i would leave it stock.

 

If I was just going to sell it and send it on down the road, I would do as little as possible (good running condition) and let the new owner do with it what he/she wants.

 

Ok, that's 4 votes (counting me and whatsername) on leaving it stock.

 

Are you trying to sell it for a profit?
I agree with *******, do as little as possible or you'll easily have more into it than it's worth. Unless it's a fastback or convert or origionally came with the big 429 motor, your upside is very limited.

 

My recommendation:

1) leave it stock
2) Replace the headliner and carpet - these are low cost and make a big difference in the appearance of the car

Do not paint it!!!

1) You will not recover your money
2) Many buyers prefer original bad paint since it does not cover up the true condition of the car
3) You may limit your available market by picking the wrong color for a potential buyer
4) It is more work for the next owner to fix a cheap paint job than to paint it right the first time.

Good luck,
-Rory

 

My recommendation:

1) leave it stock
2) Replace the headliner and carpet - these are low cost and make a big difference in the appearance of the car

Do not paint it!!!

Absolutely agree.

If you paint it:

You've chased away anyone who doesn't like the color.

You've chased away anyone who doesn't like the quality of the work (unless you're paying $4K+ to do the work and R&Ring all the trim and moldings the quality of the job WILL chase people away, and if you do pay for a first-rate job and R&R the trim so much of the original is going to look like crap next to the new paint that you'll be spending three months and $1000 chasing down replacements...)

And in order to recover the cost of the job you'll have pushed the car out, maybe way out, of the 'builder' price range.

Unless you are capable of doing (honestly) journeyman-grade body and paint work yourself, have access to all the equipment and will incur minimal costs beyond the materials, I'd say don't touch the paint.

 

+1....Clean it up and blow it down the road....my personal big "red flag", is a new paint job on a car being sold....you just never know what is under that new finish....I would much rather the car be in it's original paint, or at least paint several years old.
Tom

 

Well, I should have added, the last guy (2nd owner and a real oddball) already started on getting the old paint off. It really needs paint. The remaining paint is from the factory but there's not much left. The interior with the exception of the faded carpet and one small hole (and the headliner from the wind blowing for a lot of years I guess....it's torn across two seems and if I knew what I was doing could be fixed) is almost flawless. And as far as color, it's going to be the factory color so hopefully that's not wrong.

My thought was to make it look like a decent used car and sell it. Or go ahead and make a cruise night car out of it and sell it. That's where I kind of think letting the next guy do what he wants to do would be the best idea like some of you mentioned. Oh, and yes, it's a fastback.

 

Well, I should have added, the last guy (2nd owner and a real oddball) already started on getting the old paint off.

Given that, maybe you have to do something...

 

So, in any case, I'm getting out of all this that I'm just pretty well hosed no matter what. Would anyone suggest do the priming and seal it and sell it there?

I never really thought of this as a "builder". I mean, why buy a car with everything there that it came with only to gut it and drop a big engine in it? I'd get a roller for that. I know it's far from a 100 point car but with the exception of paint would have been a nice "survivor". I guess being a plain jane model though not many would really care.

 

take LOTS of pics of the body before paint put it together with the car along with all maintance documentation if you paint it.

otherwise fix the carpet and interior and leave it alone.

 

Is this a coupe or a sportsroof?

If it's a coupe, leave it alone and send it on it's way. There is zero money to be made there. The most value will be from the fact it hasn't been monkeyed with much. No matter what, I would at least put a protective coat of sealer or epoxy primer on anything that's been done.

If it's a sportsroof, you could do all the things you mentioned, install a set of stripes and Magnums and do okay. Totally different market than that for a coupe.

Example: before the economy tanked, I found a one owner 71 coupe, 351C-4V, 4 speed, 3.50 gear t-loc, black on black with tach & gages, P/S and PDB as options and a mile deep of receipts. Car was nice, but was a 20 year old restoration. Guy wanted 14K, I offered 8K. He got insulted and I told him, if it was a sportroof or a Mach, you'd get it in a heartbeat. On a coupe, your value is about half. Last I heard, it's still sitting in his garage, mine was still the best offer he got.


~

 

sportsroof/fastback. I grew up calling them fastbacks and still do. It's 1F02Fxxxxxx.

My step-son just got a '73 coupe so I know what you mean. The problem the owner thought it had we saw as nothing. He got it for about the price of a parts car..... The good news is now he can afford to have it. It really needs very little in dollars, mostly just his labor.

 

A sportsroof changes things, you have some price room. So does the fact that the paint is already partially stripped off.
If the body is fairly straight, I vote for getting it painted. It would be easier to
sell if it looked nice.

 

Ok, so once again, lack of info from the OP has skewed the reuslts....wait...that's me!

 

You will NOT get back 100% of anything you spend on the car. Period. Unless it is extremely labor intensive and the parts cost is very low (ex: a cheap paint job that you do yourself). Or a good cleaning.

Stripes on a 71-73 are definitely worth the money but obviously are a waste on time on an unpainted car.

You talk about replacing the carpet. Figure $125 - $150 for the carpet. If the rest of the interior is not very nice it is not going to add a lot of value. People tend to focus on the ugly things and ignore the pretty ones.

 

Well, I'm pretty sure I mentioned that the interior looks like new with the exception of the faded carpet with one small hole and the headliner. Well, ok, not new. Looks like a car a year old. You think I won't get the money back? Well, guess I'll just have to prove you wrong. My main goal is to not lose money money. Goal two is to make a profit. No, I didn't buy this car to resell. Still we bought it cheap for what it is. I have a Mach 1 I'm working on (for the wife) so in the meantime she bought this one for a driver while the Mach 1 was down. She then decided she didn't like driving these like the she thought she would and went out and bought a z28. Now she's happy and I'm stuck with 2 '71s. Somethings got to go.

I guess time will tell. I build, refurbish and restore guitars so I ought to know a little bit about what I'm doing....as long as we don't ask my wife. From my past experience in restoring corvettes if it's still a project, you get a project price. If someone can get behind the wheel and just go, you can make a profit if you buy it right, do the work yourself and do it well. Maybe fords are different.

 

you wrote..I guess time will tell. I build, refurbish and restore guitars so I ought to know a little bit about what I'm doing....as long as we don't ask my wife. From my past experience in restoring corvettes if it's still a project, you get a project price. If someone can get behind the wheel and just go, you can make a profit if you buy it right, do the work yourself and do it well. Maybe fords are different.
sounds like you have or had your mind made up all along.
the honest answer remains send it down the road as is.
a headliner will not return dollar for dollar
a carpet will if you do it yourself.
paint job/ nah... 71's are dog (did I say DOOOOGGG) years. Too bad because I like them and have 2 machs of this vintage myself and they both did poorly (I mean theh one painted and turn key eb-yed for the value of the body and paint) so again the principle rings true DONT put $$ into it. OR at least if you consider painting it/use it for a season

 

sounds like you have or had your mind made up all along.

: )

I kinda wondered why he asked.

 

Wow, you two are great. Thanks. I know reading isn't always fun but it sort of is fundamental. My question had nothing to do with paint. Yes, my mind is made up on that. It will be a finished car when i sell it. My actual quesion was pretty specific. I was asking about making changes to the stock config as in:

Would you:

-add a manifold and 4bbl?
-headers and dual exhaust?
-body stripes?
-power front disc conversion?
-15" magnums and white letter tires?

And sorry you don't like that I (meaning my wife) chose a '71. I guess you sure don't need my sorry butt on your forum and and I won't make the mistake of returning here again.

 

IMO .. don't use the car for cruise nights and leave everything as is - no repairs at all. Sell it as is.

I think the majority of the car's value is already set pretty much by its current condition (good), fastback/sports roof (good). Since it can be a crapshoot throwing money at it and more than likely not getting it back - don't. No need so why risk it.

IF you could get quality bodywork/paint done for CHEAP then that's different. However, most people can't and therefore doesn't fit with the "don't lose money and make profit" goal.

Now, if you were looking for big money then okay you have to spend for paint, etc.

Good luck! :thumbsup:

 

Not sure why Tony seemed to step over the line of being rude with the "71s are dog" comment. I take some offense too.
Personally (and it's my opinion) I think the 71-73s are the best looking and I see more people are starting to agree.
They were down-talked by the 65-70 crowd so much that nobody restored them. So
now they are much more rare than the 65-70s. IMO they are much more interesting at a Mustang show because the few that show up stand out in the vast sea of 65-70s.

To the OP's question, I wouldn't do any of that list except MAYBE stripes. Only do cosmetic. I wouldn't go crazy with the paint job either, it's not a concours show car.

 

oh come on friend..
I was not breaking your chops.
I dont go to this part of the forum I guess and when you do.. this is the stuff that does get going.
If the thought is mods or not/ Again I vote for the not./
I think you will be shocked and disappointed to see in a weak market how much harder hit this vintage of cars are suffering. Just was a word of caution. I have ALOT of years playing with mustangs and I cant recall it being this bad EVER. so no shot at 71-73 owners (which is what I thought you took it as also). I have other years and know it is weak across the board.

 

and meant you no offense either and I dont think I stepped over a line. I like them too (daah) or I would not own 2. I have owned a Boss 351 (easily the best mustang I ever owned and I have owned HUNDREDS).... So again its no offense just what I think is a reality. If you dont agree with my reality (just having tried to sell 2 different ones in the recent past) and you know better than me... (you know what I am thinking here as I smile-STOP it Tony) then you voice your thoughts to the man.
At the end or route of this I think we agree.

 

like John once said: "let it be"

 

Is it possible to post a picture so we can see the condition of the paint? I would leave the engine alone. Let the next guy (or girl) decide on what changes, if any, would be made. If you think the carpet is bad and is holding the interior back (like it is in my coupe), then you may want to consider buying a new one. Can the headliner be stitched? It's a big job to replace the entire piece and you will probably regret it once you get into it.