71 On craigslist

[turtle5353]

I think it makes for an easy way to recover. While 22K seems high for a "shell", you really are buying what is arguably a pretty nice car - you don't need to do the swaps if you don't want to. - which also gives you the option of driving it for a while and making the swap-overs a winter project.

You also have the option of selling off good parts and recouping some cash. Not a bad deal, in my opinion...

thanks for the input guys.

71coop, this is exactly what i was thinking...... drive it this summer, then teardown over winter and do my upgrades. Sell off everything that's left.

 

[Hemikiller]

Sounds like a plan to me. The $22k is an investment in time and effort. Parts are easy to swap, paint not so much.

FWIW, you could drop that 302-C4 into your car so it's still a running, driving car that's easy to move while you decide what to do with it. I hate pushing cars.

 

[clevelandcoupe]

Turtle,

I am too on the band wagon for the purchase of the "body donor" for all your cool stuff. Your car would almost for sure need more attention that you realize at this point. Take the drive and check it out without hezitation....

Thanks, Jay

 

[turtle5353]

Thanks for the input fellas. Always appreciated! The more I look at this car the better it seems. As long as it really is clean as he says it is, this should work out great. Now to get everything squared away with insurance and find out if there are any travel restrictions due to covid 19 between here and SC.

 

[72MustangSprint]

Thanks for the input fellas.  Always appreciated!  The more I look at this car the better it seems. As long as it really is clean as he says it is, this should work out great. Now to get everything squared away with insurance and find out if there are any travel restrictions due to covid 19 between here and SC.

Looks like a VERY nice car, definitely worth getting a close look. Not many restrictions in the south now other than maybe Florida, don’t see any problems taking a nice road trip to S.C. Good Luck

 

[7173Vert]

Well I got some info on the car and it sounds really good.  It was a standard plain Jane Mach 1. 302 car with c4 trans and 2.79 rear.  non-ac.  Standard interior. Car is numbers matching.  Looks like the car has spent its entire life in the Charlotte SC area. The owner now is a 72 year old man from SC. He collects alot of cars and has some beautiful ones. Has 19 right now and wants to sell 10-12 of them. Several tri-5 chevys. Chevelles. A Cobra. ECT. He bought this car about 5 years ago and had it repainted.  Its all original panels, no rust.  He said hes not a mustang guy but when he came across this car he said he had to buy it. Had what he believes to be the original paint when he bought it. Very clean.  I talked for probably an hour on the phone with the guy. Super nice gentlemen.  Sounds like a no-BS kinda guy. He sent me pics of some of his collection, and they are beautiful.  I'm really thinking hard about making the 10 hour drive to go check this one out in the near future.  Its almost identical to my car.  My car had a few more options.....AC, deluxe interior, Tach, ect.  But I can swap all that stuff from my car into this one. 

So, what do you guys think??

Here's a little plan if i get this car.  And forgive me for tearing up a numbers matching car , but its only a plane jane 302 car.

Pull drive train and interior. Install my motor with fuel injection and classic AC, install 4r70w trans, install my rearend, install coilovers and nice suspension all way around, install my center gauges and tach, install my seats,my louvers, rims and tires, and anything else i want. Drive it like i stole it.

What do you guys think?? I can then sell off the rest of my parts and the ones removed from that car.

So essentially I'm buying a really nice shell for $22,000

In you current and unfortunate predicament, I would do it in a heart beat. Good luck in this possible pursuit.

 

[droptop73]

Did ya buy it yet?? LOL, it looks and sounds like a nice car. It's certain you will find more wrong with your original car when you peel back the onion. I'd be interested to know what you find as you go through the process.

 

[donkost]

The more I look at that '71 302, the more I think it would be a shame to not keep it original since it is a numbers-matching car that survived this long. It looks to be very clean and well-cared for, and if that is this guy's property he has probably been maintaining all of his cars to a high degree. It would be a cool car for someone to pick up as their main cruising machine, even thought it is a base Mach 1 (nothing wrong with that). I have never driven a stock 302-2V with I believe 150 gross horsepower. Seems like a lot of car for that hp rating, but obviously many people have them in Mach 1's, convertibles, etc. Plus the 302 can of course be upgraded while still appearing mostly stock. Ok I'll shut up now! lol

 

[NOT A T5]

71 302 gross horsepower rating is 210 not 145  :whistling:

 

[turtle5353]

Nothing wrong with a little 302. My car originally started out as a 302. I drove it that way for several years. But I do have my 408 Cleveland with around 600hp just itching to get back on the road. There's nothing like the sound and feel of having more HP than you need! LOL!! I know alot of the purist may not like what i will do to that car, but it will be better in every way when I'm done with it. Going to be a great driver. EFI, Automatic with OD, A/C, Power disc brakes at all 4 corners, coil overs, subframe connectors, list goes on. All to make the car run and drive much better than the 302 and stock suspension, and manual drum brakes. Not going to ruin the car in my opinion, just make it more refined.

 

[boilermaster]

Kevin,

After what you have been thru, you deserve to do exactly what you WANT to do.

That includes ANY modifications to what ever car you purchase, make it your own or you will never feel comfortable in it.

Boilermaster

 

[jpaz]

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with removing the 302. I’m mean it’s just a 302 2v, so not rare or anything. Make the car what you want and have fun!

 

[Stanglover]

Just think of it as a body job on your car. If your car were to be fixed, you'd have what you already have, so this would be like an instant body repair job. Just go do it!

 

[Lazarus]

Nothing wrong with a little 302. My car originally started out as a 302. I drove it that way for several years.  But I do have my 408 Cleveland with around 600hp just itching to get back on the road.  There's nothing like the sound and feel of having more HP than you need! LOL!!  I know alot of the purist may not like what i will do to that car, but it will be better in every way when I'm done with it.  Going to be a great driver. EFI, Automatic with OD, A/C, Power disc brakes at all 4 corners, coil overs, subframe connectors, list goes on.  All to make the car run and drive much better than the 302 and stock suspension, and manual drum brakes.  Not going to ruin the car in my opinion, just make it more refined.

I am definitely in the “do what you want” camp as well, particularly when doing what you want makes an improvement in performance, safety, or reliability in the car.  But that’s why I tend to stay away from rarer-optioned cars. 

That said, I would be tempted to save the original drivetrain if you have the room to store it. It’s probably not worth a ton anyway and since everything else you refer to can be undone fairly easily, I would think keeping the numbers-matching drivetrain would leave the option to go back original in the future for you or the next owner if that was at all a concern.

 

[donkost]

71 302 gross horsepower rating is 210 not 145  :whistling:

Yes, I was thinking of net hp in '72, which was actually 140 hp for the 302.  Hey the inline 6 was 145 gross hp in '71, interesting.

 

[donkost]

Nothing wrong with a little 302. My car originally started out as a 302. I drove it that way for several years.  But I do have my 408 Cleveland with around 600hp just itching to get back on the road.  There's nothing like the sound and feel of having more HP than you need! LOL!!  I know alot of the purist may not like what i will do to that car, but it will be better in every way when I'm done with it.  Going to be a great driver. EFI, Automatic with OD, A/C, Power disc brakes at all 4 corners, coil overs, subframe connectors, list goes on.  All to make the car run and drive much better than the 302 and stock suspension, and manual drum brakes.  Not going to ruin the car in my opinion, just make it more refined.

Agreed, but what I was trying to say is that this '71 302 Mach1 looks like such a nice car on its own, someone might snatch it up as their way into the classic car hobby.  The seller might even negotiate down to $20K if he's trying to sell multiple vehicles, and you don't see clean, numbers-matching, base Mach 1's very often.  Hopefully you already have some money down and have plans to check it out.  If this one sells, your next choice might not be anywhere near as good.  I wish you the best of luck going forward regardless of what happens!

 

[BeerDontCount]

I think if that car could talk it would be begging you to swap in the 408 stroker.

 

[mach71351c]

Kevin I say yes!! My only thought is take the ride your self to inspect so you can make sure it would meet your standards. 

Would be sweet if it checks out.

 

[mjlan]

That car looks like a great starting point!

I would not think twice about modifying a nice, original 302 2V car, its value is in its condition not its equipment.

-Matt

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

Swap in the 408, then throw the 302 driveline in your old car after removing all the damaged sheet metal and sell it as a project car.