Any American car nuts on here?
Discussion
A friend of mine turned up at the local today with his new purchase. A Ford Mustang Convertible. 1967 289ci in baby blue with nice wide viper stripes. It sounds the dogs banana 
and he's 23. Son of a gun...
So, in a fit of jealous insecurity I got myself on the internetz and had a look at what's available.
Now, I know I ask the same sort of questions on an almost weekly basis as my car buying habit spirals out of control. I know I spend far too much money. I know it's stupid to have more than one car. I know it's foolish in this economic environment for any one of those cars to be bigger than 900cc.
However...
Can this sort of stuff stand up to proper use? Are they expensive to fix etc? My old man had a late 90's Camaro and I was amazed how cheap the bits were. Is this the case with a 50's or 60's yank?
All the custom car people like Boyd Coddington, Jesse James etc all seem to just lob a fresh crate motor into whatever creation they come up with. Are they really as simple to work on as they look?
Thinking Camaro/Mustang/Barracuda sort of thing...
Anyway. Gratuitous Porn pic... I'd love to create an Eleanor
and he's 23. Son of a gun...So, in a fit of jealous insecurity I got myself on the internetz and had a look at what's available.
Now, I know I ask the same sort of questions on an almost weekly basis as my car buying habit spirals out of control. I know I spend far too much money. I know it's stupid to have more than one car. I know it's foolish in this economic environment for any one of those cars to be bigger than 900cc.
However...
Can this sort of stuff stand up to proper use? Are they expensive to fix etc? My old man had a late 90's Camaro and I was amazed how cheap the bits were. Is this the case with a 50's or 60's yank?
All the custom car people like Boyd Coddington, Jesse James etc all seem to just lob a fresh crate motor into whatever creation they come up with. Are they really as simple to work on as they look?
Thinking Camaro/Mustang/Barracuda sort of thing...
Anyway. Gratuitous Porn pic... I'd love to create an Eleanor
Speak to Nick_bbb
Hangs out in the 'tog forum, but has run plenty of gorgous yank iron.
Also,for more modern stuff Surreymustang
Theres a few more, I'll post back later when I remember.
Hangs out in the 'tog forum, but has run plenty of gorgous yank iron.
Also,for more modern stuff Surreymustang
Theres a few more, I'll post back later when I remember.
Furyous said:
Speak to Nick_bbb
Hangs out in the 'tog forum, but has run plenty of gorgous yank iron.
Also,for more modern stuff Surreymustang
Theres a few more, I'll post back later when I remember.
Thanks. Just emailed Nick Hangs out in the 'tog forum, but has run plenty of gorgous yank iron.
Also,for more modern stuff Surreymustang
Theres a few more, I'll post back later when I remember.
vpr said:
Eleanor................I hate it with a passion. A decent car ruined.
So very wrong
Ok... that seems to be the view of an awful lot of people So very wrong
I'm by no stretch of the imagination an American Car Officianado, but...
I've just read on an old thread about a Ford Torino. Starsky and Hutch style
Going off to find one now. What are they like as an ownership prospect?
Oh my. (and please ignore my post on the Mustang forum )
That really is gorgeous. Personally, I'd have the '09 with the pistol-grip manual gearbox.....in black with 20" Torq Thrusts
Back to the OP's question. Just do it. The US car scene in the UK is full of some terrific people, always willing to help.
Get yourself over to the Mustang Owners Club (and I allowed to add the link? Well I'm gonna - www.mocgb.net )
)That really is gorgeous. Personally, I'd have the '09 with the pistol-grip manual gearbox.....in black with 20" Torq Thrusts
Back to the OP's question. Just do it. The US car scene in the UK is full of some terrific people, always willing to help.
Get yourself over to the Mustang Owners Club (and I allowed to add the link? Well I'm gonna - www.mocgb.net )
Hello, got you mail and found the thread
I've run three classic yanks as my daily (only) car.
First was this '67 Dodge Charger...
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
...love it and drove it 10 miles to work and 10 back every day. Very rarley off the road and mechanical parts cheap and easy to get. Body panels not so easy but specialist forum in the US makes it easier. Would have been better if I ever got round to putting decent brakes on. Boat like handling. 8 mpg.
Next this Kustom 1960 Ranch Wagon...
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
...only kept this for about 6 months. Again manual drums which didn't help, this sucker also had manual steering. 20 foot long, 7 foot wide and 1.5 inches off the ground made it somewhat difficult to negotiate the urban jungle. Turned heads more than any other car I've had though. 18 mpg.
Now I have a '67 Camaro RS....
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
....power disc brakes, power steering, power windows. I nearly bought a '05 Mustang but I guess I love old cars too much and this thing drives like a new car anyway, just without the depreciation. Check out the build photos in the reader ride thread it is practially a new car. Handles great and sounds fantastic. It will also fit into a regular parking space. Every single part is available for Classic Industires in the states, most of it cheaper than Mondeo parts. 17 mpg.
So I say go for it If you buy a 'stang or a Camaro the only cost you may wince at is the petrol, but think about no tax, cheap insurance and no depreciation and you'll soon forget about that.
I've run three classic yanks as my daily (only) car.
First was this '67 Dodge Charger...
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
...love it and drove it 10 miles to work and 10 back every day. Very rarley off the road and mechanical parts cheap and easy to get. Body panels not so easy but specialist forum in the US makes it easier. Would have been better if I ever got round to putting decent brakes on. Boat like handling. 8 mpg.
Next this Kustom 1960 Ranch Wagon...
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
...only kept this for about 6 months. Again manual drums which didn't help, this sucker also had manual steering. 20 foot long, 7 foot wide and 1.5 inches off the ground made it somewhat difficult to negotiate the urban jungle. Turned heads more than any other car I've had though. 18 mpg.
Now I have a '67 Camaro RS....
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
....power disc brakes, power steering, power windows. I nearly bought a '05 Mustang but I guess I love old cars too much and this thing drives like a new car anyway, just without the depreciation. Check out the build photos in the reader ride thread it is practially a new car. Handles great and sounds fantastic. It will also fit into a regular parking space. Every single part is available for Classic Industires in the states, most of it cheaper than Mondeo parts. 17 mpg.
So I say go for it
If you buy a 'stang or a Camaro the only cost you may wince at is the petrol, but think about no tax, cheap insurance and no depreciation and you'll soon forget about that. Edited by nick_bbb on Friday 15th August 23:33
Drive one first though, won't you. While these cars look great, you have to remember that the steering is vague, the brakes weak and the rust protection slight - in other words, typical 60's cars. That's not to say they can't be used as daily cars but stuff like the Torino you mention will be far harder to get parts for. Like any Tank, service parts are very cheap and for cars like the Mustang, there is a mega-industry in replacement parts but shipping, import duty and VAT will kill you every time on body panels.
The last gen Mustangs are cheaper, faster and easier to look after, as well as being newer and more resilient but lack the glamour of the older cars.
A friend of mine has a '68 General Lee Charger but there's always something going wrong mainly due to 40 year old wiring.
The last gen Mustangs are cheaper, faster and easier to look after, as well as being newer and more resilient but lack the glamour of the older cars.
A friend of mine has a '68 General Lee Charger but there's always something going wrong mainly due to 40 year old wiring.
KingRichard said:
That Camaro is lovely
Thanks for getting back to me. So if I spent somewhere between £8-10k what should I be looking at? Just want to get some ideas at the moment rather than say 'I want a mustang', 'I want a challenger' etc...
£8-10k will buy you a nice SN95 Mustang (the "Euro" shape one, prior to the current S197). It would also buy you a '65/'66 Mustang Coupe. Not a Fastback though, they always command more (£12-20k).Thanks for getting back to me. So if I spent somewhere between £8-10k what should I be looking at? Just want to get some ideas at the moment rather than say 'I want a mustang', 'I want a challenger' etc...
Whilst it's true they are 40 years old, the Mustang can be bought up to date with decent powered rack n pinion steering, disc brakes, modern suspension etc etc. But that can end up being pricey. The aftermarket for the Mustang is HUGE.
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