In 2005, I bought a project car.
A 1966 Mustang.
It was a C code 2bbl 289 with a C4, power steering, and a center console.
It probably had not run since the late eighties or early 90's
I was living in an apartment.
I had no business looking for a major car project.
But you ALL know how that goes.
I bought it, and in a frenzy of "let's check..." tore it down to a roller.
In the parking lot.
To recall it all makes me cringe now...
Here are some pics from 2005:
And yes, I pulled the glass... IDK what I was thinking....
So, by 2006 I still had it, but shocker... it wasn't progressing.
I was stuck on "doing it perfectly".
It was the first car I pushed into our garage here in the house we still live in.
It was a pretty solid car, as old Mustangs go.
The cowl leaked, the lower rear 1/4 panels were rusted at the very bottom.
The floor pans had a couple of holes, etc... but it was basically solid.
Everything could be reasonably patched.
The car was complete, and the engine and transmission I don't think had ever been out.
LOTs of OEM parts, and very little evidence of anyone ever working on it.
Amazingly clean engine internals. All data tags, on all components in place.
OEM motor mounts, starter solenoid.
The odometer showed like 40k ish miles. That could be correct, and there will not likely ever be a way to know for sure.
So, sometime around 2007 or 2008 I sold it to a buddy in south Florida.
He did some good work to it, but it never really took hold with him either.
Eleven years later, it was hard to find and impossible to see in his garage.
Until he decided to move up here to North Central Florida.
And not only did he need to move his family, but he needed to move his shop, and his 5 (not counting the Mustang) project cars.
From a few other of my posts, you may have seen my trailer.
Well, a few things led to another and the discussion of what to do with the Mustang came up.
Through some formula of "Thanks for the past present and future help" combined with "I don't really want to have to store this too", it came back to me.
I look at the car as a project much differently now.
I think a lot of that comes from GRM.
Now I just want to do SOMETHING to it.
It can be 5% part of a plan and 95% fun, I'm just not hung up any more on the same old bizarre "mechanics block" that I used to suffer from.
Now it resides in the barn, with the 46Cj2a and the "2018-2020 Challenege Car" lol.
Over the last month, the want to work on the 'new' car has been strong.
I have for the most part put priority on the 2019 Gastropod SLK230.
I did find all of the engine parts, and mock assemble them to see if it would be possible to cheaply assemble it, and make the car lot drive.
The answer, so far, is yes.
Azryael
New Reader
10/12/19 11:35 p.m.
I've always been a huge fan of the first gen Mustangs, they just look the best to me out of all the generations; timeless.
Always told myself I'd get one when I moved back to the states, but never did.
Excited to see where this goes! If I was still living in FL, I'd stop by and help.
Sweet!
I agree, doing *something* with it is better than getting it perfect at the cost of never finishing. Like the guy from Roadkill says, "don't get it right, just get it running" and you'll fall in love with the car and then you can work on the details after that.
So, after the 2019 Challenge, this will likely be my next project build on the forum, for a while.
The goal will to be to assemble the engine, inspect and possibly overhaul the C4, and stick it back in the car with "e-brake" brakes.
This will allow me to easily move it around to get to the body work and keep moving forward.
No matter what, it will be better.
And I have to admit that I have always regretted not doing more with it the first time.
slowbird said:
Sweet!
I agree, doing *something* with it is better than getting it perfect at the cost of never finishing. Like the guy from Roadkill says, "don't get it right, just get it running" and you'll fall in love with the car and then you can work on the details after that.
Yeah, I hate to admit it, as I generally am not influenced heavily by trends, but Roadkill has a little to do with it.
Especially Roadkill Garage, where it seems that the effort is more for the long term good.
In reply to a_florida_man :
So if I’m reading your posts correctly, this will be your 2020 Challenge entry?
Pete Gossett said:
In reply to a_florida_man :
So if I’m reading your posts correctly, this will be your 2020 Challenge entry?
No, I don't think so.
It feels like an inside deal, so I'd have to go with FMV, and unfortunately that would be an issue.
Not that I would pay FMV, but it is still likely too high for a Challenge car.
Besides, the '85 C4 from 2018 that wasn't, is still very viable.
I didn't do it for 2019 because I knew I still had a lot of personal / grownup stuff that would (and did) consume the year.
Also, I like the idea of this one being free of any influence other than, "well what's fun today?".
I'm thinking about making it the subject of a youtube channel that my 11 year old wants to do... so there's that.
In reply to a_florida_man :
Oh, the YouTube idea sounds great!
This one.
It lingers.
As it always has... we shall see.
Cant bring myself to kill it off (sell it) quite yet....
Thread closeout alert....
I sold it.
Like a year ago.
I failed the project, yes.... but I did not fail the car.
It has moved on to someone who can and will (and wants) to do it.
As it should be.
If I ever get any progress info ill post.
