Let me start by saying that I LOVE my '66! Always been the ultimate Mustang to me and I have a real keeper. It was a one-owner, wreck-free, rust-free car. It's my daily driver and as dependable as any new Honda Civic. I drive it everywhere, everyday...

But our family truckster (a 2000 Windstar) has been giving us some warning signs. The writing was on the wall - so we traded it in on a Toyota Highlander. The wife has "allowed" me to drive it for a couple days now, and it's truly a pleasure. Leather interior, all the creature comforts, no rattles, no leaks, no wind howling, ice-cold A/C, and no chance of overheating. No thumbs up from people at red lights either, but what are you gonna do! Good sound system, and it runs as quiet as a church mouse.

So you know what I'm starting to think... I hop back in the fastback last night and what a difference! It basically drives like an old car. I know I can't get $25,000 out of it to fund a new '05 - but what if I could? Would I make the swap? (I'm not in the financial position to have both.) Sure - there's gonna be a lot of '05s on the road soon; but think of how quiet and smooth and dependable they'll be. No leaks, no rattles, no smells...

Talk me out of it! Or are some of you thinking the same things?

 

wow. now this is a real dilemma. i have no idea what you should do
the '66 mustang is an amazing car. a true classic
the 05 mustang will be a better ride, more power, blah blah blah

i dont know

what do you guys think?

 

I dunno, personally I would stick with the '66, just my opinion though,..

 

Daily driver go with the 05, you allready said why. if you can keep the 66 in the garage and take it out on weekends but with alll due respect it's beyond it's daily diver years. typically a car that old requires a lot of TLC to keep it running smoothly every day, where the 05 will go for a long time before you have to do much maintenance on it.

 

you said it. smooth and dependable, no leaks no rattles, no smell.

only smell will be NEW! 05 !

 

I didn't have any stang and was holding out till May for the 05. Then I saw a 65 for sale on a backroad near my house. I thought for a few days and went ahead and got the classic. I'm happy I did, love the loudness, love the classic look and won't go down in value if taken good care of. I'd stick with the 66 FB thats my opinion.

 

Well, since I happen to have a 66 fastback, and desperately want an 05, I think I have a little to contribute here.

I just sold my 96 GT, and while I know that the 05 is vastly improved over the SN95, I do have to say that the latemodel was just a car. My fastback has a soul that I'm not sure any new car can compete with. The 05's will be all over the place soon, and while they will be great cars, they won't have the magic of a classic. My suggestion would be to hang on to that fastback, and in a couple years there will be plenty of gently used 05's available that will be substantially less expensive than their current $25K+ price. Have your cake and eat it too.

 

Read my mind, Blake!

 

Yeah, what he said.

 

ditto.

 

Thanks for all the responses everybody. Just to clarify a bit...

My fastback is indeed my daily driver. But despite its age - it really doesn't require a tremendous amount of upkeep. I'm wrestling with a small transmission leak at the moment; but overall, it's remarkable maintenance-free.

And since it IS my daily ride, it handles child-carrying duties the same as if it were another gold Suburban. (Anyone else ever notice how many of those things are out there?!) I installed Andover shoulder belts to hold my 4-year old's child seat in place, and they work just fine. But this week, we're bringing our premature baby boy home from the hospital. (No - not in the Mustang!) I think I'm a bit hyper-sensitive to the cleanliness thing at the moment. The though of starpping HIM into a rattly 40-year old car doesn't seem quite right. THAT is what's concerning me. I'll just plan on limiting his drives to our Highlander and we'll all be fine.

Plus - what will he say in 10 years when he learns Daddy sold his '66 GT fastback for something "more sensible?" I'd never live it down!

 

LOL! That says it all right there.

 

Keep the 66. You will regret it later down the road. (trust me!) They will be making this new mustang for 4 to 5 years. Maybe by that time you can afford to keep the 66 and buy the New style mustang! Im going to wait till my teenagers are off of my insurance in about 2 to 3 years and im going to splurge myself. (SVT Cobra)
I have allready warned the wife B)

 

Danny - We have a 66 convertible daily driver that is used in the summer here in New England and just yesterday I ordered our 05 V6 Premium. Like you I have been wrestling with keeping the old 66 or using a sale of that car towards the new one. I don't have the final decision here since the car actually belongs to my wife (who is reading over my shoulder now!). I gave it to her for Christmas our first year of marriage - 18 yrs ago. We've decided to keep the 66 and add the 05 to our 'fleet'! Our boys, 12 and 15, want to keep the 66 too so that sealed it. I'm sure we won't regret keeping the convertible and I look forward to parking them side by side for some pics eventually!

I echo the suggestions above - wait a few then get the 05 or 06 preowned. Then enjoy them both.

 

I had the same dilema with my 69. Keep the darn classic. The 05 most likely will never be regarded like your car already is. Wait till you can afford to keep it and score a used one like mentioned before.

 

66 fastback.
nothing like that old musty smell

 

Similiar situation here, I currently have a 1966 289 Fastback that my parents bought new in '65(Its not going anywhere) and my 1999 "Limited Edition" GT. The 66 needs a full restoration/the 99 has only 52,700 miles now. I am really diggin' the 05' but want an 08' or 09' SVT or SE. But, I need to build my shop and do the restoration on the 66 before I buy the SVT around 08' or 09'. My dilema is "can I do all this and keep the 99 GT?" I will soon start the construction of my shop in a about a year, pay that off and then start the rebuild of the 66. And hopefully paying that off by the 2nd or 3rd year of the next SVT. I'm thinking it will be closer to 2010 before I can buy a new SVT Cobra.
But, its only 5 years away right?
-Jason

 

The '05 will probably be a classic 25 years from now

The '66 is a classic now and forever,

another thing to think about, you drive that new '05 off the lot and lose value right away, whereas your 66 will hold steady/appreciate in value.