Ford Mustang '64-'67 in Retirement or 2019 Insight?

DFDubb said:
Same. I have a 1966 all original numbers matching 289 fastback as well as a 2006 Shelby GT500. Both are mostly garage queens. The shelby has modern tech and is reliable to drive daily, but I don't. The 66, while fully restored, seems to always need something done to it. Generally speaking, it's about a 50/50 shot if it's going to start when I give it a try. Part of that is because it sits most of the time, but still no way I'd rely on it to be my only mode of transportation.
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Thank you for sharing your maintenance issues with the '66. Reality checks are important, I'm thinking
 
OK, I was just throwing out the newer Mustang as a more reliable option, while at least somewhat having the look and experience.

Easy to maintain and Reliable are two very different things.

I think it'd be a really neat car to drive, that or a 67 Camaro or Charger from the same era. But not regularly, not for me. I would consider one of the throwback cars if got rid of my Miata.
 
I daily drove old cars for many years. Old as in 1937 Chevy truck (hot rodded), 1964 Buick Riviera, 1960 Chevy El Camino, 1959 Chevy El Camino, 1949 Ford COE (hot rodded). I refuse to be a scared cat driving an old car worried about safety. I drive what I like. I don't give a concern about lower mpg vs new cars. I am capable of doing my own maintenance. Simple upgrades like electronic ignition mentioned, adding disc brakes and seatbelts, go a long way to improve reliability and safety. More advanced upgrades like modernized suspension, newer engines, newer trans, and newer rear axle assy go along with updating 30-60's cars.

I can appreciate new cars with their multiple advances vs old cars in comfort, performance, safety and reliability. But they just don't have the appearance and cool factor older cars have. Driving my old cars always puts me in a good mood and a smile on my face. While sometimes it is not convenient, you will always get questions and people wanting to talk. Get used to quick gas and go with a short conversation.

Don't worry about daily driving an old car, assuming you can do some work when needed. They are easier to work on and figure out what is wrong. My suggestion is get the old Mustang and an old truck. That way you have a backup if one needs work and the local parts store has to order something in. If you live in bad weather country, get a winter beater and keep the old cars for the better days.

I do have newer cars as well. They have their place in my life. However the new cars will never take the place of my old cars. Have fun, life is too short to not do what you want to do. A Honda Insight to me would be nicknamed the Insult.
 
38Chevy454 said:
I daily drove old cars for many years. Old as in 1937 Chevy truck (hot rodded), 1964 Buick Riviera, 1960 Chevy El Camino, 1959 Chevy El Camino, 1949 Ford COE (hot rodded). I refuse to be a scared cat driving an old car worried about safety. I drive what I like. I don't give a concern about lower mpg vs new cars. I am capable of doing my own maintenance. Simple upgrades like electronic ignition mentioned, adding disc brakes and seatbelts, go a long way to improve reliability and safety. More advanced upgrades like modernized suspension, newer engines, newer trans, and newer rear axle assy go along with updating 30-60's cars.
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The OP appears to be a woman. I doubt that she has the space, the tools, and the know how to buy a classic car and then do a full resto-mod to include new brakes, suspension, engine, transmission, and rear end. LOL

Not many car guys could even do all that, even if they had the money, space, and tools. I have a lift, an oversized 3 car garage, every tool needed, and it still took me 2.5 years to restore my '66.
 
DFDubb said:
The OP appears to be a woman. I doubt that she has the space, the tools, and the know how to buy a classic car and then do a full resto-mod to include new brakes, suspension, engine, transmission, and rear end. LOL

Not many car guys could even do all that, even if they had the money, space, and tools. I have a lift, an oversized 3 car garage, every tool needed, and it still took me 2.5 years to restore my '66.
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Wow.
 
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Whoa! No hijaking my thread to throw contempt stones please! I am the OP, I am a girly girl and no, I don't have the tools or the know how. But Im also financially savvy, thanks in part to all on this board. And I respect and appreciate any man or woman who has the skills to restore classic cars. To the posters point, in my neck of the woods, there are very few women who do this work. Could they!? Of course!! But most choose not to, for whatever reason.
 
If you are looking for 60s mustang as a daily driver, it better be a restomod with upgraded engine/trans/electrical/suspension/brakes/AC etc. otherwise you might be in for a big disappointment in the reliability and ride quality department and it would certainly cost a bit more than $15K. I'd stick with the Honda.
 
***** Mod hat on ********

If we stick to the practical issues as outlined in the OP and avoid gender generalizations, we're likely to have a useful thread.


Thanks.

***** Mod hat off ********
 
Mykle57 said:
Imho, using a 50 year old car as a daily driver would be a mistake. Your milage may vary. :)
However, it could be a very nice weekend/fair weather ride along with the insight. (I have 3 older Porches I'd categorize as garage queen's. They need constant love and attention to stay in drivable shape).
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Most exotics due req constant maint.
 
MRG said:
Yeah easy to maintain. None of those pesky air bags, disk or anti-locks brakes to worry about. What could possibly go wrong.

I w*rked with a guy who does restorations of old mustangs. His are all garage queens.
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Air bags are good if they work and are not part of a recall. Disc brakes come on allot of 60s and 70s cars. And of course a fully restored car costing 30-60k will be a garage queen That's why OP wants to only spend about 15k
 
aja8888 said:
I restored a 1971 VW Beetle last year (I've had older Mustangs and Corvettes in the past). Driving the '71 around these busy streets and freeways was downright scary. Rather than it becoming a garage queen, as I have one already, I sold it.

I view air bags and crumple zones as important in daily driving these days. Keeping a garage queen for the occasional Sunday afternoon cruise is fine.

My recommendation; keep the gutless, but fairly safe Honda and buy the Mustang but use it for occasional fun rides.
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100% agree with this. You can use the mustang as a daily and if it don't start drive the insite.

But don't count on air bags or crumple zones being a save all. I am a firefighter and have seen totaled cars with no airbags deployed and crumple zones that pushed the engine into drivers chest.
 
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DFDubb said:
The OP appears to be a woman. I doubt that she has the space, the tools, and the know how to buy a classic car and then do a full resto-mod to include new brakes, suspension, engine, transmission, and rear end. LOL

Not many car guys could even do all that, even if they had the money, space, and tools. I have a lift, an oversized 3 car garage, every tool needed, and it still took me 2.5 years to restore my '66.
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There is a big difference between updating and restoring
 
Here in Texas you can buy a nice 64-68 driver quality coupe for less than 15k. I would get a v8 302 as it is very dependable and parts are plenty. But keep the insite you currently have as it has been good to you. Be advised you will not get a more desirable fastback for that price.
I drive a 68 396 chevelle as often as I can and have a 2012 Nissan versa as my back up.
 
In honor of this thread, I drove my 52 GMC pickup today. Needed to fill up about 8 lawnmower gas cans, so the GMC got the nod for driving duty. In about 16 mile round trip I got three thumbs up from other drivers, besides my own happiness.
 
38Chevy454 said:
In honor of this thread, I drove my 52 GMC pickup today. Needed to fill up about 8 lawnmower gas cans, so the GMC got the nod for driving duty. In about 16 mile round trip I got three thumbs up from other drivers, besides my own happiness.
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A 52 GMC pickup going down the road well below the speed limit I would suspect... Are you sure those were thumbs? :LOL: Actually I would often get "thumbs up" from others on the road when driving my 60's vintage stuff too! Nice feeling.
 
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Car-Guy said:
A 52 GMC pickup going down the road well below the speed limit I would suspect... Are you sure those were thumbs? :LOL: Actually I would often get "thumbs up" from others on the road when driving my 60's vintage stuff too! Nice feeling.
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:LOL: it is even nicer when you go to a car show and get thumbs up.
 
One thing that happens when you retire is your mileage drops, in my case dramatically. I went from about 25 to 30K a year down to about 8K, then moved to a golf cart community and now it's down to about 3K a year. I still own two vehicles (and two golf carts) but that will probably change to one vehicle soon as I need to replace one. Right now both are 2013, pickup and car and both have about 35K miles so it will be a bit longer. So will eventually sell both and replace with one, probably some type of SUV.

Not for everyone but my golf cart community you can get everywhere in a golf cart. 140 restaurants and growing, 120 plus stores from Walmart to Lowes to specialty shops. Hospitals and doctors and everything in between is accessible by golf cart. I can go to McDonald's, Burger King, Culver's and Wendy's and Taco Bell drive thru in a golf cart. Banks, ATM.s, even Fidelity and Schwab in the golf cart.
 
Every so often I get nostalgic and think I'd like to get an older sports car like a 240z, 914, tr6. Then I slap myself and think how uncomfortable they would be on longer trips. I'm considering a ferrari f430 or Gallardo, but the comfort thing is an issue as well as reliability. I like to do roadtrips and early in the day and on the twisities the sports car sounds like it's perfect, but on longer interstates or at the end of the day driving home a quiet comfortable reliable car with a good sound system is the way to go.
I had a modified viper last and while fun at first, the drives home were not.
 
Bought a 65 Hi-Po 289 fastback with 4 speed in 1987. Sold 1992 for 5K more than bought and 40K trouble free miles . I say go for it. If you change your mind you can always get your money back if you buy it well....
 
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