angcobra

I don't know anything about fixing or restoring old mustangs. I have a guy wanting to trade a wrecked 66 as down payment on my 01 cobra. It is a 66 he says is matching numbers 289. I have pics of the interior and engine bay. The interior is just redone to original and the engine looks nice. Do you think it will cosst more to fix than the car would be worth? What would you allow as trade value?

bnickel

not much, that car will take a lot to fix and IMO probably won't be worth what it costs to get it fixed. also ford didn't really ever put the vin on the engines so i doubt it's a #'s matching engine. i'd say probably 500-750 bucks but not really any more that that, honestly i wouldn't do it.

BLAKE

Depends on a lot of factors. Mostly, what you can get the metal work done for to bring it back. Most everything necessary to rebuild that area is available as new replacement panels, but it'll be a labor intensive job, and it'd have to be done right.

If you were an experienced welder and body man, I'd say that is a great way to get into a good project for cheap, but as an investment, it doesn't look that good. The poor thing may be worth more as a parts car.

jpony645

The second picture shows the roof as being buckled. That would be the part that knocks me over to the "NAY" side. That may not allow the other parts to line up correctly.

As Blake said, all the parts to fix it are available but the labor would be a killer. I'll agree with the $500 parts car only.

BornInAFord

A body-man's nightmare! With the buckle in the roof and the door mis-alignment, you are looking at severe unibody twisting and a very expensive body rebuild. I'd also expect the rear floor to be buckled and a lot of un-seen damage, too. It would probably be worth whatever the engine is worth, although even that might not be much... it looks like it lived a fast life! Unfortunately only the drivetrain, front fenders and hood and a few interior and engine bay pieces may be worth salvaging. Add up the parts value, figure in your profit, and make your offer--perhaps $500-750(?) trade-in. I realize the owner probably has spent a lot more than that on the car recently, but unfortunately the car is trashed and his other option sounds like $25 in scrapmetal at the recycler's.
Good luck on your decision.
Daniel

65Mustang2+2

Good parts car!

pakrat

Well, my car has comparable damage and I'm having it fixed. We are talking about a low number 69' vert vs. a dime a dozen 66' coupe though (no offense to anyone), two different worlds. At the end of the day with bodywork and paint I am looking at a good 15k to fix it (2k out of pocket minus the insurance) and I'm stripping the interior and all the trim off myself to boot. Of course in my favor is that I don't have the roof issue you do either on a vert even though it is broken and since my salvageable items are not all avaialble in the aftermarket and my car had no rust, the salvage price was 3k. Still, it was a coin toss on wether to fix it or walk away and only the personal attachment I have broke the tie.

I'd say unless he wants next to nothing pass on it. I'd be curious to know what he got from insurance on the deal or what it's pre accident value was though and what they estimated the insurance buy back price at. He obviously bought it back unless this was an at fault total loss situation.

LMan

thats parts only. If thats not a K-code, it needs to be stripped and parted out. Josh is right, the roof buckling is a baaaad sign...must have been a hard impact.

foxhtn

Glenn, might want to also consider getting that frame, and alignment checked out. She might be dog-tracking! [not running straight] Looks like she was smucked pretty good. I agree ... parts car.

66Mustang289ci

I guess it's a matter of what your wanting. If you want to turn a profit, your probably out of luck. If you had a sentimental attachment to the car (which I assume you don't) then you could put forth the time and resouces.

Personally I don't ever like to see a Mustang reach such a demise , but personally I wouldn't want to try and fix that either.

My dad and I are replacing the floor pans in my "66 coupe, and beating them in is enough of a pain. The under-dash rust should be interesting also.

Paul

Ye-Gods! What happened to it.

Pak--Dime a dozen 66 coupes? Them's fightin' words!

SuperCJ

You will n-e-v-e-r get the door and trunk lid to line up correctly.....the color combo (white exterior and green interior) is funky (i.e. unpopular) and you looking at mucho denero to just get the car driveable.

Unless you are an ace body man....pass on it. Cold cash is better than a "hot" deal any day! Take a cash deposit on your Cobra, you will be alot happier!

mad machs

Not good, not good at all.... as previously stated- too much out lay for its potential return, shame though it looks like it was a good car before whatever that calamity was that befell it

Bet there's a good body shell somewhere just waiting for that parts donor....

390 4spd

Agree

angcobra

Thanks all!
I notified the gentleman today that I was not interested in the wrecked 66. He said he had a buyer for the engine out of the 66 and he still wanted to buy my Cobra. We agreed on terms and he is sending a deposit via paypal.

svopaul

Good decision. I rebuild cars and I would not bother with that one considering how easily I could find a nice coupe to swap the parts over to. Now if it had been a fastback or convertible my decision would likely change but unless that is a K code coupe it's not worth trying to straighten that mess out. That one will take frame time and a lot of work to bring it back and would end up with more invested than you could get out of it in the end.

Fordracing200

yah, the 66 had that roof buckled, only good for parts. Are you gonna buy another car or just selling the cobra?

lilbossman

u could jus cut the whole top of the car off......make it a vert.

angcobra

I am selling the 01 Cobra vert, I am keeping the 03 Cobra vert and the 88 GT.

Paul

Would it be a convertible? You couldn't "convert" it back. . . .