Hello all, this is my first post and the reason why I joined. I'm a longtime Mustang enthusiast ( and 2010 GT owner ) but I now am looking for a 65-66 FB to take to cruises.

I have the opp to buy a former colleague's 65 GT350 clone. It's a very nice setup, with a 289, tremec 5 Spd, front discs, etc. The only thing that's holding me back is some body issues.

Outside it looks great! However, there is lower rot in both inner doors at the forward edge, as well as some rust on the door hinges ( though the doors line up perfectly and close with a resounding thud ). The pinch welds aren't the best, but not the worst. There's some evidence of bondo repair near there. The floors, quarters, and outer door skins were replaced according to the seller. He's had it for 10 yrs with no problems or further deterioration.

The final reservation is some rust "creep" I see in the seam at the top of the trunk opening ( below the rear window ). I'm concerned that if the car spent it's life in the midwest and had all these panels replaced, could their still be lurking rust because it's present so high at the trunk seam?

Again, the car is setup very well, exactly the way I'd want it and I have no reservations about the mechanics. I'm looking for a long term cruiser, not a show car, but want to be comfortable I could turn around and sell it for $20k if I needed to. That's my thought on what to offer him ( he's asking 25K )

Any advice/experience is much appreciated!

 

That is a pretty good looking clone. If it is just surface rust then you should be okay, just take it down to bare metal then prime and paint again. I don't like the look of hinges though.

 

Hinges are an easy fix. Just support the door, take them off the car, then take them off the door. Either rebuild them or buy new ones. Putting them back on the car is a little harder, but just do the process in reverse and make sure the door lines up with a series of loosening and tightening of the bolts. Adjust and check. It's when you replace both the fenders and the doors that it can be a real pain.

Ben Garland

 

i am thinking 25 k is about 8 k too much with all the rust and paint issues it now has .. keep looking ..

 

Welcome to TMS!

About what I was thinking.

 

That too.

 

Thirded.

The left door skin for sure will have to be replaced, unless you like a leaking hole... then don't worry about the ugly, and patch it up with some metal and jb-weld. Then vinyl cover the doors... dash... quarter panel trim... I did.

The other rust places besides the doors are surface rust and easily dealt with. Wire brush them, and repaint them with epoxy primer, then undercoat. Of course, doin' that under the car...

The hinges, well, just take the doors off. Easiest. You'll want help. Rebuild kits aren't much, but the springs are best dealt with sans doors.

The bubbles in the paint on the bumper are just that: Paint bubbles, separating from the fiberglass, if I remember correctly that the bumper is 'glass and not metal. I.E., bad primer/paint job. Only fix: repaint.

 

He should have had all of these rust issues fixed prior to painting it! Yikes! I would not pay 20,000 for this car I would go much lower or look for another fastback