Well, I bought it and it was a 19 year old car, so you can't expect perfection. It needs a motor mount, a new ball joint, new tie rods, and new struts. But it's a 20 year old car, and all these things (with the possible exception of the struts) are the absolute original parts. So I mean come on, that's pretty good.
The trunk doesn't stay opened, so I've got a broom stick in there to hold it up when I need to, until I can get new arms for it.
Other than that, I don't know. I got a really lousy history of the car when I bought it, the dealership I bought it from said there were probably 3 or 4 previous owners, and they weren't even sure of the mileage, I mean we knew what it was on, but they had no clue how many times it had rolled over... I know it's about to roll over again, and when it does it will be AT LEAST 300,000 miles, and she's still going strong!
Oh yeah, and when she gets cold (like in the 11 degree weather we've been having lately), the automatic choke on the carborator kills the engine, so she can't start. She takes a lot of work to get started, but once she's going, she's going strong.
And last August, when the temperatures kept hitting over 112 and 115, the radiator busted.
Good car, once I get the stuff fixed on her she needs (ball joint, tie rod, motor mount, struts) she'll be in great shape. Perfect body, no dings or dents, or peeling paint. Sexy thin blue pin stripe down the sides and around the front and stuff.
She (yes, my car has gender) has a manifold vent hood ornament, a straight six engine, an automatic transmission, perfect interior (except an open sliced cut on the center console from, I assume, wide temperature variances), mint condition exterior, still has both rears and everything.
She's got a hatchback, which I made fun of when I first bought her, but it has come in handy on many occasions when helping friends move, and bringing home big things from Walmart (where I shop a billion times a week), and it will come in handy a lot more when I get my wood shop set up and use it to bring lumber home in every weekend or so.
And she's absolutely sporty! I'm a girl, not really into cars for anything other than what they're made for, transporting people, and things, but I've met a lot of great guys because they were interested in my top condition 1981 Ford Mustang. :)
This is my first car, and I bought her in May of 2000, knowing I was going to have to make a lot of the repairs, but I don't mind, I love the sportiness, and I love the attention, and it's a great learning opportunity for me!
I have a 1982 straight six mustang hatchback which is a bit different to my friends other cars and as it is a right hand drive version it is quite rare here in england, but I still find silly excuses to drive it! like the look of your one and yes my car has got a name! melissa keep on trucking...
I have a 1979 Mustang hatchback which I bought new in May, 1979. It has 344,000 miles on it - same engine - straight 6 - 200. It doesn't like cold weather, but still goes after it warms up. We have replaced the steering and the transmission has been worked on once, but other than that just replacing parts, etc. have been done to the car. I will never get rid of this car!
I have owned three early 3rd generation Mustangs. A 1979 Cobra fastback, a 1980 Ghia coupe and a 1981 Ghia coupe which I may be buying back soon. The 81 has a straight 6 with automatic transmission. Being a Canadian car it is non-AC. Which was quite common back in the early 80's. There is very little rust. I bought the Mustang some years ago becoming the second owner. This yellow coupe with white vinyl roof had wire wheel covers and looked really nice when it was clean.
My daughter and I enjoyed the car which I sold (with great reluctance) to pay for repairs on a 91 Escort. The Mustang was very reliable. The engine was a little fussy in the cold before it complete warmed up, but more so in the rain. It was reliable for me and the next two owners. Because of its good overall condition, I have no hesitation in restoring the car as it will need very little work.
And you can change the oil without having to put the car on ramps or jack it up!
In my lifetime, I have owned 13 mustangs, from the meek little 2 to a remarkable 93 cobra.
However, my favorite was, and still is my little 81 sleeper.
I went to hawaii on a vacation, leaving a 4 cylnder parked in my yard. When I came home, 2 weeks later, I had something incredible.
My dad, to make up for wrecking my 78 stang, a jade green hatchback.
He dropped a 351c into it, 4 valve, put on magna flos, and even shined the car up.
Imagine my surprise when I got up the first morning to drive to work. I got in, depressed the clutch to start him (he was a 4 speed), and the resulting roar compared to the meek sputter from the 4 banger 2.3 scared me.
I though my car was falling apart. That is until I saw my dad standing on the porch a cup of of coffee in hand and a huge grin on his face.
I remember what he said to this day "Enough power for you?"
It did a flat 12.9 at Famaso.
Yeah it had plenty of power up to the day it was totaled in a stupid accident.
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