I'm 50 and got tired of waiting (S197 content)

Much has happened to me in the last year. A lot of it had to do with losing a job, then getting a job that was the worst experience of my life, then finally finding a job that seems like it will be a good way spend several years. During the middle period I became very depressed. Spending 8-10 hrs a day doing something I hated was really draining. Near the end of that debacle I did something I have never done before: I went and bought a very expensive (for me) item without my usual over-thinking. The result was my 2008 Triumph Bonneville, a bike I have lusted after for years and absolutely love riding.

All of my friends and my suffering spouse have listened to me whine about S197 Mustangs since they came out in 2005. I fell in love with the car the minute I saw it and promised my (cheap, thrifty) self that I would own one someday. The Bonneville purchase greased the skids for that and I finally got tired of the 'temporary' Sony Edition Focus that I threw practicality to the wind and got my Mustang. It isn't a GT, which makes me the butt of many jokes among my car pals, but it really is a fine car and does what it needs to do while still being fun.

When you get to be my age and contemplate just how little time you probably have left to enjoy things in life such as Mustangs and motorcycles it makes having fun more important. With those two major automotive boxes checked I'm at a loss what I do next, if anything. Still have my BMW race car and a '93 Ford Lightning that I can't figure out why it suffers detonation under load, so there remain things to tinker with. Aside from an older 911 there really isn't much else that excites me. And maybe that's ok.

If you like Mustangs, philosophical musings or just want to kill some time I was moved to start a blog about the whole Mustang thing. Comment or subscribe as you deem fit. Motorosophy blog

Today I'm painting rusty bolts and the hood prop rod on the Mustang. Everything winds up being a project car eventually.

ddavidv wrote: Today I'm painting rusty bolts and the hood prop rod on the Mustang. Everything winds up being a project car eventually.

This is why I can't own a car. My inner demons compel me to restore/modify/make better everything I own. It's a sickness.

Congratulations on the bike and the car. I must be getting old because I never thought I would say this but I believe I could be happy with a V6 pony car. (That even felt a little wrong to type out)

210hp is surprisingly adequate for 90% of my driving. The other 10%? Not sure yet; haven't really pushed it. Fuel economy under normal combined driving isn't noteworthy; low 20s, so you don't buy one for that aspect. I'm actually sort of glad I didn't fall into the GT trap because these cars are heavy no matter which engine you get. No way it compares to my E30 for carving corners. I'd rather accept that its not as good instead of spending thousands trying to make it so.

I think it's very interesting how slow enthusiast will tolerate old cars to be. I mean we even count British cars that do 0-60 in 10-15 seconds and "sportscars" and yet with modern cars we seem to assume you have to buy the fastest version of a car. It seems rare that people buy a more modern car out of the same part that makes them lovingly restore a 1963 Falcon with the small 6 cyl and 2 speed. 0-60 in 6.9 is plenty fast to push your work of modern art around.

I got married in a rental V6 Mustang. It wasn't a bad car, and was a fine place to tie the knot. I'm pretty sure I could have a lot of fun with one.

In reply to nocones:

I think it's partly because newer cars in general are missing something that older cars have. The newer cars have you more isolated from what is going on, there is no sense of occasion to the actual driving experience.

In the older car you feel it, you're not just along for the ride. You have more sensory inputs going on, you hear the mechanical sounds, you smell the gas and grease and rubber. You're on a smaller tire footprint so that the car feels alive in your hands. Your inputs are more direct and aren't being processed through a thousand sensors before a computer decides that what you would like to do is okay.

Cars have gotten so much better in every respect than they used to be, but I still prefer an older car for the driving experience.

In reply to ddavidv:

I say good for you! Do what makes you happy. You've earned it. But jeez ... fifty is not old. (I'm 66 and still feel young). My personal belief is that you don't need to have the fastest / trendiest car available. If what you have is what you want and it makes you happy, that's all that matters. Enjoy life!

Comparatively speaking the Mustang isn't a 'good' car. You do feel the road a lot and the solid rear axle bounces around a bit. Style over practicality abounds in the ergonomics and dash design.

This is what makes the car so appealing to someone like me.

When I knew it was time to buy a 'new' car for daily duty I considered almost nothing else. The only vehicles that appealed to me were the Mustang, Jeep Wranglers (too impractical, too thirsty, too rustic) and the Miata (too small). I tried looking at newer BMWs and was just left cold; they weren't exciting no matter how capable they were and I wasn't at all drawn to the appearance.

All the other cars out there are just variations on a theme: sculpted jellybeans with the same feel. There is almost nothing to distinguish them from each other aside from the badging. Even cars like the SVT Focus or Mazdaspeed 3 made me go 'meh'. I sorta-kinda liked the older Subaru Sti's but they command such a high price they weren't a choice. Cars have become too homogenized; the fun and individuality is gone from the majority of them.

Swap on all the OEM GT suspension parts along with an 8.8" LSD axle. It'll take you less than a day.

Pics of the Bonneville?

octavious wrote: Pics of the Bonneville?

Coming soon to the blog. I'm doing an entry about retro styling.

ddavidv wrote: Today I'm painting rusty bolts and the hood prop rod..

My 14 year old boy spends a lot of his time "painting" his rusty bolts and prop rod too.

I was hooked on S197's since '05 also. It was to be my 'retirement car' from my last job but only took five years on/ off looking to find the right one. I went w/ a GT Premium 5-speed.

You really can't go wrong once you know these cars and what you're getting into. Reasonably priced now, dime a dozen, huge aftermarket. Don't matter, 6 or 8 there's still fan appeal no matter where ya go.

Really glad now I bought this car. If ya want it buy it, life is too short.

edit: at ddavidv. Hood strut kit to replace the hood prop rod ftw.

210 hp from a six is plenty of powah for me to get in trouble with

nocones wrote: I think it's very interesting how slow enthusiast will tolerate old cars to be. I mean we even count British cars that do 0-60 in 10-15 seconds and "sportscars" and yet with modern cars we seem to assume you have to buy the fastest version of a car. It seems rare that people buy a more modern car out of the same part that makes them lovingly restore a 1963 Falcon with the small 6 cyl and 2 speed. 0-60 in 6.9 is plenty fast to push your work of modern art around.

Its funny, but I only feel this way about Mustangs, Camarobirds, and Challengers. I don't know why--the only thing I can come up with is that these cars are about looking tough and going fast in a straight line, whereas a BMW is about the overall feel, and a pickup is about being a workhorse.

When I end up with a Pony car, it will probably be a V8, because I want it to be. That isn't rational at all, and I know it.

92dxman wrote: 210 hp from a six is plenty of powah for me to get in trouble with

My first car was a 210hp ponycar, Oh yeah, It's definitely enough to get you in trouble...trust me.

When I was 50.... I began building Surreptitious.... as to why...

Nick (Not-Stig) Comstock wrote: In reply to nocones: I think it's partly because newer cars in general are missing something that older cars have. The newer cars have you more isolated from what is going on, there is no sense of occasion to the actual driving experience. In the older car you feel it, you're not just along for the ride. You have more sensory inputs going on, you hear the mechanical sounds, you smell the gas and grease and rubber. You're on a smaller tire footprint so that the car feels alive in your hands. Your inputs are more direct and aren't being processed through a thousand sensors before a computer decides that what you would like to do is okay. Cars have gotten so much better in every respect than they used to be, but I still prefer an older car for the driving experience.

Oh noes, I ordered a 'mod' for it already. New shift knob on the way.

The standard V6 exhaust note is very rumbly; Ford spent a lot of time trying to get it 'right' and I think they succeeded. This was the first Mustang where they actually tried to make the V6 version a car that wouldn't be punishment for not choosing the 8.

The only truly annoying thing I've found so far is the shift throws are absurdly long. Choices aplenty for new shifters on the 8 but only one I've found for the 6 and it is pricey and reportedly noisy.

ddavidv wrote: The only truly annoying thing I've found so far is the shift throws are absurdly long. Choices aplenty for new shifters on the 8 but only one I've found for the 6 and it is pricey and reportedly noisy.

What about simply cutting down the shaft?

In reply to ddavidv:

Your new toy store:

http://www.americanmuscle.com/05-10-mustang-parts.html

I had an '08 GT with plenty of Shelby bits attached, but sold it a short time after I bought it. I'm not sure it wouldn't have been better in the 6cyl version. As it was it wasn't all that street-able, and it wasn't relaxing at all. It did however have short kit and the throws almost Miata-like.

Congrats on the car, I like them!

In reply to ddavidv:

I can deal with longish shift throws. What annoys me are very short ones. I drove a G35 sedan and it's throws were stupid short, I don't think it was modified but it could have been. If I would have bought it I would have been looking for ways to increase the throws.

fasted58 wrote: In reply to ddavidv: Your new toy store: http://www.americanmuscle.com/05-10-mustang-parts.html

Where my bitchin' new knob is coming from. Way ahead of you.