Should I keep my 85 mustang, or should I buy a 2001 bullitt?

slow96hater

slow96hater

Forum Member
As some of you may know, I have a 85 t top car that I've been collecting parts for. It's no where near origional, has a aero front clip on it, I have came up with every interior piece to make it into a 87-93 interior, I have a bunch of other suspension stuff, all the stuff to swap over to 5 lug using 94-95 spindles, and rear disk brakes including the correct master cylinder, Yukon axle shafts, blow proof bellhousing for the transmission...... and a bunch of other stuff to get my point across. Really all I need is front suspension, and a set of cylinder heads and I'd be really happy with where the car would be. But the big thing is the effort that id have to put in to it and the time as well. I'm getting older, and with work and life on top of that, I'm real worried that I'm not going to have to motivation to finish this project. I've been striking out on every vehicle project I've tried for the last 10 years. I'm not sure if it's a motivation issue, or I need some sort of therapy or something. :-D But the estimated amount to finish this car off, and have a really nice fox body that id be happy with is right between another $5-6,000......

So, I've found a 2001 bullitt mustang that still has stock exhaust on it even. Only thing they changed was they have 18x10's on the rear. Looks to be a nice car, they've got all records since new, and they only want $6,000 for it. Has 126,000 on the clock, which I'm ok with too, cause I wanna drive the car as well. Not buying it as a collector or nothing. Buying it to enjoy it.


I came here cause we're all car guys, and I hope some of you have found yourself in a similar spot in life once or twice, and you may have some advice or something. What would you guys suggest? Finish a project for a little self pride, or reject it and spend the money it would cost to finish it on another "cool" car?


Thanks motown.

Rob
 
Oh. I should add, it's not a factor of I can't afford it, it ends up coming down to having the physical room for it. I've got a 3 car garage, and it's full. Meaning it'd come down to having to sell off the 85 to make room for the bullitt.... if I could have both, I wouldn't even be worried about it.
 
I didn't give up on my project, but I realized it won't be done anytime soon so I bought something already done so my kids wouldn't miss out on car shows and driving around. My vote is buy the car that you can drive and don't tackle any projects with it that won't take more than a weekend to complete.
 
This is tough. I'd say finish your project. It'll probably be worth more in the near future. As much as I love the Bullitt, the foxes are getting harder to find in good shape.
 
If it doesn't have sentimental value, then I think I would go with whatever gets you on the road faster. I have an 81 TA that I have owned for 30 years that has been sitting in my garage for 10 years waiting for restoration. No way I would sell that. But if it was just parts I had collected, then it would be a different call.

-Geoff
 
slow96hater said:
As some of you may know, I have a 85 t top car that I've been collecting parts for. It's no where near origional, has a aero front clip on it, I have came up with every interior piece to make it into a 87-93 interior, I have a bunch of other suspension stuff, all the stuff to swap over to 5 lug using 94-95 spindles, and rear disk brakes including the correct master cylinder, Yukon axle shafts, blow proof bellhousing for the transmission...... and a bunch of other stuff to get my point across. Really all I need is front suspension, and a set of cylinder heads and I'd be really happy with where the car would be. But the big thing is the effort that id have to put in to it and the time as well. I'm getting older, and with work and life on top of that, I'm real worried that I'm not going to have to motivation to finish this project. I've been striking out on every vehicle project I've tried for the last 10 years. I'm not sure if it's a motivation issue, or I need some sort of therapy or something. :-D But the estimated amount to finish this car off, and have a really nice fox body that id be happy with is right between another $5-6,000......

So, I've found a 2001 bullitt mustang that still has stock exhaust on it even. Only thing they changed was they have 18x10's on the rear. Looks to be a nice car, they've got all records since new, and they only want $6,000 for it. Has 126,000 on the clock, which I'm ok with too, cause I wanna drive the car as well. Not buying it as a collector or nothing. Buying it to enjoy it.


I came here cause we're all car guys, and I hope some of you have found yourself in a similar spot in life once or twice, and you may have some advice or something. What would you guys suggest? Finish a project for a little self pride, or reject it and spend the money it would cost to finish it on another "cool" car?


Thanks motown.

Rob
Click to expand...


I'm with the "life is too short" crowd. Get a car you can drive AND enjoy.




WhiteHawk said:
If it doesn't have sentimental value, then I think I would go with whatever gets you on the road faster. I have an 81 TA that I have owned for 30 years that has been sitting in my garage for 10 years waiting for restoration. No way I would sell that. But if it was just parts I had collected, then it would be a different call.

-Geoff
Click to expand...


And where are said photos of this 1981 TA?

I recently scanned photos of my 1977 & 1979 TA's


9.jpg


8.jpg
 
Liquidate that fox body stuff for pennies and buy a driver. Having a big project is only for certain people and I'm not one of them. :) Good luck!
 
Project cars SUCK. If you aren’t totally committed to your FOX then send it down the road and get the other car. I will never own another project car again. If I can’t drive it right now and make improvements as i go then im not interested in owning it.
 
Me personally I would rather have the Fox body. But if you don't have the motivation and or time to complete the fox then buy a nice driver and enjoy it. Life's too short.
 
Last edited:
If the cost is roughly $6,000 to finish the project, I'd make the time to finish it. If 6K is all it took to finish up a project of mine, I'd be ecstatic to say the least!

Finish the 85.
 
I agree. I’d finish it off. The first time you fire it and drive down the street is worth the wait. Mostly because you did it yourself.
 
Sounds like his project car needs a complete body shop visit which is costly and time consuming. Repainting my "80's classic" will probably be really expensive which is why I've never even looked into pricing it out.
 
Luckily I have good paint and a nice straight body already. It's just a tough decision I guess. I've been tossing the idea around at work with the guys for the last week or so too. The old lady doesn't like the sn95 or the new edge body much at all either..... she found a 08 bullitt and said why don't we just save up for one of them and wait it out. I don't know.

I bought my sump for the tank Thursday night from Tom craft, and I just went and bought that "bullitt" exhaust this afternoon, which turned out to be a 99-04 gt factory cat back, which actually sounded pretty good in my book as well. The stickers are still on the pipes and zero carbon in them at all. I actually think the place I bought them from parts out old test cars from the factory. They had more than one set cause they let me choose from a few different sets which ones I wanted.

I'd love to finish the 85, find a new 5.0 cruisin and run with him from a stop light. I beat a gt500 one night in my old 89 gt back in 09' and that is a feeling I still get choked up about sometimes. Couldn't touch him from a roll, but at the stop lights I'd get him by a car and a half and hold him there.

Maybe I'm afraid of striking out on this one and it not turning out. It's been a while since I had success.
 
A clean four eye is going to be worth more looking stock than converting to a later aero style. This whole Radwood movement has 80's and 90's car values rising quickly. There will be a Radwood event here just before the Dream Cruise complete with people dressed in 80's and 90's getup. Should be a good time.
 
I'd go for the Bullitt, save yourself the time, money, and enjoyment you could be having with a car that's already ready to have fun with.
 
Thank you guys for your advice. I think I'm gonna keep the 85, and just see where things go. The 94-04 cars are all real reasonable in price right now too.... I'm gonna hold off on the bullitt, as I'd want that in the garage at all times, but I may see about a cheapish 01-04 gt (just cause of the hood scoop) and I won't worry about it sitting on the patio for the winter.

Thank you everyone for listening.

What's this radwood thing all about? I checked out the website you said one coming to Woodward? You have to buy tickets???
 
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