Yeah, I was thinking at $49K there was probably a new Coyote engine that was part of the deal.
To get a Coyote swapped Mustang is gonna cost you a teeny bit more…Asking on this 69 is $143,000
https://www.gatewayclassiccars.com/vehicle/FTL/1433/1969-Ford-Mustang
In fairness, that car had a little more done to it than just the Coyote swap.
The tv show “Detroit Muscle” put a supercharged coyote in a 70 fastback Mustang recently. They are giving it away too. It did require some frame mods in the front because the shock towers had to go. You can view the project online here.
Doesn’t a used (but good) Coyote engine typically sell for less than $5,000?
Yes, but the transmission you put behind it is another 2-3 thou, the tune for the ecu is another thou, the exhaust is another thou, $750 for a custom driveshaft, another thou for the mounts, another thou for accessory mountings, another thou for an electronic dash so you can see what is going on, 2 thou for a complete new fuel system, and all this with DIY labor. So we are at what, $16k?
I am sure I still forgot something…
And you still have a 50 year old car in need of updating of the rest of the parts for a 450 hp powertrain.
Yeah, when I daydream about getting an old Mustang I only get to the point of adding EFI and ignition to a 302, along with disc brakes and a/c. Any more and I’d just get a newish one.
But back to the OP’s question, “Is it worth it?”, the answer in the vast majority of times is a resounding NO!
It’s a car, not an investment. If you’re doing it as a hobby or for emotional reasons fine but realistically it’s very doubtful if you’ll ever be able to recoup the value of your time or the money you’ll need to invest.
Considering a Mustang from a hobby approach, the nice thing is that there were alot of them made, not overly complicated and parts are easily avalable and affordable.
The negative side the early Mustang is a good example of “Built to a Price”, a stylish body over an econobox Falcon with Fairlane bits and rust is a common problem as it is with all 60’s cars.
So if hobby is your goal, spending many memorable hours with your Dad learning new skills like welding, painting, etc. to produce a “sunny day weekend cruiser” that “looks good from 10 feet” I’d encourage you. The result will be far from perfect but that’s not the point.
On the other hand, if your goal is to produce a car that comes anywhere near what’s currently available at a much lower cost, look elsewhere.
Almost 40 years ago I bought an old mustang when my car went belly up. It had more rust than solid metal and brakes that needed LOTS of encouragement to work. By the time I got it home I realized I had made a mistake. I was employed but with no savings so a bit desperate at the time. I bought an old Honda and managed to sell it to someone who wanted to rebuild it for $200. I wonder how he made out. Any way I would say save it or sell it and put the $$ in a college fund.
It was dads, now I want to drive it.
Emotional attachment = over spending.
Do some shopping for a similar car in the condition you want.
How much do they want for it?
Airbags and other safety features have to be integrated into the PCU (the vehicle computer), a formidable task for a group of vehicle programmers. Swapping for a different engine changes the vehicles control dynamics, sometimes for the better but usually for the worse.