Now is the time to buy and build your Mustang dream car. Perhaps the kids are finally off to college and careers. Or maybe you've just come of age and have your first driver's license. Then again, mid-life crisis may have set in, and you're thinking about that Mustang you couldn't afford 30 years ago. Now is the time to make yourself happy with a Mustang project.
So, how do you get there? Where do you begin? What will it cost? What should it cost? Where will you store it and build it? And what happens when you don't know zilch about cars? An open hood is an intimidating experience--all of those wires, lines, brackets, iron, aluminum, grease, and filth. What will you do with it and how?
We're going to show you how to find and buy a Mustang. Then we're going to run you through an introduction to Mustang restoration.
Buy It!
You can find your dream ride any number of ways: Check the local classifieds for leads; crack open some of the national auto trader publications. You may have to take a chance on a Mustang 2,500 miles away. Auto traders exist online, too. Type Mustang into your Internet search engine and go mad with the selection, making sure to check eBay Motors for what it has to offer.
Anytime you're considering a long-distance Mustang purchase, caution is important. You'll need lots of images from the seller that are in focus and well lit. Photos should include the undercarriage, engine compartment, interior, trunk area, and all four sides of the vehicle. The seller needs to tell you the truth in writing about the car. Sooner or later, you're going to have to roll the dice and see the car in person. You risk the loss of a deposit and the cost of air fare if the car isn't what you'd hoped for, but that's the chance you take when considering a car long distance. Walking away from a bad idea is better than giving in to emotion and being stuck with something you'll be miserable with and unable to sell.
If you're considering a long- distance buy, check the resources in the area where the car is located. Mustang clubs, appraisers, and the like are good judges of a potential buy. Pay a qualified appraiser or seasoned Mustang expert with a local club to examine a potential buy. It's a good way to spend less than you would on airfare.
Bob Gelsi of Gelsi's Mustang World in Vineland, New Jersey, checks out apotential Mustang buy for a customer. Bobby has the expertise you needif you're shopping for a Mustang. Gelsi's Mustang World has performeddozens of concours restorations in 25 years.
Fit and finish are two indications of a Mustang's structural integrity.Even an old beater that has never been restored will have good fit if ithasn't been wrecked or victimized by rust. Rusted-out framerails androcker panels, for example, will adversely affect fit. Accident damage,even if corrected by a body shop, sometimes leaves body panels with asloppy fit. Check door, fender, hood, and decklid gaps to see how theyall fit together.
When we discuss "matching-number" cars, we're talking about originality.Do the engine, transmission, and rear-axle differential casting numbersand date codes jibe with the assembly date of the vehicle? Normally,these numbers should fall 30-60 days prior to the assembly date of thevehicle. Not all classic Mustangs have the original engine, for example.Even rarer is an original transmission because so many were replacedwith new or rebuilt replacements. But it's nice to know where you standbefore a purchase--especially if the seller is claiming a"matching-number" car.
Beginning in 1968, Ford stamped the VIN into the engine blocks of allMustangs. Prior to 1968, only high-performance Mustang engine blockswere stamped with the VIN. This, coupled with matching casting numbersand date codes, seals the deal.