Tent Find: 1970 Ford Mustang Fastback Project
All upside down. That’s what the offer of this 1970 Mustang SportsRoof is. The car is a shell that has been made up into a Mach 1 (kinda), but with no engine or other associated driveline components other than an engine that will be thrown in if the bid reserve is met. However, that’s not a 1970 302, which would be correct, but a 1972 351. If this is your kind of project, you can snag the car here on eBay for a bid higher than the current sole offering of $13,500. Then you’ll be responsible to get yourself to Weare, NH, to collect it and start its journey back to life.
So let’s be clear: you’re buying a body, not a car, and even then, who knows: “The car was a functioning roller,” the ad says. “Was”? What is it now? “It has been stripped for media blast.” That’s funny, because all the chrome trim, the windshield surround, and even the grille and headlights are still attached. Oh, wait—that’s in an apparent “before” picture. There are some later images of a body shell. And this is where the story turns, possibly to the good.
“Super Clean—Texas Car.” In fact, it might just be that. Pictures can only tell so much, but the body seems salvageable. At least some of the rust seen is surface, although that might be a bit generous, because the ad says the floor will need to be replaced, and that there’s some damage near the gas tank. That’s another way of saying that the rails inside the trunk are probably kaput—and now you’re at the point where many a Mustang has gone to heaven. Perhaps this one, being a fastback (SportsRoof, in marketing parlance of the day) is worth a media blast and a good look around. But by that point, with shipping, you’re way over $15,000, and you need a lot—an interior, an engine, a new significant other once your current squeeze figures out how much of the household money you’ve just frittered away.
OK, let’s look hopefully at this: if cost is no object, you can get this pile of parts, do the metal work, and turn it back into a dead-stock SportsRoof, planted with a 302 between the fenders. That’s a no-muss, no-fuss authentic restoration. Not everyone has to have a Mach I, Boss, or Shelby, and car show fans appreciate the base models a lot. Plus you never know what the Marti Report will turn up as to how this car came equipped from the factory. Maybe a surprise–a pleasant one–awaits the diligent new owner.
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Comments
Currently about $10,500 too much.. With all the metal work and sourcing replacement parts you will be upside down with this car in a hurry..
So I can buy this rusty mess for $13,500+, or I can buy a brand new body for $17,500. “Hello, Dynacorn?”
True, but what you have is a bare body shell, throw in another $500 for the mandatory crating fee and you are in at $18k plus shipping for a totally bare shell, nothing else. You have to buy literally EVERYTHING else, fenders, hood, grille, bumpers, front suspension, rear suspension, steering wheel, dash, interior plastics, glass, and the list goes on. A new body makes perfect sense if you have a rusted out car with the other required and salvageable parts to transfer over to the new body. Or you can buy everything and build an entirely new Mustang from a catalog. I’m not saying that this car is a good deal, restoration costs from body repairs could be the cost of a new shell, but you still have all the included parts to work with. The ad is sort of vaguely worded so it is hard to tell exactly what you have, and looking at the provided photo’s, there appear to be quite a few parts. Not my kind of project though…
I suspect most of the included components you name will need to be restored or replaced, anyhow. That’s how it was when I restored my Mustangs. Almost no chassis parts were salvageable. A-arms, lower control arms, bushings, steering linkage, steering box, brake lines, brake hoses, brake cylinders, springs, shocks, etc, etc, etc — all replaced. Trim, too – rocker panel moldings, bumpers, grille, taillight trim, back-up lights, etc, etc, etc. Fortunately, all of that stuff is available and affordable for early Mustangs. It just doesn’t make sense to restore a body and hang all kinds of old, worn-out parts on it.
Dynacorn is made in china,
an invasive, rip off of what is an otherwise iconic piece of American history
shame on who ever buys one.
I would never suggest or just bolt on parts without a thorough inspection and replacement/rebuild. Mustang parts are definitely less expensive than GM or MOPAR parts, so thats a plus for the Mustang guys. But to buy a bare shell and build an entire car out of catalogs is going to get astronomically expensive really fast. Every single part has to be acquired. It is estimated that there are 30,000 individual parts on the average car… better in my mind to have a bunch of parts to start with than nothing.
It only has one bid, but i am in shock it even has one!!
failed mach-1 copy
One bid at over 13K for this ‘nuthing but problems’ project. Must have a brother-in-law in his back pocket.
At least the owner smarten up and decided it’s not worth the time or money to fix it!!!
Where does it say it was media blasted ? Just looked the add….nada!