1967 ford mustang hooniverse project car

Time for a New Project Car: This is My 1967 Ford Mustang

I’ve been hunting for a first-gen Ford Mustang for a while now. Prices on these things are a bit insane at the moment. People want a surprising amount of cash for hunks of crap. And if you want a Fastback? Forget about it. Somehow, though, I managed to find one that is priced very well… even if it too is a hunk of crap.

For now.

This is my 1967 Ford Mustang. Typing that sentence out alone is almost worth the price of admission. I’ve always loved these cars and hoped to own one someday. I can’t believe there’s one actually sitting in my driveway. Granted, this one doesn’t have a battery at the moment, the ignition isn’t hooked up to the starter, and it has some paint on it paired with a fair bit of rust. But I don’t mind all of that because the road ahead is going to be a good one.

1967 ford mustang hooniverse project car

This very car was on the first episode of MotorTrend’s Roadworthy Rescues. It sat in a swamp for 28 years before Derek from ViceGripGarage saved it. He got the motor running, put a few floor pans in place, and redid the interior. That’s a great place for me to take it from there and keep on moving this build along.

Under the hood is the 200-cubic inch inline 6-cylinder engine. No, it’s not going to remain in there. Either is the C4 gearbox backing it up. While I agree it would be fun to build up an I6 into a surprisingly entertaining thing, my heart longs for the songs that a V8 sings. The plan here is to clean a few things up, swap in a 302, and then back it up with either a T5 or a T56. To do that, I’ll also need to swap in a new driveshaft and rear end. And if I’m converting the rear to a five-lug then I should do the front as well. With those changes, I’ll get better brakes and a proper suspension setup.

After that? I’ll just drive and enjoy it for some time. Eventually, I’ll get to the looks of the thing, but that’s low on the list. My ideal livery, though, would be a subtle John Player Special design on the car. But again, that will come last. First up? I need to get a battery in there and get this thing drivable so I can move it in and out of the garage as needed.

For those already about to ask? Yes, the Wombat is still a thing. No, I have no idea when it will get an engine bolted in place but there is an engine set aside for that one. So that’s progress of sorts. With this Mustang, I want to do as much of the work myself as I can handle. It’s an easy enough platform with an ocean of parts support. And yes, I’m far more excited about this one than I ever was with my Jag. That was a cool car, but I didn’t talk about it enough and didn’t drive it enough. The Mustang will be a very different story.

1967 ford mustang hooniverse project car on trailer

So allow me to formally introduce you to NONWICK.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The maximum upload file size: 64 MB. You can upload: image, audio, video. Links to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other services inserted in the comment text will be automatically embedded. Drop files here

11 responses to “Time for a New Project Car: This is My 1967 Ford Mustang”

  1. Duke Woolworth Avatar
    Duke Woolworth

    If the doors close without lifting them into place, you’re miles ahead. Still, it’s a Ford, but because it’s so popular, almost any replacement part you’ll need has been repro’d. A liberal application of money and antibiotics, and you’re lookin’ good.

    1. Jeff Glucker Avatar
      Jeff Glucker

      Yeah both doors shut. Though I can’t open the drivers from outside, need to fix the exterior door handle. Otherwside works fine though.

  2. Mike Avatar
    Mike

    I love the coupe! Congratulations on your new project. Looks good!

  3. Scoutdude Avatar
    Scoutdude

    While I certainly understand the desire for 8 cyls arranged in a V I’d say get it running and driving with the 6cyl/AT combo first then work on the things like swapping out the rear axle, drive some more while collecting the front suspension/brake conversion, install and drive some more while collecting the engine/trans/radiator parts. It will likely get done quicker doing it that way vs trying to get everything done at once w/o driving it between the smaller projects.

  4. dukeisduke Avatar
    dukeisduke

    I saw this on IG, and it wasn’t until I read this that I realized it’s the same car that Derek rescued. Where did he get those cool wheels? I like six-cylinder Mustangs (how many are left?) and would like to see them preserved, but I understand you wanting to make it your own. When I was a kid (early ’70s) one of the neighbors had a nice clean Wimbledon White ’66 coupe with the 200 and three-on-the-floor, and ever since then, I’ve had a soft spot for the six-bangers.

    How bad is the rust, really? It doesn’t look terrible in the pictures, and I blame the floor pan rust on someone leaving it parked outside with the windows down (I hate when people do that).

    1. Jeff Glucker Avatar
      Jeff Glucker

      It’s definitely not a CA car, haha. I’ll enlist some local shop help to patch some stuff and I haven’t taken a deep dive into making sure I can loosen and remove some bolts. But it’s definitely worth saving.

  5. George G Avatar
    George G

    Nice ride Jeff! Looks to be a good starting point. Good luck!

  6. salguod Avatar

    That looks like a lot of fun. A 302 5 speed is a great choice and the ’67 is the best looking of the first generation Mustangs. And the interior being mostly sorted is a plus. Looking forward to updates.

  7. Sjalabais Avatar
    Sjalabais

    That looks pretty cool already in its several shades of yellow. With the V8, you should be able to race Kia and Toyota minivans, too. 😛 Looking forward to see this one coming into its own!

  8. MattC Avatar
    MattC

    Congratulations. It looks like a solid candidate for a mild restoration. I look forward to your updates

  9. Zentropy Avatar
    Zentropy

    Great choice! The parts availability alone makes the Mustang a good candidate even for a daily driver, even if the entry price is usually steep.

    Like a couple of others here, I would personally prefer to see an inline six build, only because the 302 swap is so ubiquitous (and– no offense– but boring). What would be really interesting would be a Barra swap from an Australian Falcon, but that would be stupid expensive.

    Nothing wrong with V8s– I love them. I have a 289 in my ’67 Mercury that is desperate for better breathing and a 5-speed to replace the C4.