First project car

Miller901

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I just recently joined the forum and just recently purchased a ‘96 GT. I bought the car in Indiana, first mistake. I bought it from a lady that owned the car since brand new. She told me there was no rust. I took her word for it, second mistake. I am a wheelchair user so it is not possible for me to see under the car. The car looks great on the outside. Runs strong and shifts good. Automatic transmission. I took the car to the tire shop for tires when I got home. The manager took me out to the car while it was on the lift to show me the bottom. One of the gas tank straps was completely rusted away and the other had recently been replaced. Rust from front to back and side to side. I was quite disappointed and beat myself up for taking her word. I’ve been searching for a shell so that I can take all of the good from this car and rebuild a shell. In all of my research I stumbled on to something. The body code on the car I bought was GT2. Further research tells me it was an option less version. My question, is this car something that I should try to save? Or should I try to find a shell? I have pictures of it I’m the intro section, new member from Tennessee
 

ttocs

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well then it is more rare than the standard GT but its still not a shelby. There are some people that like them and want them and might pay more for it if its fairly original. I know the door panels alone can get a couple hundred for again if you find the right person that wants it all original, or is just wanting to lower weight.

What part of indiana did you get it? I am way down south.
 
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Miller901

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I don’t remember the town but it was a little south of Indy
 

evilcw311

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I don’t remember the town but it was a little south of Indy

Anywhere in Indiana can be a shithole place for getting cars. The state loves to overly treat the roads in the winters. It may not be quite as bad as Michigan or Pennsylvania but it’s not far behind.


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Miller901

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The rust is pretty much limited to the underbody. Behind the driver side rear wheel is bad. It’s covered with the plastic bumper. I think I may just replace any suspension parts that need changed, new brakes and just drive it. It drives and shifts great. The front end feels a little loose and the shocks feel like they are gone. Looks as if they may be original.
 

RAU03MACH

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I knew a soldier that bought a mustsng from Indiana
The rust was bad
How dose aluminum rust like the bracket on the engine
I avoid certain states to find cars
But thats one of my top 5 stay away from
 

ttocs

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and she has probably never seen the bottom of the car to really be able to make that statement. It might have been told to her, or maybe she just thought it was that way because it was driven by an old lady.

But funny enough my 94 has spent the majority of its time in indiana. That was probably balanced out with the 6-7 yrs in the desert and then 6 yrs here on jackstands but its still in good shape. I did have it undercoated some time ago...
 

Werecow

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I bet that lil old lady only drove it on Sunday too... 1/4 mile at a time.... Ya can never tell.... Welcome to the forums BTW!!!
 
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Miller901

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I don’t blame her at all. I’m to blame for not getting it checked. I know my mom has no idea what her car looks like underneath. I’m just trying to come up with a plan on what to do next.


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PinkieT

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It all depends on how much rust and where. Surface rust, annoying but fixable. Strut towers and suspension mount points rusting out, that's a problem.
 
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Miller901

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The strut towers look ok on the engine bay side but I have not been able to see the wheel well side yet.


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Miller901

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The front control arms don’t look too bad either. The worst rust, from what I remember seeing when it was in the air, was in the rear.


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Werecow

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Dint feel that bad, it was about a year ago I bought my first Mustang. It was a 94 GT and I was just so excited to be finally getting a Mustang I didn't even look over the car when I got it, I was like " Here take my money!!" But after I got it home and really got to looking at it under the hood... Under the car... The floorpan... Everything this poor car had been thru... I really had a lot of second thoughts about it.. Luckily for me the previous owner wanted it back come springtime so after a lot of soul-searching... I sold it back to him... But when I went to look at Cherry Bomb... The one I have now... I really really got a long hard good look at her before I bought her... Lesson learned on my first Mustang... So don't feel bad.. your not alone!!!
 

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