fastback?

so I'm looking to get my first car and Ive pretty much decided I want a 69 or 70 mustang fastback

can any1 tell me anything 'bout these cars that I should know? Little tips for restoring them or what to look for things like that.

thanks a lot

mike

Mike,

Pretty cool cars! The Mach 1 will bring a LOT more money than a plain ol' Mustang "sports roof" (what Ford called the "fastback"). Any and everything that "fits" Mach 1, fits all the others of the same year, as far as good performance or restoration parts.

Main thing to look for is the same as any cars of the era. Rust... A little here and there can be dealt with. If the rear stamping where it makes a sort of a "subframe", is rusted through, pass on it. That would be a good candidate for a race-only car, where the rear suspension and under panels are replaced ("back halfing").

Should be penty of restoration and replacement parts out there. Mustang is in the "top 10" in popularity.

When you find one available, at a price you can afford, let us know what you see, and we can help you figure if it's worth the effort or not.

Jim

One problem almost unique to Mustangs of that era are metal fatigue cracks on the shock towers. These are the two sheet metal pockets where the front springs go. Raise the hood and look for any cracks on these towers, especially at the tower base where they meet the unit body. They may be tough to find, especially in V8 cars and where there is a lot of dirt and debris.
Pass on any car you find with cracks, its a pretty extensive repair. Also beware of any home made looking welds or patch jobs in this area (or, for that matter anywhere else on the car.

Remember to lift up the trunk mat and have a good look at the trunk floor. As I recall, the trunk floor is actually the top of the gas tank. The tank has a flange around the perimiter that sits on top of the body. The flange and the surrounding body area loves to get rusty.

Shock towers for 69's or 70's are 169 bucks per you can find them easy. Now shock towers for 1971-3 Mustang are hard to find, no company sells them.