Just bought a 1974 mustang II NO MOTOR NO TRANS (Houston area )
Posted by Living_Lock_6173@reddit | projectcar | View on Reddit | 5 comments
Just bought a 1974 mustang II for 800$ needs a motor and trans I’m working on like a 6000 budget and spent 800 on the cars so 5200 left and just wanted to know if anyone had anywhere that could help get it in running and reliable condition
Erection_unrelated@reddit
Depends on the route you want to go. The 2.3 Lima engine was a popular race motor and has decent aftermarket support, you can pick them up fairly cheap, and it’ll fit without issue. If you’re wanting to go V8, they have a few parts unique to the car. A regular oil pan will hit the steering rack, so you’ll either need to shim the motor and go manual steering to clear a normal mustang pan or burn a good chunk of change on a Mustang II pan. You’ll be buying second hand since they’re not made anymore.
You’ll also need headers specific to the car, since no off-the-shelf headers are going to fit. They had a shorter bellhousing to fit the smaller transmission tunnel too.
Really cool cars though, and you don’t hardly see them. Good luck and ask away if you have more questions!
newoldschool@reddit
this is gonna be DIY job on that budget
go to a junkyard and see what old ford engines they got
SeymourBoobeez@reddit
You better start wrenching on it lol 5200 you’ll be done in a few days
pooo_pourri@reddit
Not from Houston, but that’s a cool project. You really don’t see them much these days. Always thought they were weirdly pretty.
If no one gives you a direct answer I’d recommend searching performance garage or something and look on google until you find some place that looks like they mostly focus on older muscle cars. Something I’ve done in the past is go to dealers that seem to specialise in old American stuff. Sometimes they also have a garage that does work or at least know a place.
Also something to consider, I don’t know these old mustangs, but a motor and trans plus labor could easily be more than 6k. I come from GM land and junkyard 350s(which is plentiful) cost like 300$. Remanufactured ones start around 2.5k and cheap remanufactured engines are a gamble. They also made god only knows how many 350s. Windsor blocks will probably be more expensive just because they didn’t make as many. We haven’t even touched transmission stuff which will probably be a similar story, then labor.
salvage814@reddit
Not for 5200 time to get your hands dirty my guy.