Buying Advice wanted for 65/66 Mustang

Watch out for rust... and just because you found it in the southwest does not mean it's rust free. It may have set in a open air wrecking yard for decades. Shock towers... look for cracks. cowl leaks *where the fresh air enters right in front of the windshield. There are two ports (one each side) which are prone to rust out because leaves and such collect in there and the moisture stays and the rust forms. There are repair kits, but if it's really bad, it's VERY expensive to repair. Rust in rear fender wells. Leaks around the glass.

Check the vin numbers against what the car claims to be. Not to get an original, but to see if it was modified from like a 6 cyl to an 8 cyl. Nothing wrong with that as long as it was done right. Or if it's claimed to be something like a California Special/High Country or whatever. There are some darn good clones out there.

I looked at a very sharp 66 in Las Vegas. But a magnet wouldn't stick to the majority of the body below the belt line.

You're looking for a coupe, and there are plenty of those available and in good shape. Don't get so hot for one that you jump at it without checking it out. There might be a better one right down the road (well, maybe not that close) that has what you want, which is in better shape, and costs the same or less.

Much depends upon how much you know, how much your're willing to learn. Like are you willing to learn the skills to weld, rebuild, patch, etc, or do you just want to slap a megawatt stereo in it and go.

This time around, I opted for a restoration by a third party, and the refinements (like stereo) I can do myself, or someone in one of the car clubs I belong to can help.

Speaking of which... check your local club(s). I was looking for a fastback (which I got), but one of the old timers in the local club offered me an original GT convertible for 15K because his knees can't handle the clutch anymore. Another member offered me a beautifully done R model clone for $14,000.

Good luck to ya.

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1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior Vintage 40 Wheels 16X8" w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A Radial 225/50ZR16

An excellent choice. I have owned a 66 coupe since 1978. For many years it was my daily driver.

The number one thing to look out for is rust. If you are in Ca or Az it is not as big a risk but you still need to check very closely. If you see a car that has a clear plastic cover over the grill just in front of the windshield RUN AWAY!!!!!!! Cowl rust is a huge nasty expensive job to fix. Pour water into the same air vents and if it pours onto the carpet on either front floor, RUN AWAY!!!!!!!!!! Crawl under the car and poke the floor pans with a screwdriver, they should be solid. The other place to check is the drop off areas in the corners of the trunk. The left side is under a panel that must be unscrewed. The right side can be checked by removing the spare. My car has spent its life in CA and the only rust is some bubbles in the lower front corner of each door. My advice is to buy a Ca or Az car. You could spend 5 grand on rust repair, or you could spend a grand on a trip to Ca to inspect a car. Then another $1500 to ship it enclosed anywhere in the Continental US. You will be money ahead and have a better more original car.

Avoid the rust and everything else on a Mustang is a piece of cake.

Erich

My first car was a '66 with a four speed and the 140 mph speedo. These cars (like most Mustangs) are real headturners. Unless you want to spend a lot of money getting the fenders and quarter panels replaced, I would advise you to make sure that the car is rust-free before purchasing it. The early Mustangs had a tendency to rust really bad.

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1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior Vintage 40 Wheels 16X8" w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A Radial 225/50ZR16