1964 - 1966 FORD MUSTANG
BODY & CHASSIS
Some fine-at-firstglance cars may conceal structural rust around rear quarters, rear spring mounting points, floors and sills. Everything needed to rebuild a rusty Mustang is being reproduced but buying a rust-free car in the first place is by far the cheaper option. Up front, look at suspension towers and chassis rails for kinked metal or welds where they should not be, indicating a poor crash repair. Cars with vinyl roof covering may be suffering a rusty turret and those are very expensive to replace. Prices for new lights, bumpers and other chromed items make repairing original units uneconomic. A pair of brand new ‘repro’ bumpers here in Australia cost under $500 plus a bit for freight or you could see what the cost of bringing in a pair; listed at A$280 from the USA.
ENGINE & TRANSMISSION
The 4.7-litre V8s used in early Mustangs are durable little engines with a capacity to generate considerably more power than was standard. Cracked piston rings generate blue exhaust smoke and oil leaks will make the motor look grubby. Listen when the engine is switched off after a run for hissing and rumbling from a cooling system that needs work. Check also for bulging water hoses. Some cars have oversized carburettors that add nothing to performance, just chew fuel. Most Mustangs in Australia use a threespeed Fordomatic transmission that is simple to repair. An auto that slurs its up-changes and clunks coming down needs an overhaul, a manual that clunks but doesn’t crunch or whine is probably OK.
SUSPENSION & BRAKES
Mustang suspensions aren’t sophisticated or costly to modify and some owners have already tipped money into getting their cars to sit flat and not shred the tyres when cornering. Be wary if the steering displays more than 50mm of ‘slop’ at the wheel rim, especially in cars with power steering. Rebuilt 16:1 manual steering boxes start at $300, or spend $1500 on parts for a power steering conversion. Rear springs can sag or crack, so a car that droops at the back is a candidate for new leaves. Some have optional front discs but they work hard and rotors can wear quickly. Feel the rear drums (carefully) after a few stops to ensure that they are warm and not letting the fronts do all the work.
INTERIOR & ELECTRICS
Look for torn and loose trim, especially around the doors and seat bolsters and also listen for dash rattles. Older RHD conversions can be suffering dash deterioration. Electric windows that shudder when moved are sure to jam at some point and be costly to fix. Look at the headlining around the rear window for signs of water leaking through the seal. The doors can drop due to hinge wear and rubber seals routinely fail causing wind whistles. Virtually everything to refurbish a Mustang interior is available new or as a reproduction. Cars with air-conditioning aren’t common and if they don’t blow cold air within 30 seconds start trimming the price as parts might no longer be available.