Ford Mustang 1966 as a "all year" car? Possible

[nicki84]

I've been thinking about swapping my Volkswagen Sharan with a Ford Mustang 1966... Yes I'm european

But the climate in my country might not be so Mustang friendly. It is in a way similar to New York, we have cold winters but not as hot summers. Our summer is just shorter and the winter is longer. Can a Mustang survive that kind of weather?

I will be moving at some point soon, and I'm trying to find a place with an indoor garage or some kind of nearby storage that can fit a car. But for the time being the car would be outside all year in sun, rain and snow (it snows very little - a month or so).

And how much of a mechanic would I need to be to keep it running?
I learn somewhat quickly, but right now I'm limited to tire pressure and filling it with gas, window swip and oil.

 

[badge]

>>I learn somewhat quickly, but right now I'm limited to tire pressure and filling it with gas, window swip and oil.<<

If you needed a part for a '66 Mustang, where would you get it in Europe? Of course if you are an ace at checking the tire pressure, filling the car with gas, window swiping and checking the oil there is nothing you can't do when it comes to restoring vintage American cars in Europe.

 

[nicki84]

Parts are not that big an issue. There are shops, and two neighboring countries with even cheaper parts.

I know my mechanical skills needs to be bumped up. But I can't practice on my current car. To much electronic stuff that can be messed up. Worst case scenario, a good friend of mine is a mechanic. He drives an old restored Camaro, so far it's not complaining about the weather (it's stored inside when not driven)

I'm more concerned about rust, and what (cold) weather does to a Mustang. Does it have tendency to break in cold weather or something like that...

 

[buwish]

I had a buddy who drove a 1967 Mustang for awhile throughout the year. The only issues that he had was a lack of heat in the winter and issues driving in snow. Just be prepared to keep it maintained year round.

 

[joefriday]

An old car like that is not a good fit for daily use. First of all, it really needs updating in the brakes and handling department. A lot of mustangs of that vintage were manual brake. Not that that's a bad thing, but something you have to get used to when driving. Also, power steering was an option only, and the power steering that was offered, was so overboosted it was almost scary. Finally, the biggest drawback to that vehicle is the carb and the ignition. If you're looking at a bone stock classic mustang, you're going to have to deal with points ignition, which generally require setting every other oil change. A carb usually needs a rebuild every 3 to 5 years, depending upon use and climate as the gaskets and seals wear out. Plus, a carb does not make adjustment for elevation or temperature, and can be prone to vapor lock in hot climates.

With your level of skill, an old car like that for a daily driver would be a bad idea. It would be unreliable at best. Don't let nostalgia get in the way of reality.

 

[Kithzaru]

The cold and the snow would be the things I would be most worried about. I have never owned a Mustang, but I've owned 2 classic Nova's and, while I've driven worse in the snow, they weren't all that great either.

Not sure how you guys feel about chains/cables in the snow either but, you wouldn't want to put those on a vintage car in the off chance they break.

Aside from that, depending on how cold it gets, I don't know how the carb would act. We never saw below freezing here, so it wasn't an issue.

Also, a note specific to the mustangs. From what I've read, those eras have a tenancy to literately rust from the inside out. A lot of guys I used to know would put a well fit plastic cover over the intake section at the base of the windshield, because water would pool in there and after time make a mess of things.

If you want a sweet car, a 66' Mustang is choice. If you want an all season car, there is definitely better.

 

[Crashman]

I've been thinking about swapping my Volkswagen Sharan with a Ford Mustang 1966... Yes I'm european

But the climate in my country might not be so Mustang friendly. It is in a way similar to New York, we have cold winters but not as hot summers. Our summer is just shorter and the winter is longer. Can a Mustang survive that kind of weather?

I will be moving at some point soon, and I'm trying to find a place with an indoor garage or some kind of nearby storage that can fit a car. But for the time being the car would be outside all year in sun, rain and snow (it snows very little - a month or so).

And how much of a mechanic would I need to be to keep it running?
I learn somewhat quickly, but right now I'm limited to tire pressure and filling it with gas, window swip and oil.

Mustang was designed by a Michigan company for Michigan drivers. It's best suited to cool or cold climates, though the radiator is appropriately upsized for warmer weather. Unfortunately, creature comforts weren't a big deal in 1966 and a car was expected to be somewhat cold when the weather was cold, so don't expect it to be toasty warm inside at -10° C unless you've had it running for a long time.

Based on the Falcon economy car, the first-generation Mustang was built kind of cheaply: Cheap seats, cheap carpet, poor sound dampening, etc. It was supposed to attract first-time buyers in their early 20's who couldn't afford a nice car but still wanted something sporty.

The general observations made by others apply: Unless the car was retrofitted with improvements, it probably has undersized drum brakes even on the front wheels, an undersized sway bar on front and none on the back (I believe that was a dealer-added option), and, unless it's in perfect condition, will feel like a tin can.

About rust: Cars were made to look good for 3 years back then. People who wanted to keep them longer would take them to a professional undercoating shop and have the job done right, not paying for the poorly-added option at the dealership. Undercoating also helps reduce noise to a much greater extent on old cars, so it could make your tin can sound more like a real car on the road.

 

[occupant]

I don't see why not. The 3.3L six (200cid) was used in Europe throughout the 70s and 80s. The transmission is so simple a caveman could work on it. The body can be replaced. If you scour the repop catalogs for 60's pony cars you'll find if you have a save-able shell and frame, you can build the entire car on mail order.

Once the kids move out of the house, my wife wants to give up her beloved Durango and we're going to build her a perfect '67 or '68 convertible in dark blue inside and out. I intend to make it a 302 HO EFI with AOD, 4-wheel discs, 5-lug spindles, 8.8" axle, all the goodies. In theory it'll be like driving a 1993 Mustang GT mechanically, but looking much better. Then again, I had a '93 GT for a few weeks back in 1998. That was a NICE car. But its guts in a '68 ragtop with Deluxe interior, chrome Cragar Super Spoke wheels, Magnaflow exhaust, KYB shocks, urethane bushings everywhere, and modern tires would be so much better.

 

[Crashman]

I don't see why not. The 3.3L six (200cid) was used in Europe throughout the 70s and 80s. The transmission is so simple a caveman could work on it. The body can be replaced. If you scour the repop catalogs for 60's pony cars you'll find if you have a save-able shell and frame, you can build the entire car on mail order.

Once the kids move out of the house, my wife wants to give up her beloved Durango and we're going to build her a perfect '67 or '68 convertible in dark blue inside and out. I intend to make it a 302 HO EFI with AOD, 4-wheel discs, 5-lug spindles, 8.8" axle, all the goodies. In theory it'll be like driving a 1993 Mustang GT mechanically, but looking much better. Then again, I had a '93 GT for a few weeks back in 1998. That was a NICE car. But its guts in a '68 ragtop with Deluxe interior, chrome Cragar Super Spoke wheels, Magnaflow exhaust, KYB shocks, urethane bushings everywhere, and modern tires would be so much better.

If you get a V8 mustang to begin with, you'll already have five-lug spindles. And the 5.0 HO devalues your car, even as a hot-rod, simply because it's so bland. Yes, I had a 5.0 HO in my Thunderbird, it's a nice engine but there's nothing special about it.

Now if you were to build a 428...or even fake a 428 with a 390...and then did something really custom like outfitted that with EFI, you might have something special.

 

[Zulla]

oh
I like this car))

 

[Bruceification73]

I know this is an older thread, but who cares.

An old car like that is not a good fit for daily use. First of all, it really needs updating in the brakes and handling department. A lot of mustangs of that vintage were manual brake. Not that that's a bad thing, but something you have to get used to when driving.

Who would buy a 66 mustang for the excellent handling? It's for looks and for fun, not for comfort/smoothness.

But yes, it may be a little much for that old of a car to be driven and stored daily in Europe. I wouldn't recommend it necessarily, but I wouldn't not recommend it.

 

[cicicicico]

niiiiccce

 

[cicicicico]

I agree bruce.

 

[wip99gt]

I lived in a town in northern Alberta for a few years. I had a '70 impala i drove year round and one thing that made a huge difference in the winter was a different carburetor with an electric choke on it. Start ups were much easier in the winter. Another thing you'd want to look at is if the engine has a block heater.

 

[joefriday]

I know this is an older thread, but who cares.



Who would buy a 66 mustang for the excellent handling? It's for looks and for fun, not for comfort/smoothness.

But yes, it may be a little much for that old of a car to be driven and stored daily in Europe. I wouldn't recommend it necessarily, but I wouldn't not recommend it.

Because this guy is a car noob, and he lives in a country where the mustang was not produced, making replacement parts rare and expensive. If you look past your own interests and put yourself in the OP's shoes, a classic car as a daily driver (that's DAILY....meaning everyday, rain, snow, sleet, and it has to WORK everyday, hop in and go driving) is a terrible idea. That would be like us asking about using a 60's Jag as a replacement for the family's Taurus. Now, sure, I've been known to drive a few 'parts cars' as dailys for a few months at a time, but I'm blessed (or cursed? LoL) with owning 6 Fords, so if one of my more 'classic' cars decides to throw a hissy, it can sit until I have time to repair it while I drive my modern daily driver, plus my old cars get to see only summers as the truck and the daily drivers take the brunt of the other seasons. Not everyone has that safety net. In addition, the increased maintenance of an old classic will cost significantly more money than a modern daily driver to keep on the road if you're not the one doing the work. Not everyone has the know-how, tools, or even the desire to rebuild a carb, change plugs, adjust points, grease balljoints and tie rods, replace drum shoes and springs, or flush radiators. To me its a labor of love, but I'm a car guy with experience under my belt, and not some fresh dude asking a bunch of computer enthusiasts if it's a good idea to drive a classic foreign car daily as sole means for transportation.

 

[realbogus]

RUST! 1960's American cars were NOT rust proof. Your winters will have that unibody for lunch.

As for reliable, sure, they are. Simple and reliable. Not a problem... but as mentioned above, their brakes suck and the handling isn't great. But both problems can be addressed and fixed.

As a collectable, the 1966 'stang isn't a hot ticket item, so restore it, modify it, who cares, do what you want. Top dollar for a '66 Stang is in the mid-$20k range. Even for a convertable. For a coupe, $15k to $20k. Not a blue chipper.

The Mustang is also sized right for European roads. Not too big, not too small. And in the states, TONS of parts are available. Just be willing to pay the freight.

 

[Psychoteddy]

I've been thinking about swapping my Volkswagen Sharan with a Ford Mustang 1966... Yes I'm european

But the climate in my country might not be so Mustang friendly. It is in a way similar to New York, we have cold winters but not as hot summers. Our summer is just shorter and the winter is longer. Can a Mustang survive that kind of weather?

I will be moving at some point soon, and I'm trying to find a place with an indoor garage or some kind of nearby storage that can fit a car. But for the time being the car would be outside all year in sun, rain and snow (it snows very little - a month or so).

And how much of a mechanic would I need to be to keep it running?
I learn somewhat quickly, but right now I'm limited to tire pressure and filling it with gas, window swip and oil.

Well, winters get as cold as -20C here in Ohio and I see a few 60s Mustangs rolling around town. I think you'll be ok

 

[hankki]

10 years ago I drove a '64 Plymouth Valiant as my daily driver and winters here in Finland are usually down to -30C and I never had a problem related to the cold weather. After the Valiant I drove a '79 Dodge Aspen several years all year around and the only problem was freezing doors, bad seals for side windows.

 

[buzznut]

Weather shouldn't have any more effect on the mustang than any other car.

My buddy Glenn owned a '65 1/2 mustang forever and he was from the Seattle area. He spent a year out here in Colorado and didn't have any problems. The Denver metro area is not bad, its the mountains of Colorado that earn our crazy snow reputation.

At any rate the worst thing you have to worry about is the Mag chloride around here, don't know if that road salt is used where you live. I recommend you wash the car at least every two weeks

 

[galeener]

I own a 1970 Z28 that I have had since 1982.
I know its not the exact same as the Mustang but similar build metal and parts.
I drove this to school in Illinois gets mighty cold there in the winter and we use salt on the road. As long as you take care of it and wash it off every week mine was fine. I also lived in the country on gravel road and parked it in an unheated barn.
It takes some work but mine still runs to this day.I used this also when I lived in Florida and was in the military. Now that I live in Arizona It is usually parked in the garage unless I am out driving it but I still dive it every week.
Yes I have rebuilt the engine and have had it repainted 1 time but it still is a nice looker and daily driver.
It just takes a lot more care than a newer care would.

 

[stillerfan15]

We had a BIG ice storm here in DFW during super bowl week. I saw a newer mustang abandoned on the side of the road, 1 spin out badly in a parking lot, and 1 that missed at least 2 lights because it could not climb a very very slight hill. Not good at all on ice but most cars or trucks aren't. Still, I like mustangs even though I have never owned one.
Dave