You will also need tools. A typical 250-piece Sears Craftsman tool set will get many jobs done on your project, but there are several specialty tools you can't be without when dealing with Mustangs. Weigh the cost of purchase versus rental of those tools and how many times you plan on using them. Remember that as the Mustang evolved, more and more metric and specialty fasteners were involved in building the car, so if you're weak in one tool area (say metric deep sockets), then plan to purchase the entire set and not just one or two sockets. You'll need them someday--we promise.
Finally, take the time to read. There are plenty of books from companies such as HP Books, Classic Motorbooks, SA Design, and more that cover building project cars. Most of these publishing companies have specific books dedicated to late-model Mustang performance, tuning, history, racing, and so on.
While we don't recommend building...
While we don't recommend building your project from your daily driver,there's nothing wrong with building one from a family-owned car, whichis exactly what Gene Hindman did for his Pure Street NMRA ride. He tookhis mom's driver and built one sweet-looking and strong-running racerfrom it. Just make sure to ask permission first.
Of course, you need to have a Mustang to work on, and we'll bet you already have one in the driveway. But is it the right Mustang? If you want a fun, carbureted drag car for local hobby racing, and the pampered '94 5.0 you scored from your dad hasn't flipped its odometer over yet, you have the wrong car. It's too nice to hack up into a simple drag car, and it's a bit heavy. You'd be better off spending several hundred dollars on a running, but roached-out, early Fox-chassied car and building it up.
More commonly, we hear from guys who want to build a killer street car from their Old Faithful. In other words, the '87 hatch that saw them through high school and about a thousand burnouts only smokes a little, it doesn't have any body damage Maaco couldn't fix in two weeks, it sports a dog-bite interior that doesn't rattle any louder than the stereo can play, and it has four bald tires. Sorry, but it's too late for that one. We all get attached to our cars, but in times like these it would be much better to sell off the old gal and start with a newer, cleaner example of the breed.
So let's say you need to buy a project car. Begin by looking at a lot of Mustangs, learn the differences, and decide what you want. Actively hunt down the car that's right for you--not the one that happened to be featured in the Sunday sales supplement of the local fish wrap.
Cars such as these are project-car...
Cars such as these are project-car diamonds in the rough. Nearlyworthless to sane people looking for transportation, barely runninghulks are where to begin when going all-out on a project. In fact, thisis how our Real Street project started out. You'll use new parts anyway,so you just need the basic car to begin with. The important things areno rust and no damage history. As old as the Fox fleet is, finding suchcars should not be difficult.
Rust is a no-no. There are too many clean, rust-free Mustangs around to bury yourself in the huge job of resurrecting one of these common cars from a rusty death. That's for restoring big-block Shelby convertibles.
Wrecks are a mixed lot. For building a nice street car, begin with a nice street car and make it better--don't begin by repairing damage because you think you'll save some money. You won't. On the other hand, if it's a racer you have in mind and you aren't going to use the crumpled front fenders and hood that are wrecked in your prospective purchase because you'll use fiberglass panels, then this could be a way to save some money at the jumping-in point. Burn jobs never pay, so pass them by. Often, parts that look OK are warped from the heat and lead to huge headaches.
What about running, but tired, drivers? Depends on your goal. Again, for a nice daily driver, begin with the best car you can. It's always cheaper that way and you get done faster. If it's a Saturday Night Shaker you have in mind, then working down the purchase price by pointing out the oil leaks, smokey exhaust, and rattley transmission is smart bargaining. You're going to replace all those parts with aftermarket go-fast stuff anyway, and maybe the old pieces will work as cores or trading fodder. In the meantime, you can drive the car and make sure it is straight.