I realize this site is all about Ford trucks, but...
My 13 year-old son has fallen in love with a '68 Mustang coupe a friend of mine has for sale. It needs work, but this would be an ideal project for me and my son to work on 'till he's 16. Does anyone know of a good forum out there where I could get an idea of what this car is worth?

 

Besides a few of us that own Classic Mustang's being right here.

The best web site would be.

www.vintage-mustang.com
another is

www.stangnet.com


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A very good choice, IMO, for a father/son project that (providing you don't get too radical) will accumulate value as well. My only suggestion is to be very wary as some repro parts are very poor quality. Another site for info is www.fomoco.com

 

Old cars like old anything do need constant attention. As a daily driver for your son it might become a pain. Unless it is a total mechanical resto be prepared for getting the wrenches out regularly. Not that any of the newer stuff is better, but parts are more readily available. It is a great idea for the father-son project and Mustang parts are probably easier to find than other '68's. Rust is a hidden evil in these types of cars as there is no frame. Then tend to buckle at the weak points. If you do decide on buying and restoring it I hope it works out well as it's always great to see old iron rolling down the road with someone younger than the car driving. Good luck.

 

Thanks for the tips and info!
We have taken some pictures of it, so maybe we can make an informed bid. Wish us luck...It's running, but is missing door panels, exterior chrome, etc. It should be affordable.
Thanks again. I knew I could count on y'all for a point in the right direction.

 

In case the bid falls through and you want to look at other Mustangs, may I make a few suggestions?

- Don't go older than 1968, this was the first year for lighted side marker lights, collapsable steering column, etc. Safer than '64 1/2 - '67.

- If you find one with 4 wheel drum brakes, budget a switchover to front discs. Stopping distances will be shorter and more competitive with modern cars (lessening the chance of a rear-end collision with a modern ABS car than can stop on a dime).

- Stay with Ford small blocks. Cheaper to rebuild, repair and feed than the 390+ engines. More insurable as well.

- Research parts availability for the year you are considering. Example: certain 1969-'70 parts can be a little more difficult to find or more expensive (e.g., quarter panels, dashboard pads)than preceding years, although the repro market is starting to come around.

- Rust. A nightmare in a unibody design. Short of cars that have undergone $$$ restorations, your car will have some. Check the usual suspects (rockers, trunkfloors, floorboards, quarter panels)but be aware that rust could be anywhere. A particularly nasty area resides in the cowl, below the vents between the hood and windshield. Run a garden hose over the vents of any candidate you are considering. If leaks are spotted inside the car below the dashboard, you have a major project on your hands.

- If you are considering going newer than '68 and find a nice '74 - '78 Mustang II for sale, run for your life. My first car was a 1974 Pinto, er, uh Mustang II, and boy, was it a dog!

Good luck.

 

Make your son save up his allowance and pay for it him self. That's what I did. He will take care of the car better

 

If you guys are intense, you might want to restore it completely as an investment. A local stang shop near me restored a 66 fastback2+2. They were selling it for $13,000. They didn't get that car in mint shape either. Just a thought. P.S. Don't forget what the guy before me said. Go for safety, we drove those forehead splitters because we had to. Your son could have better.