The case for driving a 71-73 mustang

[Don65Stang]

My stang is in the shop right now getting a total engine rebuild.

She has 147,000 miles on the original engine and once we started to pull it apart, it was like changing the washer in the bathroom faucet.

Once you start and get deeper into it, you might as well go all the way.

Just curious what will that cost? I bet it will still be cheaper than a $475 or more payment each month; wash, rinse repeat x 60 or 72 months.

Yes the potential to be upside down with out cars is there but it's a whole lot less of a hit than driving a new car and selling it 5 years later.

Example pay $25k for a fixed up Mach 1. Say you had to do $3k maintenance. In five years you could potentially drive it all that time and potentially still sell it for $25k. How much did you really lose? $3k?

Or buy a new (pick your price) car. Drive it for 5 years then sell it for 60% of the price you paid. How much did you lose on that one?

Which is the better deal? For me, the nice old car wins every time. Once I get the new to me 73 vert fixed up a little, that will be my daily driver that appreciates in value no matter how may miles I put on it.

 

[mpbsr]

My stang is in the shop right now getting a total engine rebuild.

She has 147,000 miles on the original engine and once we started to pull it apart, it was like changing the washer in the bathroom faucet.

Once you start and get deeper into it, you might as well go all the way.

Just curious what will that cost? I bet it will still be cheaper than a $475 or more payment each month; wash, rinse repeat x 60 or 72 months.

Yes the potential to be upside down with out cars is there but it's a whole lot less of a hit than driving a new car and selling it 5 years later.

Example pay $25k for a fixed up Mach 1. Say you had to do $3k maintenance. In five years you could potentially drive it all that time and potentially still sell it for $25k. How much did you really lose? $3k?

Or buy a new (pick your price) car. Drive it for 5 years then sell it for 60% of the price you paid. How much did you lose on that one?

Which is the better deal? For me, the nice old car wins every time. Once I get the new to me 73 vert fixed up a little, that will be my daily driver that appreciates in value no matter how may miles I put on it.

We're looking around $4500. Yeah I know, ouch!

I even thought maybe a crate engine would be the way to go, but the shop whom I trust said it would be alot more with the install and I would be better off with the original being totally rebuilt.

With the tranny being rebuilt 2 years ago, I hope this it, but I know better.

With all that's said and done, I've now passed the "buy" price of the 73 2 years ago with what I've done to her with repairs and cosmetic stuff.