[futameca]

Another post (http://www.escape-city.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11&start=690) got me reminiscing about this car.

Maybe if others want to post their experience with lost classics or opportunities lost similar to this... we can commiserate together. :beer:

Pictured below is a '69 Mustang Mach I. I LOVED this car :heart: As a kid our neighbor and his wife would race in rally's around the US and Mexico. I'm guessing in the 1970's. Apparently they won alot. Any how, by the time I hit high school they were finished with racing and their daughter used it as her car. (note to self... should have dated daughter :wall: ) On occasion she would show off and leave the student parking lot nice stretch of...

:clap:.

Life moved on... college, marriage, etc. When I would visit the parents the car was always there under that tree. I would inquire once in a while. Vern (the neighbor) was to restore it with his son, so I laid off the idea. They had an Austin Healy they were supposed to restore also.

A few years back his wife was diagnosed with cancer and past away shortly after that. Vern decided to pack up and move closer to his kids (Arizona). He needed to fix up the house and ended up bartering the Mustang away (he kept the Austin Healy) to the painter for a paint job on the house. :spank: HOPEFULLY that person will do the car justice. It has such a great history and background.

If it was me I would have kept everything together from the trophies to the Halda SpeedPilot installed to the photos and memorabilia. Ok I'm done with the novel... here's the pics.

The Austin Healy he kept. Not this one of course, but the same style.

 

[CrashNburn]

cool

and it looks like the guy could just buff up the car and drive it LoL.

 

[Tribute Dad]

I went! I went! :drool: :drool: The Mustang!!

 

[gmercedesbenz]

Ok I may only be 20 years old, and wasn't even a twinkle in my mom's eye when cars like that roamed the brightly lit streets of America, but I can bow down to a true automobile when I see one. That sir is a car. I share the same feelings in that I hope the new owner brings it back to life. To think of how far Ford and indeed all car companies have come in terms of design and technology with cars and trucks....they certainly don't make them like they used to anymore. It makes one truly sit back and think, especially with all this talk about new energy sources for cars...are the days of working in the garage with dad or grandpa on the old Mustang or family Escape :lol: a thing of the past? I mean have you opened the hood of some of the new higher end cars like BMW and Lexus lately? It's a mere challange just to get the engine COVER off, let alone work on the car itself. As the majority of vehicle owners move toward a more warranty covered "hands off" approach to car maintence, one sits back and wonder are we all going to be driving hydrogen powered cars that one cannot tweak at all in 30 years? Who knows....Personally I dont think anything beats throwing on an old shirt, grabbing a beer or two :angel: and spending the saturday in the garage trying to figure out what one can do next to get just that extra horse out of an engine. It's what makes cars, cars....it's not just driving, it's making it able to drive.

Cheers to all of you here, you obviously share my passion in working on their own vehicle, what ever that may be. :beer:

-Gerry P.

 

[RyanRage]

Ok I may only be 20 years old, and wasn't even a twinkle in my mom's eye when cars like that roamed the brightly lit streets of America, but I can bow down to a true automobile when I see one. That sir is a car. I share the same feelings in that I hope the new owner brings it back to life. To think of how far Ford and indeed all car companies have come in terms of design and technology with cars and trucks....they certainly don't make them like they used to anymore. It makes one truly sit back and think, especially with all this talk about new energy sources for cars...are the days of working in the garage with dad or grandpa on the old Mustang or family Escape :lol: a thing of the past? I mean have you opened the hood of some of the new higher end cars like BMW and Lexus lately? It's a mere challange just to get the engine COVER off, let alone work on the car itself. As the majority of vehicle owners move toward a more warranty covered "hands off" approach to car maintence, one sits back and wonder are we all going to be driving hydrogen powered cars that one cannot tweak at all in 30 years? Who knows....Personally I dont think anything beats throwing on an old shirt, grabbing a beer or two :angel: and spending the saturday in the garage trying to figure out what one can do next to get just that extra horse out of an engine. It's what makes cars, cars....it's not just driving, it's making it able to drive.

Cheers to all of you here, you obviously share my passion in working on their own vehicle, what ever that may be. :beer:

-Gerry P.

BMWs I found, are MUCH easier to work on than anything american.. just more expensive.
*proud 2000 528i owner*

 

[gmercedesbenz]

Even the newer ones? I went test driving the other day with my friend because she was in the market for a new car and we went looking at the BMW dealership and test drove a 09 x3, and man I popped that hood and couldn't even fit a finger down in that engine bay...but don't get me wrong, I didn't mean to point out BMW or Lexus or any car company in general, it just feels like auto makers are making it harder and harder for owners to do their own work and modificiations...

 

[RyanRage]

For real, even the newer ones.. I work on my uncles all the time.. It's an 08 3 series. Easier than the Escape.

 

[gmercedesbenz]

:shock: Wow I would of assumed completely the opposite....

 

[futameca]

For real, even the newer ones.. I work on my uncles all the time.. It's an 08 3 series. Easier than the Escape.

Surprises me too. I always hear about the expense to maintain Bimmers... If it's that easy maybe BMW has the wool pulled over owner's eyes. Or in certain areas of maintenance they are more user friendly.

My brothers 7 series ('98) had to have it's own trust fund to maintain it. :lol:

I still have fond memories of working on my '64 Chevy pick-up in college. You could practically climb into the engine bay and sit on the tire well for a stool while working on the engine! :lol:

 

[CrashNburn]

BMW parts must be expensive

Broke
My
Wallet

 

[RyanRage]

Bimmer parts are expensive.. A Wheel Bearing on a Ford Taurus is about 75 bucks.. On a Bimmer, about 125 bucks.. But I'd pay the little extra just because of the ease of working on it. It honestly seems like it breaks less often, but reguardless of brand, it still breaks just like any other vehicle. If you maintain it properly, it lasts longer. You can say that about any vehicle be it Ford, Chevy, Mopar, Bimmer, Benz.. It really doesn't matter. Personaly, I absolutely LOVE my Bimmer. The Germans know how to build their cars, i'll tell you that much. It's a joy to drive. It's no race car or anything, but it's real solid.

I will say this.. Nothin' is better than the few beers and workin' on cars.. As said earlier. I have 3 cars.. My Escape and Bimmer, obviously.. But I have myself a classic. IMO, if you have time time and the garage.. What's a garage without an old classic (In my case, a 70 Mustang FB)? She's my project right now.. Just dropped a motor and trans in her and I hope to have her running for next Friday. I'd like to have her finished for Carlisle. Going with the old dark green color, since that was the stock paint color on her back in the day.

I keep straying. :topic:

Nothing beats working on your car yourself getting full of greese then kickin' back and having a few beers! arty:

 

[jonas1022]

I have a rule: If it's made in Europe, forget about it. If it's made in the USofA, it's OK. If it's Asian, just about anything Asian, it's the most reliable car available.

I've had my BMW, and Mercedes, and 'Yota's. Just that Fords are dollar for dollar more car for the money than the others.

 

[stone]

I used to have a second hand BMW 318i. Yes, it is the same down under, in context of spare parts. They charge a fortune. It was a beautiful car to drive. Very comfortable. Accurate in road handling. The smoothness, of automatic transmission could not be faulted. Do not, regret the time i had with the 318i.

It was an interesting situation, and just something i needed to experience. Superb fuel economy from that 1800cc engine. But eventually i sold the car, as it was not economically feasible to keep it. The main issue was the pricing on those spare parts.