Finished a car, not a Porsche

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Adam Wright
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Finished a car, not a Porsche

#1 Post by Adam Wright »

My collection has one oddball in it, a 65 Mustang Fastback. I bought it several years ago. I had a vision in mind but didn't want to spend big money in case I didn't like Mustang's very much. So I started cheap, a six cylinder automatic, basically Grandma's Sunday Stang. First I added 5 lug spindles and new suspension, then added the Magnum wheels. From there I added the gold stripes, to give it the look of a Hertz Shelby. But it still had the anemic six cylinder and sloppy auto gearbox. I was loosely on the hunt for a 65-66 Mustang that was a heap with a golden motor. I had actually seen these pop up several times. After about a year sort of looking I found a 66 coupe with a 289 V8, 351 Heads, and a hot cam, all mated to a three speed manual gearbox. The car itself was a rusty heap, but the motor was very nice. Apparently the guy ran out of money after doing the motor. So I brought both cars to a shop around the corner and he did the swap. So after about 5 years of having the Mustang I drove it home tonight and it is now exactly what I wanted, a patina car with a period correct, slightly modified motor, mated to a manual box. It's fast with a nice rumble. And I sold the green car in a day with my old six bolted in it.
Can't wait for Spring!
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Doug Darrah
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Re: Finished a car, not a Porsche

#2 Post by Doug Darrah »

Nice looking car Adam ----the 289 is a great engine, Good Luck with the improved Mustang. :-)

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Adam Wright
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Re: Finished a car, not a Porsche

#3 Post by Adam Wright »

DOUG DARRAH wrote: Sat Mar 06, 2021 4:44 pm Nice looking car Adam ----the 289 is a great engine, Good Luck with the improved Mustang. :-)
It seems just right, power, but not scary power.
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Mike Wilson
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Re: Finished a car, not a Porsche

#4 Post by Mike Wilson »

The 289 is a great engine. I actually transplanted the 200 cu.in. six into a Ford Falcon after the 144 cu. in. failed. The two-speed Fordomatic handled the extra horsepower and torque but I kept blowing side gears in the differential. While exploring SE Asia, my dad and brothers swapped out the rear end with one from a Fairlane. It was a real sleeper.

Mike
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Martin Benade
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Re: Finished a car, not a Porsche

#5 Post by Martin Benade »

The fearsome 200” was breaking side gears?
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M Penta
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Re: Finished a car, not a Porsche

#6 Post by M Penta »

Nice Fastback Adam, bet that 289 is much more fun.

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Adam Wright
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Re: Finished a car, not a Porsche

#7 Post by Adam Wright »

She was singing today, the new 302 was just roaring!
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Martin Benade
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Re: Finished a car, not a Porsche

#8 Post by Martin Benade »

When did the 289 get upgraded to a 302?
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Adam Wright
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Re: Finished a car, not a Porsche

#9 Post by Adam Wright »

Martin Benade wrote: Wed Apr 12, 2023 6:33 pm When did the 289 get upgraded to a 302?
Last fall when the 289 pooped the bed.
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Harlan Halsey
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Re: Finished a car, not a Porsche

#10 Post by Harlan Halsey »

Reminds me of the time when I was living in Jamacia Plain (Boston) in an apartment one window of which overlooked the rear parking lot. One evening a group of guys appeared with a beat up Ford and proceeded to remove the engine. The left the car late that night with parts strewn all around. The following evening a wrecker appeared with a greasy engine dangling from the hook. The evening after that the car was gone leaving behind an oily, greasy, patch and junk parts all over. I thought I had witnessed the birth of a Fordillack.
That was "a way not taken" I moved to Cambridge and bought a Porsche. :D

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Martin Benade
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Re: Finished a car, not a Porsche

#11 Post by Martin Benade »

Sounds a bit like the job I did I’m my apartment (front) lot In college. I put a BMW 2002 engine into a Datsun 510, quick enough that the maintenance guy didn’t get me evicted.
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Ronald Sieber
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Re: Finished a car, not a Porsche

#12 Post by Ronald Sieber »

Adam:
April 17 is National Mustang Day, when our babies were first rolled out to the American public. I have a copy of the official press release pamphlet from April 13, 1964 and my 1964.5 Mustang convertible with an anemic 260 V-8 and a whiny 3-speed is waiting to go. Ready to roll up my blue jeans and go out for a burger at the local stand on Monday.

Sorta like "Drive your 356 Day!" :D

=rds

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Re: Finished a car, not a Porsche

#13 Post by Michael Branning »

In 1970, my grandfather in Miami called my dad and told him about his new car, I think a Torino. He’d traded in his (purchased new) 66 Mustang and my dad ended up flying to Miami and buying it from the dealer for the trade in value, then driving back to SC. It was a 289 with the automatic transmission and aftermarket AC. I learned to drive on that car in the late 70s and eventually paid my dad $700 for it while in college. I got my first experience doing some light restoration - mechanical, interior paint, carpet/upholstery myself. If you took a corner too fast the front wheels flexed and an outside wheel would throw off a hubcap. I got good at finding them…I didn’t have much money. Never lost one. I sold the car back to my dad after graduation and he let me sister drive it. Eventually he traded it to a jeweler neighbor for a diamond ring for my mom…they were too poor to afford and engagement ring back in 1961. No idea where it is today sadly.
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Adam Wright
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Re: Finished a car, not a Porsche

#14 Post by Adam Wright »

My 80 year old mom mentioned that her first car she ever bought new was a 65 Mustang, so I had to take her for a ride. Of course I did!
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Daryl Bertram
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Re: Finished a car, not a Porsche

#15 Post by Daryl Bertram »

Fastbacks forever Adam! Yours has nice patina and the stripes look great from any angle. That must have been a fun project. Son Derek has the '65 Mustang his grandfather restored and painted a '93 Chrysler color 'Dandelion'. The pic is south of Julian, Ca.
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