Classic Muscle Cars

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: kevman
what was the reason for not being able to sell with a roof?

I would love to see some old Mopar body shells being made, put me in a 69 or 70 roadrunner and that's all the muscle car I need!

you can now buy a "brand new" 1968 Dodge Dart Hemi Super Stock. All new front suspension and steering for a much more civilized car.

Made by Mr Norm.

http://www.autoblog.com/photos...-gss-hemi-dart/631624/

 

[thedarkwolf]

Originally posted by: kevman
what was the reason for not being able to sell with a roof?

It was somethig along the lines of without the roof it was just considered a body part and they didn't have a license or whatever to make the whole body. I can't remember exactly. Its been at least 2 or 3 years since I saw the Tv show.

 

[Q]

Firebird?

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
If you like mustangs but don't want to see 50 cars just like yours every time you go to a car show then a Mercury Cougar is the way to go. Same thing as a mustang only with more evil installed at the factory. Not a pristine example but I like that look.

cougars were sisters to the thunderbirds, not mustangs.

i'd be tempted to order all-new parts and build a chevelle. or the Monkeemobile (GTO wagon convertible with a huge chrome supercharger, oh yeah!). maybe a checker cab hot rod?

OP: factory five has a very good reputation. as an alternative, you could do a caterham or westfield (lotus 7).

 

[zerocool84]

Originally posted by: Iron Woode

Originally posted by: kevman
what was the reason for not being able to sell with a roof?

I would love to see some old Mopar body shells being made, put me in a 69 or 70 roadrunner and that's all the muscle car I need!

you can now buy a "brand new" 1968 Dodge Dart Hemi Super Stock. All new front suspension and steering for a much more civilized car.

Made by Mr Norm.

http://www.autoblog.com/photos...-gss-hemi-dart/631624/

The car is great except the god awful wheels but that can always be easily changed.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
If you like mustangs but don't want to see 50 cars just like yours every time you go to a car show then a Mercury Cougar is the way to go. Same thing as a mustang only with more evil installed at the factory. Not a pristine example but I like that look.

cougars were sisters to the thunderbirds, not mustangs.

No dude they weren't. They became sister cars to the thunderbird in 1974. Before that they were mustangs.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
If you like mustangs but don't want to see 50 cars just like yours every time you go to a car show then a Mercury Cougar is the way to go. Same thing as a mustang only with more evil installed at the factory. Not a pristine example but I like that look.

cougars were sisters to the thunderbirds, not mustangs.

No dude they weren't. They became sister cars to the thunderbird in 1974. Before that they were mustangs.

oh. the 1971-73's give the impression they are bigger.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
If you like mustangs but don't want to see 50 cars just like yours every time you go to a car show then a Mercury Cougar is the way to go. Same thing as a mustang only with more evil installed at the factory. Not a pristine example but I like that look.

cougars were sisters to the thunderbirds, not mustangs.

No dude they weren't. They became sister cars to the thunderbird in 1974. Before that they were mustangs.

oh. the 1971-73's give the impression they are bigger.

Actually I was wrong too. wiki
Mustang based till 73 then they switched to the Torino platform till 77 when they went to the t-bird.

 

[BUTCH1]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf

Originally posted by: Colt45
Camaro and mustang are so overdone. I'd get a chevy II, if it were me.

Track down one that a grandma has left in her garage for the last 30 years, drop in a big engine, go to a heavier gearbox and rearend, maybe tub it.. do some suspension work... Everything is available for them, everything.
Text

Anything that has easy to get parts available is over done. Need to step up to something like an AMC Rambler if you want to be 😎. That one is just a straight 6 but its done right. If you like mustangs but don't want to see 50 cars just like yours every time you go to a car show then a Mercury Cougar is the way to go. Same thing as a mustang only with more evil installed at the factory. Not a pristine example but I like that look.

Ahh, memories, I had a '69 XR7 Cougar, really a neat car, had the retracting headlights and the sequential rear directional lights and a factory tach which was actually somewhat rare for those days..

 

[AMCRambler]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf

Originally posted by: Colt45
Camaro and mustang are so overdone. I'd get a chevy II, if it were me.

Track down one that a grandma has left in her garage for the last 30 years, drop in a big engine, go to a heavier gearbox and rearend, maybe tub it.. do some suspension work... Everything is available for them, everything.
Text

Anything that has easy to get parts available is over done. Need to step up to something like an AMC Rambler if you want to be 😎. That one is just a straight 6 but its done right. If you like mustangs but don't want to see 50 cars just like yours every time you go to a car show then a Mercury Cougar is the way to go. Same thing as a mustang only with more evil installed at the factory. Not a pristine example but I like that look.

Another vote for getting a Rambler here! The cars ae dirt cheap and while aftermarket new parts are more scarce then a big 3 car, there's a good following of NOS vendors out there. I'd say go for something 1967 or later if you get a Rambler. That's when they changed their V8 blocks and standardized the mounts and bell housings so things are pretty interchangeable. A 1967-69 Rambler American with a 390 in it is a bad ass machine. That's what the Hurst SC/Rambler basically was.
If you want something a little sportier find a Javelin with a six in it and swap in a V8. They had a whole bunch to choose from. 343, 360, 390 and the 401.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Just buy a WRX-STI. Faster, handles far better and actually has brakes that will stop it when needed. Really just a much better car all around.

What's your budget anyway? Buying a fixer upper and actually restoring it will cost you as much or more than buying a decent current model car that would kick the crap out of it in performance and safety.

gave up on the exige?


Anyway...with muscle/pony cars the main error people make is to try to get the most authentic and rarest of the breed. It's really not necessary for a daily driver.

First you will have to pick the style you want the early mustangs are everywhere and a great platform to build on as parts are readily available whereas if you wanted an AMC you'd have a much harder time.

Powerplants can be whatever you'd like for the most part. The best bet is EFI equipped crate motors (the basic types, not $10k+ race builts). They are cheap (compared to a full out rebuild usually) and usually have a bit of a warranty.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
If you like mustangs but don't want to see 50 cars just like yours every time you go to a car show then a Mercury Cougar is the way to go. Same thing as a mustang only with more evil installed at the factory. Not a pristine example but I like that look.

cougars were sisters to the thunderbirds, not mustangs.

No dude they weren't. They became sister cars to the thunderbird in 1974. Before that they were mustangs.

oh. the 1971-73's give the impression they are bigger.

Actually I was wrong too. wiki
Mustang based till 73 then they switched to the Torino platform till 77 when they went to the t-bird.

wiki:
1977-1979
There were now Cougar sedans, complete with opera windows, a lower-line coupe, and even a station wagon, which lasted only one year.

wow, never even heard of them

 

[Blunc]

Originally posted by: BUTCH1

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf

Originally posted by: Colt45
Camaro and mustang are so overdone. I'd get a chevy II, if it were me.

Track down one that a grandma has left in her garage for the last 30 years, drop in a big engine, go to a heavier gearbox and rearend, maybe tub it.. do some suspension work... Everything is available for them, everything.
Text

Anything that has easy to get parts available is over done. Need to step up to something like an AMC Rambler if you want to be 😎. That one is just a straight 6 but its done right. If you like mustangs but don't want to see 50 cars just like yours every time you go to a car show then a Mercury Cougar is the way to go. Same thing as a mustang only with more evil installed at the factory. Not a pristine example but I like that look.

Ahh, memories, I had a '69 XR7 Cougar, really a neat car, had the retracting headlights and the sequential rear directional lights and a factory tach which was actually somewhat rare for those days..

AFAIK none of the cougars had "retracting" headlights, they had healight "doors" that covered up the headlights. About the only cars that had "retracting" headlights in the "olden" days were corvettes and opel GT's.

I once heard over a CB-radio (yes, it was a long time ago): "Hey man, at 110mph my headlight doors cover my lights."

 

[alkemyst]

Most don't care for the cougar looks...I don't know about them being ever considered higher performance than the mustang line though.


A interesting car is the 69-70ish Maverick. Much like a Mustang underneath.

 

[Blunc]

mavs had a tendency to rot out the unibody framework, the same with their cousin the merc comet.

I once flirted with the idea of converting a 67 Catalina wagon to something like an El Camino but didn't have the place to do the conversion.

 

[alkemyst]

ALMOST ALL cars of this generation rotted out.

GTO, Mustang, Camaro/firebirds etc...

Rustproofing and proper drainage has come a long way.

 

[Blunc]

yes, most cars of those gens rotted out but cars with separate frames can have panels and floorpans replaced. If you have a rotted subframe it's game over unless you are prepared to fab up a replacement subframe.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Blunc
yes, most cars of those gens rotted out but cars with separate frames can have panels and floorpans replaced. If you have a rotted subframe it's game over unless you are prepared to fab up a replacement subframe.

I don't think you understand how to restore cars.

Frame or not the panels being available or not is all that matters and even then it's not rocket science to do most of these repairs if they are not.

 

[BUTCH1]

Originally posted by: Blunc

Originally posted by: BUTCH1

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf

Originally posted by: Colt45
Camaro and mustang are so overdone. I'd get a chevy II, if it were me.

Track down one that a grandma has left in her garage for the last 30 years, drop in a big engine, go to a heavier gearbox and rearend, maybe tub it.. do some suspension work... Everything is available for them, everything.
Text

Anything that has easy to get parts available is over done. Need to step up to something like an AMC Rambler if you want to be 😎. That one is just a straight 6 but its done right. If you like mustangs but don't want to see 50 cars just like yours every time you go to a car show then a Mercury Cougar is the way to go. Same thing as a mustang only with more evil installed at the factory. Not a pristine example but I like that look.

Ahh, memories, I had a '69 XR7 Cougar, really a neat car, had the retracting headlights and the sequential rear directional lights and a factory tach which was actually somewhat rare for those days..

AFAIK none of the cougars had "retracting" headlights, they had healight "doors" that covered up the headlights. About the only cars that had "retracting" headlights in the "olden" days were corvettes and opel GT's.

I once heard over a CB-radio (yes, it was a long time ago): "Hey man, at 110mph my headlight doors cover my lights."

Your right, it was the doors not the entire headlight assembly..

 

[thedarkwolf]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
Most don't care for the cougar looks...I don't know about them being ever considered higher performance than the mustang line though.


A interesting car is the 69-70ish Maverick. Much like a Mustang underneath.

No the cougar wasn't considered higher performance then the mustang more like equal only with more luxury. The biggest difference between them is you couldn't get a cougar in the fastback body style and all cougars are v8s. Think the only v8 you could get in a mustang and not a cougar at any point was the 351 Boss. Looks are subjective but I love the cougar looks and would gladly take a cougar over a regular mustang coupe. When you start talking mustang fastback vs cougar then things get a little different but mustangs fastback are getting way too expensive.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

As much as I love Camaro's and Mustangs's they are overdone and way too common for my liking. My picks would be

69-70 Chevelle SS or Malibu
64-65 Ford Fairlane
68-69 GTO
68-72 Nova
64-66 Impala SS

 

[alkemyst]

OP what's your budget? This would really seal the deal.

 

[Raduque]

68 442. But only because I used to have one.

 

[440sixpack]

I'm pretty sure I can say that if reasonable price is a factor, pretty much any Mopar is out. 😀

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: 440sixpack
I'm pretty sure I can say that if reasonable price is a factor, pretty much any Mopar is out. 😀

I wouldn't say that..but any original big block equipped car or those with the hot small blocks of any popular 60-70's make are tremendously expensive across the board.

Like I said above though, it doesn't make a lot of sense to go full-restoration to original specs for a DD.

A modern powertrain and suspension keeps all the look and multiplies the performance.