is what do you think of what i want to do with this car am i going to ruin it or does it makes sence and what would you do instead of what i have planed for it

honestly im not a big mustang fanatic this was my best friends dad`s car and he sold it to me for 5500$ i couldn`t refuse and only seince ive had this my love for these cars has been growing
thank you

[Phillyfanfrombirth]

I'm a fan of keeping it original...

If you want to butcher... Mavericks, Falcons, and Torinos are some options.

If you do the swap from the 6 to an 8 be prepared to go shopping for new hoses, a new radiator, throttle linkage, possibly a new transmission, and motor mounts... not to mention a full exhaust system.

As you probably already know, to do what you are saying will cost more than a couple dimes... I'd say at least $5K, depending on what you want to get done.

[HotRoddin]

Originally Posted by Phillyfanfrombirth

I'm a fan of keeping it original...

If you want to butcher... Mavericks, Falcons, and Torinos are some options.

Excuse me ??? So Mavericks, Falcons and Torinos are just chopped liver huh ?

Keep in mind there are way more Mustangs left on the road than Mavericks, Falcons and Torinos.

There are tons of totally stock early Mustang conversions already out there, so their look, feel and legend are safe for posterity.

Once you change one screw or nut from stock, it's already butchered in the eyes of preservationists, so have a field day

Rod

[KiltedBanshees93GT]

OK, going by points,

1: Completly do-able, it will cost you a bit, as noted, so be prepared. The good news is that in doing the swap, you will be on the way toward addressing some of the other mods you're interested in. If you can find/buy a v-8 "parts car" you'll be a couple of steps ahead of the game. (even if its minus the engine/tranny, you'll be after the suspension and assorted bits)
289 and 302 are virtually the same motor, 99% of what you can do to a 302 can be done to a 289.

2: Skip 3 or 4 speed, and swap in a fox era t-5. Overdrive=Good. Several companys have adaptor/swap kits available. The only part thats harder to find (Unless you have the above mentioned parts car,with a stick) will be the pedal assembly. You can buy one of those from the mustangpartshouse.com. You won't need the z-beam stuff anyway if you convert to a cable clutch.

3:Parts car rebuild, finding a ford 8" shouldnt be hard, or have yours rebuilt with a posi unit. For stock or near stock 289/302, you shouldnt need more.

4: Depends on what you want. IMHO, a shaker might not flow right with the first gen lines, but I've considered it myself. Anybody got pics? For a scoop, you could always go with the shelby scoop, looks nice without being overbearing, just my .02

5: You'll already need to convert to 5 lug for the v8, while you've got the suspension apart, you can add anything from a mustangsplus grab-a-track kit to a TCP performance setup. Depends on you'r wallet.

6: Parts car/aftermarket kits can cover whatever setup you'd want, from stock drums to 4 wheel disc.

7: Whatever color makes you happy. Its your car It doesent have to be a shelby or 2+2 to have a nice paint job. As long as you're not planning on slapping badges on it, and calling it a cobra, thats just cheezy

8: Dual exaust is a must, if you're swapping to a v-8, there are pleanty of companys out there that can hook you up.

As to worries about "ruining" the car. First off, some basic truths.
Your car (unless very rare model/options) will never be worth the hard currency you invest in it.
This seems to be less of a rule lately, as some nice resto-mods are fetching a pretty penny too. Ultimatly the car will be worth the quality of work done on it.

If you're worried you may decide to go back to "concours" style restoration, all the above mods can be done without cutting sheet metal. Original can be restored, with a bit of work and all the original parts. And yes, to the hardcore, any mod is bad, I dont get it, but oh well...
Overall, IMHO, I think you should just look at what you want the car to do/be, as opposed to what you might get on resale and go for it.

Hope it helps,
J

[Phillyfanfrombirth]

Originally Posted by HotRoddin

Excuse me ??? So Mavericks, Falcons and Torinos are just chopped liver huh ?

Keep in mind there are way more Mustangs left on the road than Mavericks, Falcons and Torinos.

There are tons of totally stock early Mustang conversions already out there, so their look, feel and legend are safe for posterity.

Once you change one screw or nut from stock, it's already butchered in the eyes of preservationists, so have a field day

Rod

Absolutely not... I love Mavericks... Got two in the garage, one of which I had since I was 16... Falcons and Torinos are great cars as well.

Given the choice, though, I'd be chopping on them. More value retention than anything... but I think it is much easier to come up with a "custom" look when you are dealing with cars that are seldom seen...

[The Leppy]

whats the deal with the era T5 tranny, is it easy to convert to the older models?

[KiltedBanshees93GT]

Check this out.

[The Leppy]

thanks kilted,,,,,it seems as though it'd be smarter for me to move toward the AOD,,,although its only a matter of timebefore the T5 finds a home in my stang

[KiltedBanshees93GT]

Glad to help

[Orange97GTVert]

When I first got into Mustangs, the rule was if you modify it you are going straight to hell. Mustang Monthly cranked out month after month after month of perfect restos. That was in the 80's. I grew up in the 60's, nobody left a Mustang just like it came from the dealer (kinda like now!) and the hobby has grown that direction. It is your car, do it your way. Unless it is a Vert or a Fastback or a Shelby or something rare you can do it your way, you won't hurt the resale that much, chances are if you swap in a V8 it would be more desirable ($$) than the stock 6 anyway.

[bmxmon]

hey, im 18 and am doing all the work to my stang. I just keep at the details, that way it doesnt look all ghetto in the end.