I keep going back and forth - I had a '69 Mach 1 years ago and really miss it.

Then I see the '05 and I would like to order a GT this spring but I am on the fence about maybe getting another '69 instead.

The GT will cost somewhere in the mid to upper 20's after tax and plates, and if I am going to get a '69, I will go after a 428CJ 4spd car - the Holy Grail of Mach 1s. They seem to be around 30K. A little more than I want to spend, but you only live once.

I can argue the good and bad about both sides - The '69 will only go up in value. How long until the '05 goes up, if ever? (Especially if there is a Mach in '06...) I can order an '05 jus the way I like it. It will take a while, and probably some traveling to find the right '69.

Anyway, your thoughts?

 

I'm curious where you've seen a 69 428CJ for 30K.

 

Collector Car Trader Online and Hemmings. They certainly go for a lot more, but I have seen some for 30K. Some times they need a little work. Usually they are a color I don't like, or are not 4 spd cars.

There are even a few I have seen in the teens. But they need a LOT of work, but if the numbers match...

Check out this site:
http://www.mustangbeginnings.com/

I have contacted these people and as you would expect, by the time you purchase the Boss / Mach / Shelby, drag it home, and sink 30K into the restoration - well, you get the idea.

Realistically, I will probably have to spend more to get a car opted they way I want. But insurance, plates, etc. are minimal compared to an '05.

In a few years the accumulated costs of owning a new car (which I have never done) could push it over 30K of total investment. I know it is a necessary evil, but I still have to consider the good and bad.

 

Think about this though....You spend at least 30K for a Cobra Jet car, and you will have to baby it and probably not drive it as much since it is such an investment. With an 05 GT you can drive it all you want and not worry because you have a warranty. I was pondering the same thing, do I get the classic or go for the new. My question was answered because my uncle has a 428CJ Mustang that was appraised near 50K, and he never drives it. What fun is it to have a sweet Mustang if you cant even drive it. So if I were you I would buy the 05....get driving enjoyment out of it, and when you get old and just want to have a sunday driver car...then buy the Cobra Jet.

 

Good point - I have a 1972 454 Impala Convertible now that rarely sees 1000 miles a year...

 

Exactly what I was thinking. Being an 'investment', you are going to end up treating the car different. If you had another daily driver that you love to drive, I'd say get the Mach. BUT - if you get one and then STILL have to do work to the car to get it how you like it and have it really purr, and THEN won't drive it as much as you would another car.... I say go with the '05.

You'll outlay almost the same amount of cash at the ouset - BUT - you are buying a BRAND NEW car and unless you are doing major mods to it, you'll have your factory warranty and won't have to sink any money into the car at ALL first bunch of yerars except GAS.


(Tell you what though - this is a problem... but WHAT a problem to have.... either way, you end up with a SWEET car.... )

 

My cousin has a fully restored 69 Mach 1 with 428CJ and 3 speed auto. He got second place in Concours the first time he showed it. One of the judges told him he would have easily won first place, but they would NOT give first place to a car with headers on it!

I don't want to think about how much time and money he put into that car, but he has been working on it for the last 12 years or so. He has had since he was in high school (mid '80s). At the time, it was a rocket, but the body was in bad shape due to accidents and WAY too much torque (the roof was warped from the body twisting!). After he got done with it, I couldn't even recognize the car. It was perfect.

Of course, I'll never forget him crying about how much he had to pay for original emisions equipment. To replace the factory stock equipment that he had thrown in the trash when he was in high school!

If you need a daily driver, don't even think about the 69. Too much work. Too rare. And it is worth too much (if you restore it) to be driving it to work every day. Not to mention the down time you will have if you decide to "clean it up" in the future. The 05 is a perfect daily driver and you can modify it and hop it up as you see fit. They are going to make a SLEW of these things and you can easily pick up an "original" 05 ten years from now if you decide you want to restore one..

Now, if you DON'T need a daily driver but instead are looking to buy a Mustang to have a play car, then you would be VERY heard pressed to beat the '69! That is one of the best Mustangs (and cars. Period) ever built. They don't make any more of them, so at worse, if you did decide to sell it at a later date, you should be able to get your money out of it and maybe (MAYBE) a bit more. The 05 is going to depreciate at a rapid rate pretty much like ALL new cars (yes, even BMWs!). Eventually, it will start going up again when they get rare, but do you really want to wait 30 years for that cycle to happy? The 2005 is a fantastic car (a true credit to Ford and to the design team!), but the 69 Mach 1 is a 69 Mach 1. Nothing else needs to be said!

 

This is my first Mustang, but I agree with what was mentioned in regards to the '69 Mach 1. B) If you were to purchase the '69, it would probably become a garage queen.......so get the '05 and have some fun everyday.

 

I interpret your post as having a budget of less than $30K.

A classic as you so describe is great as a garage queen, for car shows, to attract attention, and a good investment if it is an original with a rust free chassis and body. The next most important item is matching numbers. If any of those items are missing, the car's worth and potential appreciating value will not be as much as some people want to think. As stock, the car was a pig as far as handling is concerned, high maintenance on the tuning side, and a loser at high speed braking.

If you have mechanical and body work talents, a garage, and the tools, then it might be worth the risk. If you don't, then plenty of money should be in reserve and be lucky to reside in an area where there are professionals to work on it.

I went through that experience with a '68 GT and a '68 V8 vert for my wife. It did not turned out to be as romantic as I thought it would be. The nostalgic look of early Mustangs is exceptional, but so are the present special editions and SVT, not to mention what's in the burner from Ford and its related tuners.

 

well if u get the 05 GT its both a 69 and an 05 lol

 

Whatever I get, '05 or '69, it will stay in a garage and be driven only in nice (dry) weather.

I am fortunate enought to have other daily drivers / winter vehicles.

Budget wise, I have been very frugal - paid my house of a few years ago and have no debt. But the reason I have the money that I do is because I am careful with it. I try to get the most bang-for-the-buck.

But it is awful tempting to go hog wild with a new toy, either way. I think you are all correct about the '69. I would certainly baby it. And even if I got caught in the rain in the '05 - so what. It will kill me to get the '69 "garage queen" wet...

 

I will say one thing. Go drive an 05 Mustang GT. That will help you make your mind up.

Also think about this. Ok lets say you baby the 05 or the 69. You keep it in the garage, never drive but on only nice days. Are you planning on buying either one of the cars to make some money off of it in 1-10 years? If not, enjoy it. Drive like its your last car. When you die you cant take it with you. Thats my thought. Im like a little kid I guess. When I have a toy I play with it everyday. I just cant sit there and look at it. What good is that going to do me.

 

Oh - I did get to drive one. It was like Viagra on wheels...

You are right - you can't take it with you. Ever seen a U-Haul behind a Hearse?

Me neither.


And no, I really would not expect to sell either one in the future to 'make money'. A museum-piece Shelby, maybe - but whatever I get I plan on enjoying it as much as possible...

 

I had a similar (though slightly less expensive) dilemma! I had a '69 fastback that I had built up and driven daily- you can do that year-round here in Florida. But I recently acquired the shell of a '67 coupe that I'm now rebuilding.

Maintenance was beginning to be a pain with the '69 - I didn't want to have 2 cars that needed work. So I oredered a 2005 GT to be my driver. Once it came in, I put the '69 on eBay - and got my price! It has gone off to a new owner in Texas who will baby it not drive it regularly.

The picture below was taken earlier the day the '69 was put on the car carrier to go to Texas. And it's sales has made a signifficant dent in my outstanding loan on the '05.

This one turned out to be win-win all the way around.

 

get the 69 everybody and everybodys grandma will soon have the 05 gt and its not going to be worth as much as the 69

 

hmm...

if i were you i would start a'saving and wait for the upcoming SE from ford... if its a mach 1, bounce on it... if its a boss, bounce on it (if you want)... if the SE that is released is not to your liking, then you would have money saved up for your 1969... just thought i would throw in my 2 pennies

 

Get the 69. I was having the same thoughts as you a few months ago. I was feverishly saving money and paying off my VW to buy an 05 GT in April. Then while out driving one sunny afternoon in late Sept. I spotted a 65 for a reasonable price. So I went the classic route and have no regrets. Granted I've stuck a few K into it since I've gotten it, which you wouldn't have to do with the 05, but boy those oldies sure do sound good going down the road. Either way ya can't lose but I'd go with that Mach.

 

I think you should go with the 05 myself.

 

Interesting post. A topic that I have also pondered, my passion was 1970 Mustangs. Two were stand out cars: 428CJ and the other a Boss 302.

The 428CJ was a pig as one poster said. I felt bruised and beat up everytime I drove it. Manual everything.

I also had to constantly tweak these beasts to keep them running. No time for that now that I'm in middle age.

Another consideration is the safety factor. IMHO, the 2005 is far safer than the 1969 you are considering. Again, depends on where and when you plan to drive. Me, I'm getting a 2005 to drive in the nice weather.

I do think about how popular and everyday the 2005 GT will be this summer. I have thought of waiting until the emergence of a SE model.

Anyway, I would go with the 2005 and enjoy yourself or wait for an SE version if you have the patience to wait until next year.

 

Good point.

In addition, another point to consider is heat. Not just the over heating part, but the one coming in to the interior, which in the summer can be unbearable.

Perhaps it might seem unfair as to the tone of some of the replies posted which are not over flowing with encouragement and support for the '69. The reality is, 35 to 40 years is a very long life for a car regardless of what Barrett-Jackson promotes, which is mainly to raise prices beyond comprehension and fill their pockets.

Had this topic been placed in the "Classic Mustang" forum where the La La Land crowd resides, the replies would have likely been very different with outstanding cheerleading.

My opinion would be for you to wait for a special edition or Cobra, one that you can baby and take care of from the offset providing enjoyable and safe outings. Its restoration would be limited to scheduled maintenance, car washes, polishing and detailing. There is no reason why a classic mindset should exclude a modern classic such as the '03 /'04 Mach 1s. I chose the Bullitt to be mine the day I decided to part from the '68 GT. I am happy and confortable with that decision. I think the good old days are in front of us for all to see and enjoy.

Best of luck with your decision red454.

Happy New Year to all.