I have had this 66 for 10 years now and I am ready to restore it. My question is to keep it stock and looking like a trailer queen (the way it is now), or update it all to new better and drive it more often.

A little background is that the car was bought in 66 by my grandfather and after my grandmother death 10 years ago I got the car. It didnt run well and not much worked when I brought it home, but I changed the fluids, points, fuses and plugs and drove it 300 miles home. After cleaning it up and getting the engine comp looking good I started going to car shows and such. Ended up with 11 trophys so far.

I have kept this car looking like it did in 66 but after 4 surgeries I dont wish to work on it all the time, the manual steering kills me, and I am frightened of hurting the engine (while having 140k and only really needing a head job)because I have the window sticker and it has the matching numbers engine code on it.

What would you all do?

It needs a fresh paint job and a rear frame rail but the rest is just old.  

My opinion is to keep is stock.  Add factory power steering, you can buy all new parts and take the load off your forearms.  Add it like it was a dealer accessory add-on.

I have a '67 Sprint Coupe and I added an AM/FM radio and rear speaker just like the dealer would have.  I'm also adding factory power brakes to make it safer to drive.

Dealers would add these options because they didn't require much in the way of modification.  I know that they would add power steering as a dealer added option, along with power brakes, air conditioning and change radios.  Anything to make the sale.  I don't think you would affect your award winning ways.  You're not making a resto-mod, you're doing a retro-mod retrofit.  

I'd mod it.  Make it your car and drive it on a daily basis if I wanted.  If it's a daily driver there are some things you want to do for safety.  Check out the recommendations here: seat belts, brakes, etc.  I have a 65 in works and plan on driving it.  No trailer queen for this guy.  Why own it, "restore" it and not drive it?  Trophies are nice, but I'd rather drive the car.  What's your choice spend all that money to look at, or use it?  

All good suggestions listed above whether you go stock or restomod.  I would also change over to power brakes using a dual master cylinder (maybe even disc brakes but not necessary).  I have a 65 convertible and converted the brakes to a dual master cylinder (via a 67 dual master cylinder). Power brakes along with power steering should make this a dream car.  

If I were to do this in a resto-rebuild Im going to but a differ coded engine in it and box up the virgine block, add a t-5, and either factory power steering or a rack, paint and match as close as factory as possible with some brake upgrades, dual exhaust, fog lights, and air. I have also come accoss a 66 selby 9inch rear the guy wants $700 for (a complete setup with 3.56 gears) what are your thoughts on that?
I think it will come accross as stock and yet run and sound like its something a little more. Keeping all the originals, I can put it right back to factory as needed.

Thanks for the replies, please keep them coming.

If anyone knows where to get a full set of power steering componants let me know.  

I like your plans for it. Yes, there is sentimental value for you and it's a trophy winner, but there's no reason you shouldn't enjoy it.

If it was a rare combination, engine, color, different options, etc. I might be leary of modding it.

With a T5, the 3.56 gears would be great! It'd give you a little kick off the line but wouldn't too much on the highway.

Keep us up to date with the progress!  

I just tell myself that its never going with me in the Hurst so I might as well enjoy it while I can.

I drive my 66' Coupe everyday ( except nasty weather, of course ) and enjoy every min. of it. I'm almost finished with it just started interior this week and expect that to be done by the end of next month. I drive it, so I'm doing the work on weekends mostly.

I've also stumbled across a 67' Coupe recently. The kid needed money and didn't have the time to do any work to it so he let it go for 2k. It needs about that to make it a daily driver.

My wife is already talking his and her cars, although I plan on just making this one road worthy and possibly selling it for what I have in it.  

I'm sort of in the same boat. I own the '66 GT coupe that my grandfather bought new in February 1966. For sentimental reasons, I want to keep it looking basically the way it did when he bought it. However, I've added 4-wheel disc brakes, a Custom Auto Sound AM/FM with speakers, Torq-Thrust wheels, headers with Flowmaster mufflers, and a crate engine dressed to look mostly stock, but with Cobra valve covers, etc. Everything added can be removed at a later time if I decide to go the restored route.

Donald Farr
Editor  

I agree completely with the Bulldog.  Enjoying a car (to me)
means liking the way it looks and drives.
So to increase the driving enjoyment-have the heads done, and
add power brakes (I'd do discs up front, and leave drums in the back).
The extra cost for rear discs isn't returned with additional stopping power.
And that is too far from normal for a 66.
Power steering is a must, and while your at it new front end parts as well.
 These improvements won't decrease the cars desirability,
as most people would want these features.
The body is where things get a little tricky.
Values are going up more for UNRESTORED cars.  The car
will be worth MORE in weathered origional paint than
glossy new paint.  I'd bring the car to a restorer,
NOT a make-a-buck body shop, and see if the origional paint can be saved
and improved.
Best of luck with it.  MB  

Fist time poster, new to the forums.  Where can I find a list of dealer accessory add-on's that were available in 1966?  My father bought in new in 66 and handed the title over to me about 5 years ago.  I am looking to keep it as original as possible, but I am wondering what are the options he could have had the dealer put on after the car was delivered.  Any help would be great!  

I like D Farr's approach to this. Keep it bolt on, but make it your car. *(and don't forget to keep the old parts for restoration).
JLG  

elcid93:
Fist time poster, new to the forums.  Where can I find a list of dealer accessory add-on's that were available in 1966?  My father bought in new in 66 and handed the title over to me about 5 years ago.  I am looking to keep it as original as possible, but I am wondering what are the options he could have had the dealer put on after the car was delivered.  Any help would be great!

You jast hijacked this post and that is not cool. Post a new item for comments  

jlg2002,

I am sorry I broke some unwritten rule on this forum but I thought I was keeping the "spirit" of this thread alive.


"I love my 67s" wrote "My opinion is to keep is stock.  Add factory power steering, you can buy all new parts and take the load off your forearms.  Add it like it was a dealer accessory add-on."  Sooooo....  I wondered what those accessory add-ons are.  Any questions?

If it wasn't "cool" there are plenty of other mustang forums sites to ask the same question.  

Can you post a pic?  

As with any of these, it all depends on what you intend to do with the car. With a daily driver it is desireable to put some electronic ignition in. The Pertronics set goes in and looks stock. You should consider a dual power brake set up. Power steering is a plus and it can be converted, though sorta expensive. But, then there's the ever present need to save some originals for future generations.

Two things: First, someday I expect there won't be a restorable sporty GM car left since everyone who has one seems intent upon cutting it up and putting something non original in it. So second...what ever you decide to do be sure that the car can be put back like it was. Don't "kill" it to be cool!

Sounds like it's OK the way it is.

Harry