1964 1/2 Mustang perfect restoration (pro touring)?

[6fastback7]

there is plenty of bolt on suspension setups (coil-overs or airbags).. bolt on rack and pinion setups...then a set of 17inch rims and your good to go and you havent destroyed anything.. you can always go back to stock if you decide to sell it in the future.

[twosaturns]

you all know how the bolt on route goes, one thing leads to another.
lots of people love original 64-65 cars and think they are great (my friends grandfather has a '65, all original, he was so proud of it's only mod; he added facory power steering!) these peole are perfectly content driving around on sundays at 35mph and having people tell them "hey, cool car!"
I say, wait until your grandfather passes and then sell it. (don't mean to sound morbid, sorry).

[megaladon6]

1 it's a rare car (or at least semi-rare)
2 your grandfather apparently put a LOT of work into it.

either sell it to someone who will take proper care of it, or do just enough to make it driveable without doing anything irreversible. i'd pull the engine and trans if you go this route.

[monza]

I'd keep it as is, store it properly. Like money in the bank.
Finish the car your already working on and drive it hard.

[OldMechanik]

I would leave it alone and take it to shows...well that's what I'm suggesting to you. I can't leave anything alone!

A well restored car is hard to find, but not always much fun to a gearhead. Sure some guy who likes to wax the lint off it and stare at the "properly placed decals and grease pen markings" would love to take it to concourse shows where it's judged on originallity, but as a street driver it's a lame car and a waste of a machine. (from a hi-performance standpoint)

Only you can decide what to do...mods that can be reversed or a total P-T job. Maybe you could learn to enjoy trailering it to car shows or perhaps you should sell it and buy a car without the emotional strings to modify.

[bamadale]

i would probably leave it alone if it's in that kind of shape. my mustang coupe was an original cylinder car with all kinds of rust in it. so that's the reason i'm modifying it some

[NOT A TA]

First thing I would do is find out why the car feels sluggish. Even a stock 289 2V with a C4 wasn't all that bad (yes I owned them). Maybe there's carb or timing issues?

Next thing I'd do is drive grandpa around in it if thats still possible. Spending some time in the car with him might be fun and it would probably make him happy. It might also open the opportunity to ask him what he thinks? Maybe he wanted to replace the springs and stuff but just figured why bother because he is old and wouldn't get much use out of them. He knows you're a "Hot Rodder" right? So he may be figuring you'll do things to it already.

[garner67]

Even if you aren't a fan of Mustangs, that sure is one heck of a family heirloom. What an amazing gift!

If it's really been restored to stock specs it would be a shame to mess with it. However, as others have said, you could easily upgrade a few things to improve performance (shocks, springs, sway bar, good engine tune up, etc), which still could be reversible.

Whatever the case, keep it and drive it for a little while, just to show your grandpa some respect. Then, some time down the road, sell it "as is", and use the cash to fund a project that really excites you.

Can you post some pics of the car?

[HotRod47]

Just my .02 cents.

Take it from me, NEVER sell the car!! My grandfather had a 66 that was a black on black 289 C4 car. When he died in '89 my grandmother gave me the car. I needed a couple grand and promptly sold it off. Twenty years later I can tell you I would give anything to have that car back. The thing had just come out of the body shop with new paint and everything. It was a great car. It is one of my top 5 biggest regrets in life.

If I were you I would make some bolt on changes and enjoy the car for what it is. Even if you don't care for the car much what would it cost to store it for a while. Some day you may have kids and wouldn't it be cool to pass down grampas car to your child??

[Fast68back]

You could use this build as an inspiration...

http://www.dvsrestorations.com/bossoverview.html

They got this


In the car without modifying anything on the car or drilling any new holes in the chassis.

[Steeevooo]

Hey man I'm in the same situation as you with my 64 1/2...I've had it for 14 years now (since i was 8 hah!) my dad picked it up for me for 500$ no rust no nothing, it still has its 200 straight 6 in it with numbers matching and purrs like a kitten and I just decided that I'm gunna chop it up and make it roar like a lion I can't get rid of the car no matter how many times I've tried it just seems it was meant to be...I just finished my 66 with many great opinions and help from all these wonderful people on here and I'm gunna be chopping this one up and doing it all over again and I can't friggin wait! So good luck on what ever you decide man but my .02 says chop, cut, and rebuild!

[mc84_zz4]

Another vote for not cutting it up.
Bolts ons, sure, tires, wheels, shocks, sway bars,
headers, and stop.
The 289 should be fun as hell to drive, it not enough, save the original and drop in something hotter.
But leave everything else stock appearance.
He would expect you to keep it as a reminder of him, and he knows you love cars. You can always undo the bolts ons later.

Another bolt on I would consider are disk brakes, I think those are 4 drums IIRC.

[trapin]

Another vote for Bolt On's if the car has sentimental value and you don't plane on showing it. Otherwise sell it and use the money on another car. If you plan on selling it though, don't do it until after Gramps is gone, might break his heart.

[Bryce]

keep the car because its your grandpa's. But Keep it relatively stock and make some suspension mods so that you appreciate the car as much as he did!

Take him for a few last rides with it slightly improved handling and faster.

[Z06killinSBF]

First of all, I don't think 64 1/2's came with 289, the C4 in those years are slush boxes, and simple suspension mods make a huge difference.

If I had that car: Grab-A-Track suspension package, nice coated LT's with Magnaflow exhaust, change to a 70-later C4 or add a shift kit at least, convert to 4 barrel with RPM intake and nice 600cfm carb, Granada brake conversion, Shelby drop, maybe even some 3.50's.

Also, face it. That factory steering set-up will never be nice. I went through a complete front end re-build just to turn around and by a rack unit. Maybe manual convert with Shelby arm.

Just do easy, tasteful mods. There is no need to go all out with crazy suspension and roll cages.

[barraza]

64 1/2 and 65 mustangs are not particularly valuable or rare. There were over 100,000 of those convertibles made. A quick check of ebay has a couple of "stunning" restorations in the mid $20k's.

Starting with a restored car is probably the best way to do any car. Suspension, wheels, and brakes bolt ons will make it a nice driving package and it will not offend the purists.

[wmhjr]

64 1/2 and 65 mustangs are not particularly valuable or rare. There were over 100,000 of those convertibles made.

I wasn't aware that they still made 64 1/2 stangs. There may have been a ton built, but how many are still out there - original? Grandpa spent a bunch of time and money making it original. To me, it makes a bunch more sense to take something clearly not original and make "tasteful" modifications than to take a very well done original car nad modify it.

As for "stunning" eBay restorations in the 20's, I guess it all depends on perspective. Maybe I'm just giving too much credence to the car in question, but eBay is the very last place I would look in terms of a high quality original collectable.

[19,69camaro]

I say do simple bolt-ons and just drive it. When you want something more sell it

[barraza]

I wasn't aware that they still made 64 1/2 stangs. There may have been a ton built, but how many are still out there - original? Grandpa spent a bunch of time and money making it original. To me, it makes a bunch more sense to take something clearly not original and make "tasteful" modifications than to take a very well done original car nad modify it.

As for "stunning" eBay restorations in the 20's, I guess it all depends on perspective. Maybe I'm just giving too much credence to the car in question, but eBay is the very last place I would look in terms of a high quality original collectable.

Sentimentality aside, mustang verts are not rare. If it was an unrestored original, it would be a little different. Just don't throw any parts away, and you can always put it back stock if you want. I have done the same thing with my 68 camaro, it is a one owner SS350, it could be put back completely stock looking with a couple of days work, but I'm sure I never will, because like you, I hate trailer queens and sitting at car shows. The values I referenced for those cars on ebay reflect what you said about driving it,

it is AWFUL to drive

Don't make the mistake of building a car the way you think others will like it. Build it the way you want, it will make a great car with the connection to your grandpa.

[Bryce]

keep the car because it WAS your grandpa's make the car YOURS by doing what you want.

DO NOT SELL THE CAR. The rare thing about the car is it was your grandpas.

I am building a 65 mustang k-model (kinda rare) with my dad. We are making it a drag car. Leaf spring rear suspension and I am designing a bolt in coil-over system for the front. We have built the car without drilling any new holes. So it can be returned to stock if ever desired.

But my dad has owned the car since 1964, I will NEVER sell it. It has too much personal value.