original or the way i would like it?

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87fox72mach

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My Car
1995 firebird rebuilt motor 5 spd dail driver
1987 grand wagoneer plow truck
1987 mustang lx 5.0 work custom engine bay and paint
1972 mach 1 project
hey guys im having a hard time deciding which way i want to restore my car and want some opinions, i did a marti and found that my car is loaded and goin to get a title the proper way, now i really dont like the color combo and my other mach that i scrapped for parts was medium yellow gold with ginger interior my car now was metallic blue with silver and it had a blue interior, now the car is a 1971 M code car, fodl down seat, 8 track, factory RAM air, magnum 500 wheels, ps, pb, staggered shocks, rear sway bar, conveinence group, tach, A/c etc. now i know the market for these cars is growing now im 22 i dont know if any one my age now will be into these cars in say 35 years so resale value im not sure if i should be worried, i dont have the original drivetrain iam going big block either way, but how much of a difference is it if i keep the same options but paint and interior are different ? any input on how you guys decided to restore your caR? Factory or Fun?

 
Well, we decided to keep my '71 M-code as original as possible.

The main reason being they only made 100 Grande M-codes w/toploader.

Back in October the engine cracked its block. My first thought was to

drop a 427 in it, Don of OMS offered me a rebuilt Cleveland long block

and we went with that. If you plan on selling the car some day it is likely

worth more original.

mike

 
I lean towards keeping them original if it were mostly original already, but if you don't have the original engine you might as well do it up for fun.

 
I lean towards keeping them original if it were mostly original already, but if you don't have the original engine you might as well do it up for fun.
We later found out the engine that developed a cracked block was

not the original engine. Did not even have matching parts. Had

D3 heads and a D2 block. The engine I got from Don of OMS

has matching D1 heads and block plus it is quench as my March '71

would have come with. How often does something like that land in

your lap?

mike

 
Based on how you titled the thread it sounds like you know what you want, and it's not an original restoration. If you know "how you would like it" and that's different from an original restoration, go with how you would like it. If it had all of the original stuff still with it in decent condition and you could bring it all back from the dead, I might say go against your gut and fully restore it (just because those cars are hard to come by), but if what you want is a restomod, do it. It's not healthy to go against your gut and end up regretting it. You should love looking at and driving your 'Stang.

Just my 2 pennies.

 
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It's ultimately your's. Do as you please just save the factory stuff in case you find someone that is willing to buy at your price if needed. Enjoy yourself!!

 
Based on how you titled the thread it sounds like you know what you want, and it's not an original restoration. If you know "how you would like it" and that's different from an original restoration, go with how you would like it. If it had all of the original stuff still with it in decent condition and you could bring it all back from the dead, I might say go against your gut and fully restore it (just because those cars are hard to come by), but if what you want is a restomod, do it. It's not healthy to go against your gut and end up regretting it. You should love looking at and driving your 'Stang.

Just my 2 pennies.
I would have to agree... if she "can be" all original.... you'll appreciate the result. mine for example has all its original parts with exception to intake, carb, rear gear. SO my original motor sports some trinkets, my interior will have to be mod up because I cant locate the correct parts for my power windows..and I'm making the rest of her look as original as possible...almost best of both worlds.

 
"original or the way i would like it?"

It's your car, if you like it original go for it, if you want something else go for it. If you're looking at as an investment, keep it original.

 
"original or the way i would like it?"

It's your car, if you like it original go for it, if you want something else go for it. If you're looking at as an investment, keep it original.
I would generally agree with that but the market right now, with right now being key, resto mods are bringing twice the money of a "numbers matching" original car. But could just be the normal phase, build what you want. You have to be happy with it. But with out the original drive train it will never be "original"

 
I would say that unless you are able to eventually achieve a high-scoring show car (MCA & Concours level) or just are absolutely satisfied with the car in it's original form, then as the other guys said, "build what you want." The cars are already cool in their original form - anything done to enhance 'em just makes 'em that much cooler.

I'm fortunate that mine came with most of the options I wanted. I just picked it out of a Craigslist ad and decided then and there to go for it - without knowing anything more about the '71-'73 world than just 'I wanted it to fulfill a teenage dream.'

After getting into it and learning more about what these cars are all about, I've made some decisions based on the things I would want, along with things that I'll definitely need if I were to buy a new car. I plan on driving mine after it's back together - so safety and comfort demand a few things will need to be added or replaced (better rear visibility, A/C, new-style 3-point seat belts, etc.). Beyond a set of cool wheels and the rest of the options available, I'm good with the visual appearance of the car as original... but I need me some A/C living out here in Texas.

Good luck with your decision - no matter how you go, you'll have every one of us here in your corner egging you on. :D

 
My M-code is also "loaded" with similar options so I'm keeping it mostly original. I hate buying a used car of any make/model and wondering what the heck the PO has done to it. Having said that I'm going to put a Tremec 5-speed in the M-code because that's going to be my fun car...but all else will be un-modded or mods that would be period correct that could have been done at the dealership.

When I was 16-26 years old I modded the heck out of my 65. Now that I'm 40 I wish I would have been more selective as to what I had done to it and find myself un-modding it back to a more original look. I refer to mods as the path to the dark side like in Star Wars...go too far and your car becomes Darth Vader and can never go back.

 
I had the same problem when I began my project last August. My dad was the original owner and so I actually asked his permission to make the changes I wanted to make (not that I needed to, but it just made me feel better). Ultimately we both decided to make the car the way "we" wanted it, rather than returning to original.

 
Looks like the consensus is make it yours! Personally to me it would depend on how modified it already is, if it still has the original unmolested drive train, interior etc it would be very hard for me to do anything but keep it that way and recondition what needed it. It's easier to modify them then to try and put them back into their original condition, I bought mine for sentimental reasons of trying to keep a part of that era alive so I try to keep it as true to it's original condition as possible while balancing it with the dependability and improvements of new parts such as a moderm carb and an ignitor to replace the points.

Jim

 
I would generally agree with that but the market right now, with right now being key, resto mods are bringing twice the money of a "numbers matching" original car.
Bingo ! There's some numerous reasons for that..The restomod has a much larger market vs. the original numbers matching nut & bolt restoration market..The elite concours market appeals to a select group of collectors (limited) while the restomod appeals to the general public (mass) There are plenty of top notch numbers matching cars out there, the reason you don't see them is because they are stashed away in private collections..They very rarely come up for sale & when they do it's usually first offered to the "inside club members" Other elite collectors "In the club" A tastefully done restomod affords one the ability to build a car that is a one of a kind or one that still retains the out side look of the car with all modern components..Much more desirable to the "average mass market joe" It's the best of both worlds if DONE correctly. Tnfastbk's car ..My Camaro are perfect examples of maintaining that fine balance of keeping the car kinda looking stock but with subtle exterior enhancements..& upgrading the suspension, interior,driveline to put them on par handing, performance, & safety wise with todays technology.. As an example if you took Tn's car & put it side by side next to the same exact car done as a numbers matching concours resto...Bring in a group of people off the street..& ask them which car they would rather have or which they would be willing to spend more $$$ on..I think you know the answer..The numbers matching car is going to mean squat..The point..very limited appeal on that type of car.

 
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Develop a plan and do it the way you want it. Building a car costs enough money doing things once, let alone re-doing things because you change your mind. Plan the build and stick to the plan. You'll be glad you did.

 
Develop a plan and do it the way you want it. Building a car costs enough money doing things once, let alone re-doing things because you change your mind. Plan the build and stick to the plan. You'll be glad you did.
+ however many numbers will fit on here for making a plan before you start and stick with it.

Thank you Q for the kind words on my heap.

 
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