This is a hypothetical project, hence the name "What if". To play this game please follow the rules. You can have other hypothetical additions to the game however you may not add any cash to the project unless that cash comes from selling something (car or parts) that you have on hand and you may not purchase (or receive as a gift) any car that is not in the list or use one you already have unless it is specified in the scenario.

The scenario:

You have $2000 that your grandparents have given you purchase a car. In addition you have been saving money and add $3844.16 to the pot for a total of $5844.16. Your elderly next door neighbor has offered you their wrecked 1978 Granada if you can do something with it. You have searched the local papers and found three possible projects. Their descriptions from the ads are as follows:

1965 Mustang V6 / 5 spd - Rusty but complete $1600
1972 Maverick 2dr V8, runs and drives but rough - $400
1996 Mustang 6 cyl "project" car - $200 must sell this week!

You can PM me with questions to the specific ads however only ask questions pertaining to a single vehicle in a single PM. In other words you wouldn't ask the Maverick owner about either of the Mustangs. Note that the prices in the ads are correct however the descriptions may or may not be. Do not assume anything.

Which car(s) will you buy (and why) and what is your plan? Which will you fix, flip or part? How will you spend your money? What other parts will you buy? What will you fix yourself and what will you hire out and at what cost?

Note this is not to see who is gets the better deal but to see who asks the right questions and what you would do with your money. There are no wrong answers. Be creative but be realistic. Make sure you include everything you would do. ie: If you are taking the free car make sure you state that. Also make sure you include any information you find out about the any of the cars available. If you are purchasing other parts include a link to the Craigslist, eBay or online ad with a real part for the amount you are claiming to be spending (if you find a deal you have to prove it).

Please have your project posted by Midnight Mon Nov 30!

Enjoy!

Bill

 

A V6 1965 Mustang??? You mean I6, right?

 

Its a special edition super rare 65

I'd take the project mustang and part it out. Then buy a nicer one with the money earned.

 

i would go with the 96 and do a v8 swap,

if you get a
car for 200
crate engine for say 3400.00
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MLL-BP3472CT/

trans for 550

8.8 rear end for 250.00

headers 150.00

exhaust 200.00

tires 350.00

that would leave you 950 for various ods and ends, pulleys hoses, ect

you would have a beast of a ride

 

What is the goal? There is no stated goal other than a project. With that in mind, I have two possibles:

Drag car or restomod.
---
Drag car:

The Granada is the obvious choice, as it's free. You can gut it, fix the sheet metal however you want (funny car sounds fun...) and have a ton of fun in the thing. It'll be pretty balanced, and hard parts are still available for it (brakes and such) and since it's wrecked, nobody will care. Only problem is you'll have to get a trailer or tow bar or such to take it to the strip, but those aren't terribly hard to deal with.

Get a 351 outta some wreck in a yard (unless it's got one) and have fun building it up. A nice auto or a good manual, decent rear end... just a fun bracket racer. Nothing terribly serious, just something to be loud and obnoxious, and maybe win a couple here and there.

---
Restomod:

Anything but the Granada, but for me? 65 Mustang... but it sounds like it's a frankencar already, and it's scary... without seeing it. It's also, being a rusty 6 cyl (I don't care what's in it now) got a lot of problems, and as such, it's about $1000 too high, unless it's a vert... then it's $500 too much.

The Maverick would be fun to play with if the sheet metal's ok... but parts for it might be nigh on impossible to find. Stick a 5.0 in it and it'll be a *blast* to play with though...

Which leave the 96 v6. And that is the obvious choice. Parts are readily available, and the car itself is cheap... but at that cheap, I'd wonder what's *really* wrong with it. It sounds like nothing about the car is usable...

So none of these.

---
Third option:

None of the above, find something else that tickles the fancy. Like a *good sheet metal and frame* car, and do whatever you want to it for a restomod.

---
Fourth option (the one I pick as 'official' for me):
Put that money in a savings account for something really fun (or a rainy day) when it comes along, because none of these are worth playing with.

 

I said the prices were correct but the descriptions may not be. So the owner of the car thinks it is a 6 cyl but doesn't know the difference in an I6 or a V6.

 

No one has bothered to "PM" and ask questions. There are hidden bits of information that might make a difference to you. Don't always take an ad for face value!

There is no goal stated because it is your project. What is your goal?

Bill

 

Easy. 96 car for $200. $1500 for a used 5.0/T5/8.8. $1500 for a full cage. $1000 for big brakes. $400 used Hoosiers. $350 entry fee for Camaro-Mustang Challenge road racing. $200 beer and good barbeque for the weekend.

 

I'll take the '65 for $1600.

 

i thought this was just for fun, i am not gonna start pming and all that jazz, we stated our opinions basing all cars were pretty similar in condition, atleast a roller if it gets any more in dept, i would just start another project myself! ! !

 

Well this kind of worked like I thought it would but if anyone had PM'd and asked the other information was as follows.

78 Granada ESS - 75000 miles, t-boned on the passenger side but all ESS parts still perfect. Engine is 100% complete with all smog parts and perfect for someone restoring 78 Mustang II. Car has been garaged since wrecked in 86.

65 Mustang - Owner was incorrect in description as it happened to be a V8 / 4 speed A code fastback. It had minimal rust but was faded Emberglo in color and looked like surface rust all over.

72 Maverick - Grabber, 302 4 speed needed complete restoration

96 Mustang V6 Project Car - This was the closest to the correct description. Teenager bought a wrecked Super Coupe and moved everything over to the Mustang. ALL parts from the Super Coupe were there. Wiring harness installed and the car ran however it just needed finishing. Kid lost license and parents were selling it to show they were still in charge.

 

Then i stand by my choice, stroker moter, if i got any spare change a little giggle juice.

i could actually sell the super coupe parts to recoupe some of my loss.

78 Granada ESS - 75000 miles, t-boned on the passenger side but all ESS parts still perfect. Engine is 100% complete with all smog parts and perfect for someone restoring 78 Mustang II. Car has been garaged since wrecked in 86.

not worth my time to straighten it out, its still a granada.......

65 Mustang - Owner was incorrect in description as it happened to be a V8 / 4 speed A code fastback. It had minimal rust but was faded Emberglo in color and looked like surface rust all over.

i wouldnt be satisfied wothout doing a complete restoration, out of my budget....

72 Maverick - Grabber, 302 4 speed needed complete restoration

not my choice of cars.........

 

The price on the Summit engine looks pretty good. It is neat to see how different people approach things or value things. I would have bought all 4 and got the freebie then try to figure out how to tell the wife! In the liquidate or else mode I would probably end up keeping the Maverick. Note the boat projects in my signature. Not a quality discussion topic at home!

 

ya see, my problem there is i already have 6 cars, i miiiight be able to squeeze 1 more in but no way would i get 2 much less 4

that would be a divorce waiting to happen......

 

You guys just didn't train your wives correctly. My wife insisted I buy my Pantera (our 7th vehicle). I guess she knows that they're only going up in value, thus kind of our retirement fund...

 

my wife has no problem with me getting more cars, but it goes like this

our curent house can only fit 5 cars, 2 in the garrage, 2 in the driveway and one on the street, if i want more cars then i need to buy her a bigger house and more parking spaces.

one day i will buy some property with a shop on it to store and work on them.

 

For me it's not the number of cars but the number of unfinished projects! Too many ideas, not enough time. She didn't want me to sell the Dagenham or the Sunbeam. She said I would want them back some day. I guess she was right!

 

What happened to expanding your driveway?

 

it is a work in progress we only moved in a week ago, even if i do the driveway then i can fit 6 cars total.

 

since you have six cars, that works for now