Official Online Magazine of the Mustang Six Association

July 31, 2015
VOLUME NO. 2
ISSUE NO. 13
Official Online Magazine of the Mustang Six Association
2012 HIGHLY MODDED V-6
ITS NOT “JUST A SIX”, IT’S A PART OF THE LEGACY OF THE MUSTANG!
FORUM
WEBSITE
NATIONAL DIRECTOR
TERRY REINHART
FACEBOOK
FACEBOOK
WADE SOVONICK
E-MAIL
FORUM
ADAM SPARKS
DO WE HAVE YOUR SIX YET?
FORUM
FOUNDER
RICK MITCHELL
CONTENTS
Members Mustangs
4
INLINE 6 CLASSICS
6
1966 SPRINT PRINT
9
MUSTANG II MEMORIES
11
V-6 CONNECTION
13
MUSTANG SIX SHOWCASE
REMEMBER LEISURE SUITS? 9
Articles
14
OLD SCHOOL OLD GEEZER
16
IT HAPPENED WITH A SIX
18
A TAIL OF TWO PONIES
AACA MUSEUM 16
Departments
3
STABLE STATEMENTS
20
M6A AT THE SHOWS
21
M6A’s NATIONAL CAR SHOW
23
SUPPORTERS OF M6A
24
THE PONY STOPS HERE
25
SHOW FLYER
SHOW TROPHIES 22
THE M6A LOGO, M6A, THE MUSTANG SIX ASSOCIATION COPYRIGHT 2015
2
STABLE STATEMENTS
OUR FORUM IS ONLINE!
forum.mustang6association.org
I am so excited to be announcing that our forum is now up and running. Ever since I took the reigns over
of M6A, it was one of my goals to develop a forum. I have always wanted to make a way for our members
to get to know and interact with one another, and a forum is a wonderful way to do that. I encourage our
members to join the forum, feel free to post articles and pictures there as well as to send them into be
published in The Six Banger.
There were several people who did a lot of behind the scenes work, and I want to thank them for their
dedication to M6A. One of them was, Adam Sparks, who is also going to be our forum moderator, making
sure everything runs smoothly. The other was Terry no. 2, my web guru, it is because of the hard work of
these two and a few more that our forum exists!
Six weeks from tomorrow our First Annual M6A National Show will be taking place, I am so looking forward to being able to put faces to names of all those that are going to be there and be a part of this historic event for M6A. If you haven’t registered for the show, you still have time. You can find where to go to
online to register in the M6A show section of this edition and on our website as well.
Our membership continues to grow, and we have now well over 600 members on both our M6A membership rolls, and our Facebook page. We should see another growth spurt in the coming weeks, both Mustang Times and Mustang Monthly are going to give our National Show some publicity. Speaking of publicity, make sure that you let everyone know about our new forum on the other forums and Facebook pages
you are a member of.
I also want to say I am pleased by the articles related to 6 cylinder Mustangs that we are receiving. As
you know, I always want and look forward to getting your pictures and stories of your Mustangs, I feel that
the articles add depth and variety to our online magazine. So please continue sending them in. Along
those same lines if you have a tech article about a project your working on or completed, share that with
us as well, so others can learn from your experiences, and yes even mistakes!
Until next time, have a great day and don’t forget to hug your loved ones and then your Mustang!
3
INLINE SIX CLASSICS
THE FINNISH CONNECTION
Story and photos by Ingvar Lohoff
My name is Ingvar Lohoffand and I’m
from Finland. My interest in Mustangs
started when I was 13 years old and
saw my first one, that was in 1977. It
was then that I decided that one day I
would have one.
Finally in 1994 the opportunity came for
me to buy one. The car I bought was a
1965 coupe with a 200 I6 and C4.The
car had been shipped by the factory to
Denver, where it was sold, and after a
year it was sold again and imported to
Finland.
I repainted the car the first year I had it.
The interior is still the original, but I have
added wood steering wheel, Rally Pac
and a console. The engine is the original
with some modifications such as Classic
Inlines valve cover, Pony carbs vaporizer and Petronix ignition.
In Finland antique cars are registered as
“museum cars”. By registering them that
way, we don’t have to pay a yearly tax,
our safety inspections are required every
other year instead of annually, and the
insurance coverage is much less expensive.
We have taken vacations to California
and Florida which included a visit to
NPD at the same time. The visit to NPD
usually results in some very heavy suitcases to bring home
Our summers in Finland are very short,
so I try to get out in the car as much as
possible. I go to car shows with it or just
drive around enjoying being in the car. I
am really proud to be a member of the
M6A.
4
INLINE SIX CLASSICS
EDITORS NOTE: The “200” emblem
shone on the fender of Ingar’s Mustang
is available to M6A members. The emblem is custom made. For more info
email [email protected]
5
1966 SPRINT PRINT
BACK IN MY ARMS AFTER 32 YEARS!
Photos and Story by Gus Gutoskey
My name is Gus Gutoskey and my baby is back! I own
one of the Millionth Mustang sprint package coupes, VIN My son and I drove to Michigan in November, 2014 and
6F07TXXXXX. This was and is my very first car. More on trailered the vehicle back to Ft. Wayne. Unbelievably, the
that below.
Miami University decal I applied in 1972 is still in the back
window!
I discovered the Mustang Six Association while researching what kind of finish the chrome air cleaner cover for the
Sprint 200 engine originally had. Of course, I am trying to
keep everything original. I quickly registered for the Six
Banger Newsletter and received a warm welcome from
Terry Reinhart. And of course, I gobbled up every back
issue of this excellent newsletter.
The vehicle looked pretty good as the pictures show. So
initially, I was going to address any mechanical issues,
spiff up the interior, address some issues with the exterior
chrome, and use it as a driver during the nice months.
I attended Miami University and graduated in 1972. Miami Mechanically, the vehicle was in pretty good shape for a
had a “no cars on campus” rule when I attended and as a 48 year old car. My local mechanic, Jim Gentile, owner of
result, I needed a car upon graduation.
Wheelock Auto, rebuilt the carburetor, addressed issues
with the power steering (after I acquired a rebuilt power
I purchased this Mustang for the first time (yes, I’ve steering cylinder and had my power steering control valve
owned it twice!) in June, 1972 in New Lebanon, OH for rebuilt), replaced the rear springs and shocks, replaced
$750 after a bricklayer I was working for at the time, Don the harmonic balancer, the speedometer cable, the fuel
Rusk, told me he saw it in a front yard for sale. I moved to sending unit, the left rear axle shaft (which was bent), and
Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1973 and took good care of it, serviced the rear differential.
even undertaking a mini-restoration in the late 70's. In
1982, I reluctantly traded it to Don for the brickwork on my
second house in 1982 (around $4500 equivalent).
Don loved that car as much as I did. It was garaged for
most of the next 32 years, driven occasionally. He died in
2007 and his daughter inherited it. She had it repainted
(because that's what he always wanted to do). She and
her husband moved to Michigan around 2012 and didn't
have a good place to store it. She emailed me in 2014
and asked if I'd like to repurchase it. Of course I
did!! Who wouldn’t want to reacquire their very first car,
let alone a classic Mustang?
6
1966 SPRINT PRINT
I also obtained a new heater core which he replaced.
I’ll never forget the 120 mile drive from Oxford, Ohio
to Fort Wayne in February, 1973 for a job interview
with the temperature outside of minus 16. Everyone
who shook my hand that day must have thought I
had a cool personality or maybe they just though I
was cool. Anyway, it took me about a month to warm
back up after that experience but I did get the job. All
On Mark’s site, you will see an Eleanor Mustang that
he built, made famous in the 2000’s hit movie “Gone
in 60 Seconds” which starred Nicholas Cage and
Angelina Jolie. I toured Mark’s facility and he has a
loft absolutely loaded with parts, both new and used,
for classic Mustangs.
My next task was to get the vehicle ready for stripping. And that is what I did. I removed just about
everything that could be removed including all
chrome, hood, doors, trunk lid, fenders, valance,
stone deflector, most windows, gas tank and just
about everything in the interior except for wiring. I left
the steering wheel on for obvious reasons even
though I am in the process of restoring it. Every classic Mustang owner has encountered the cracks from
the sun in the steering wheel of their vehicle.
The first stop was at the shop of Ross “Rooster”
Nichols where the engine, transmission, driveshaft,
and exhaust system were removed along with all the
ancillary parts under the hood. And Ross gave me
owners of the early year Mustangs can relate to some tasks to complete such as having the radiator
heater issues I’m sure.
pressure checked and painted, the drive shaft refurbished, and the air cleaner cover re-chromed. And
As I began stripping the interior and removed the old he will have more tasks as he completes his work on
carpet, I discovered floorboard issues. As I began the engine, engine bay and transmission.
replacing weather-strip, more issues were found.
The headliner necessitated the removal of the windshield and backlight and even more issues appeared. Under the trunk mat, even more rust was
found.
It became apparent the best route would be a total
restoration
so
I
began
my
research.
I started with Dan T. Gratz Body Shop in Fort Wayne
and after a review and some discussion, they suggested the vehicle be stripped to identify all the areas of need and directed me to ProStrip in Fort
Wayne and owner Joe Bruck.
To say Joe is a wealth of knowledge is a total understatement. He has been a restoration consultant to
me, but more like a brother, introducing me to a local
engine detailer, Ross “Rooster” Nichols, and the
Mustang Maker, Mark McCoart. Mark’s website is
www.Mustangmaker.com. Mark is a Scott Drake and
Dynacorn dealer and actually builds Mustangs from
scratch.
7
1966 SPRINT PRINT
This entire process to date has not been without its challenges. Fort Wayne, like many other areas of the Midwest, is in the middle of its rainiest summer in history and
quick priming once components are stripped is of utmost
importance to get the bare metal quickly primed. The
priming is being handled by Dan T. Gratz.
The blasting has left no doubt about where the issues
exist. Both front fenders have rust and have been
patched considerably in the usual Mustang fender places. The rear quarter panels and wheel wells also need to
be addressed. We are on the fence about what to do
with the hood as it is rusted from its underpinnings up
through the front lip. The front frame rails have considerable rust and will need to be replaced.
It is easy to tell this Mustang spent all its years in the
snowy and humid states of Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan.
The rust it carries is so typical of the salt laden roads of
the Midwest.
From Ross’ shop, the vehicle went to ProStrip where Joe
encountered one of the five most difficult blasting jobs
he’s ever seen. There were seven coats of primer/paint
including a tough recent (2007) clear top coat.
The hood is my biggest issue today and I am scouring
the US for one with no rust. The after-market hoods are
just not the same. With any repop, there is always going
to be a fitment issue. I am open to suggestions here.
As I write, the next stop for the vehicle is at the Mustang
Maker’s shop in Somerset, Indiana, about 60 miles
southwest of Fort Wayne. Mark and I are going to have a
walkthrough and he is going to make some recommendations once he has a chance to go over the vehicle with
a fine tooth comb.
Along with the custom blasting, Joe has a booming custom powder coating and ceramic coating business and
the work he’s done to date on miscellaneous parts for
the vehicle to this point is outstanding. He has stripped
and coated everything from bumper brackets to hood
hinges and latches to exhaust system components to the After Mark work his magic with the metal, the Mustang
drive shaft. It’s going to look so good when reassembled! will end up at Dan T. Gratz Body Shop in Fort Wayne for
a final paint job, both interior and exterior before the
Rooster reinstalls the engine. And then it’s back to my
garage for reassembly.
As work progresses, I have spent countless hours removing dings from the stainless steel window trim, filing,
wet sanding, and buffing them so they look like
new. And I have removed paint and rust from hundreds
of pieces of hardware.
I will keep everyone posted as we move forward. I am
retired and now work as a golf blogger. I intend to take
my 50 anniversary Mustang on a trip along Route 66 in
2016 to play as many of the golf courses on Route 66 as
possible, of course documenting my travels throughout.
You can find my blog at logoballtraveler.com and reach
me at [email protected].
th
Most important, Joe refuses to let me make a mistake
and is always looking for ways to save me money on this
restoration.
8
MUSTANG II MEMORIES
A MUSTANG II STORY
STORY AND PICTURES BY GREG SHAFER
On August 28, 1973 Ford revealed a totally new Mustang. Much smaller than the 1973 model, the 1974
Mustang abandoned V-8 performance by offering only
a 4 cylinder and optional 6 cylinder. The Mustang of
the 1970s was created to compete against Toyota Celica’s and Datsun 240Zs, not Camaros and Hemi
Cudas.
Less than two months after Mustang II arrived in showrooms, OPEC ordered an oil embargo in response to
the US’ decision to supply weapons to the Israelis during the Yom Kipper War. Almost immediately gas prices rose from 25 cents per gallon to 55 cents per gallon. There were long lines at filling stations and American’s used to plentiful fuel at cheap prices were
shocked to have the pumps dry up while the nozzle
was still in their hand. Once again Ford was in the
right place at the right time as luck played as big a fac- For some reason I have more pictures of this car as
tor in the early sales of these cars as marketing reany I’ve ever owned in my youth. The Mach 1 hatchback had a whopper 105 HP V-6 engine and the paint
search.
was light blue 3B. It was purchased I assume with an
I wrote in an earlier story in the Six Banger News about employee discount from Stroud Ford since dad worked
the 65’ 289 I drove in high school, the almost 40 year
there in the first year of Mustang II production. I parted
Mustang hiatus that ended in 2011 when I purchased a ways with the car about three years later and traded it
’66 Coupe, then a year later a 2006 V6 Premium
in about 1979 for a Buick Regal!
coupe. But I admit I didn’t think much about a feature
on my Mustang II until recently. After all it was a six
Facts about the 1974 Mach I:
and it’s the 40 year anniversary!
Sales were initially slow but timing was everything as
the Arab oil embargo crisis happened and sales
soared. First year sales were 386,000 which was a
huge increase from 135,000 in 1973
That first year only 4 and 6 cylinders available, no V8’s. Long gone were the 428/9 big block cobra jets!
That would change the following year when a 302 V-8
engine was offered.
Named 1974 Motor Trend Car of the Year!
Length was dramatically reduced from 194” in ’73 to
175”. Width shrunk for 74’ to 70’.
The only upgrades for Mach I was blacked out rocker
moldings with Mach I identification, raised white letter
tires on 13” wheels and tachometer.
1974 saw the end of the Challenger, Barracuda, and
Javelin but this little guy helped the Mustang survive
the demise of many other Pony cars. Even though it
doesn’t get much respect it is an important piece of the
long and illustrious Mustang history.
This ’74 Mustang II Mach 1 was my HS graduation gift
from my Dad. He worked at Stroud Ford in Stroudsburg, PA and brought home all kinds of Fords my
brother and I enjoyed putzing around in in the early
seventies but the one was truly mine.
9
MUSTANG II MEMORIES
Some things I remember in and about this car:
Many long distance trips between PA, South Florida and Lexington, KY where I attended UK with zero
mechanical issues
This car was the ride from Boca Raton to a Led Zeppelin concert in Tampa that was to be one of the
greatest nights of our lives. On the way my brother and I nearly got killed when the tire blew and we
went flying into the median. We put the spare on and limped into Tampa for the once in a lifetime concert.
We stood in the blazing FL sun for hours and just after the third song the heavens opened and would
not let up causing a flood and then a riot. After the third and final song I remember Robert Plant saying
we’ll be right back when it stops. When they didn’t that’s when the riot broke out and again we escaped
with our lives.
For us the whole thing was jinxed from the beginning and we couldn’t even get our $12 a piece
back! My only chance and we had to pick one of the very few cancelled Zep concerts. We got see
three songs Black Dog, Dancing Days and I forget the other.
The rocker panels got holes in them pretty fast from the PA salty roads in winter
The first fill up I vividly remember going to the Sunoco station on West Main Street, Stroudsburg and
paying 55 cents per gallon
When I took it to the dealer later to get a radio installed i(t did not come with one) I was horrified to
watch the guy get out a hacksaw and cut a rough hole in the dash for the radio. Yes, a plate went
around it to hide what he did but it was never the same for me knowing what he did!
Sure we all know not the high water mark in Mustang history but I am proud to have had a Mustang II
Mach I! With all the Mustang shows I’ve been to in recent years I’ve never seen one exactly like it.
Let’s have some more Mustang II stories in the Six Banger!
10
THE V-6 CONNECTION
NUMBER THREE
Photos and Story by Jordan Sell
My name is Jordan Sell and I'd like to say how great it is to have a club
and mag dedicated to the 6 cylinder mustang. I would like to share with
you some pictures and info about my 2012. I ordered it in 2011 because
the dealer couldn't find one anywhere with the performance package.
This is my third v6 mustang i have a 95 I drive daily and i traded in a
grabber orange 2008 for my 12. I was going to leave it stock but the mod
bug hit and that's all she wrote. It has a cs/boss fascia with a Saleen
grille. Boss 302 style stripes and roof decal. Raxiom taillights and California special spoiler.
Performance wise i have a bbk 73 mm throttle body, Steeda cold air intake, bbk ceramic shorty tuned headers, ford racing x-pipe and ford racing sport exhaust. It also has a ford racing short throw shifter with a 40
percent shorter throw and a 2 post shift bracket. In back is 3.73 gears
also by Ford Racing.
Inside the car i've added Ford Racing racaro seats and a boss 302 steering wheel. For audio ive added a jvc
head unit with the custom face plate and the speakers have been switched out for a set of kickers. I still have to
install the cs/gt500 valance then she is ready for the summer.
11
THE V-6 CONNECTION
12
MUSTANG SIX SHOWCASE
KEITH McCLOUDS 1966 CONVERTIBLE
My interest in Mustangs started at a very early age. My uncle owned a 1966 Mustang. It was a 289 white coupe
with a 3 speed manual transmission. He had added an ooga horn that I thought was great. In 1979 my father
purchased a blue 1965 coupe with a 289 and automatic for me. I drove that car to high school and college and
still own it today. My wife and I went on our first date in that car where she informed me that she loved Mustangs. Her father owns an early 1965 convertible with a 6 cylinder and her brother owns several Shelbys. She
drove a 1966 Springtime Yellow Mustang to High School. It was a 289 automatic with black interior.
We purchased our 1966 Mustang in 2007. It is a 1966 convertible with a 6 cylinder engine and automatic transmission. It is triple black. The only two options on it are the console and power top. I restored this car with
help from my father in time to take it to the 2009 AACA show in Charlotte where it earned a Junior award.
Our four daughters enjoy helping with the restoration projects. They also enjoy attending the shows and driving
the Mustangs
JIM & CAM HIRONIMUS’ IN PROGRESS 1964 1/2 CONVERTIBLE
13
ADVICE FROM AN OLD SCHOOL, OLD GEEZER
Article and photos by Charles Johns
PACKING OUR MUSTANG FOR MUSTANG OKLAHOMA (OR ANY LONG TRIP)
Whether for a frame-up rebuild or a trip, “planning” always makes things go easier. Just like in the OLD DAYS
our Pony must be ready to be ridden. Basic checks
should always be done but with our 50 year old cars it is
doubly important. Gas, tire pressure, oil level, transmission fluid, rear-end gear oil and front wheel bearings
need checking. If you have windshield washers, top the
reservoir and be sure suspension parts are greased with
the frontend aligned. Now we can get to packing.
I did a previous story about luggage specifically for our
Mustangs and this is where that comes in handy. If you
have purchased luggage that fits your trunk space you
are miles ahead. Mustangs are not designed to hold a
lot of trunk stuff, so finding bags, luggage or even boxes
that fit the space available, you can pack everything
needed. The basics MUST stay! Do not remove the
spare, jack, lug wrench or tools…no matter how bad you
think you need the space. With planning everything fits!
The glove box should have a First-Aid kit, pen & paper,
cell phone charger and gum/mints. If you must ask directions you don’t want your breath to smell like you just
swallowed your sox!
The trunk shot is my 65 packed as it will be for the trip…
give or take an item or two. Notice the MUSTANG bags
and matching goodies. Lawn chair, umbrella, sun tan
lotion, fender cover, spare parts, tools and spare tire.
Plenty of room for 4 days and 3 nights on the road. We
carry a Mustang soft-cooler that has a plastic liner to
hold ice which allows us to keep drinks handy so we
don’t have to stop. Save the beer/wine for after driving!
In the passenger area we have the ice-cooler, directions
from MapQuest, sun glasses, cell phones, camera, hotel/motel numbers and reservations, a few snacks, CD’s
and the wife’s Kindle. If you are old like me, keep any
medications in the air conditioned interior.
Things like a new water pump or fuel pump can tag-along because they may not be radially available at Bubba’s Auto Parts. He can have them in a day or two but
by then the gathering may be over! I carry both fan belts
also just because I can fix that problem beside the road
and be on my way. Points, rotor, condenser, dist. Cap
and whatever YOU think may give trouble on a trip can
be carried…however, if you find you need LOTS of extra
parts, take the family car and enjoy other Mustangs at
One change I make to the interior is the hanger hook
the show. When you feel you may need only a part or
over the passenger side rear quarter window. I LEAVE
two, you are ready to enjoy the ride in YOUR Mustang! IT OFF! I have only one hook behind the driver. That
other hook holds clothes in a way that blocks the drivers
view creating a “blind-spot”! When I install the headliner,
I leave that one off and hand it to the owner. YES, I have
both outside mirrors but the danger is not worth taking
the chance. If he wants it he can install it. With today’s
clothes the one hook works fine for my wife and me.
Better to lay clothes across the back seat than create a
blind-spot.
14
ADVICE FROM AN OLD SCHOOL, OLD GEEZER
The red jacket shows how much the window is blocked if one hangs clothes on it. Behind the driver it is not a problem but in a coupe it is worse than when I had a fastback 67, on the passenger side! The wife gets the hard-case
luggage (naturally) and I put 2 jeans rolled up, 3 t's, 3 socks and 3 underwear in the blue canvas bag. I put my personal stuff in the black & red bag with a few other goodies and maybe a shirt on the one hook. Carolyn puts her
blouse/skirt on that hook also...and it works. The 50 birthday bag gets spare parts, cardboard windshield shade,
R12 (yep, last can) with charge hose and a flashlight. The 2 plaid bags also have parts and the red tool box
gets...wait for it...tools! We have a place to sit with shade at the event, cold drinks and munchies, a camera, binoculars, cell phones, clothes and we can sit next to our SIX cylinder Mustang. God is good!
So, you have your clothes, cell phone, music, maps, a few snacks, spare parts you may/may not need and time
off. With peace of mind even an old SIX cylinder Mustang can get you there and do it IN STYLE! So enjoy the trip,
check out the scenery, watch your speed and when you get where you are going, make friends. One of the major
benefits of old cars…they are the key to making memories. When you turn that ignition key and the little SIX
comes to life, you also turn on your memory bank. The First M6A run to Mustang, Oklahoma just might be a major
deposit in that bank…SO BE THERE!
Charlie Johns “Old Geezer” Rising Star, Texas
15
IT HAPPENED WITH A SIX
REFLECTIONS ON MY FIRST HALF OF THE 2015 SHOW SEASON
Photos and Story by Rick Mitchell
As this is written in late July, I have attended 14 shows in
my '14 Mustang, bringing my total from three six cylinder
Mustangs to 92 shows. Whew! It's been busy! Here are a
few thoughts on the 2015 season so far...
One of the most interesting shows I went to was the
AACA Museum's CARnival in Hershey, PA in June. This
was for display only on their grounds, and we toured their
excellent museum for free. I had wanted to see this since
last October when they opened their new Tucker Exhibition with three of the original 51 Tucker '48's on display,
along with numerous other memorabilia. I am a huge fan
of the Tuckers, both the cars and the story behind Preston Tucker, and this visit did not disappoint! If you are in
the Hershey area, it is well worth your time to visit the
AACA Museum
Another beautiful Tucker '48 on display at the
AACA Museum in Hershey, PA
One of the three rare Tucker '48s at the AACA
Museum in their new Tucker Exhibition
This is a Tucker '48 test mule that is on display to
show how the Tuckers looked inside. Notice its
converted Franklin helicopter engine in the rear
Here is my best hard luck show story for this year so far:
A club on Maryland's Eastern Shore scheduled a show
for Father's Day, but severe thunderstorms lasted
through Saturday afternoon and evening. The club made
a decision Saturday morning to postpone their show.
They posted this on their Facebook page, but I am not a
member, and sent emails to other clubs on the Eastern
Shore. Unfortunately, I live in Baltimore, 40 miles west.
It was a bright and sunny Sunday morning, so I checked
the club's website and saw nothing, and off I
went travelling over our beautiful Chesapeake Bay
Bridge. I soon pulled on to the show site at a high school,
turned the corner at the entrance and drove to the main
parking lot. I expected to see hundreds of cars and people, but instead I saw a vast oasis of empty macadam! It
was absolutely the worst feeling. A religious group was
having services in the school's cafeteria. One member
said the show was postponed. I thanked him and blew
out of there, more than a little unhappy. The club later
admitted that they forgot to add the postponement on
their website. Ahhh, the power of the internet...
I have said this many times before, but half the fun
of going to a show is the simple pleasure of driving to
and from the site, especially on the morning run when
the early Saturday or Sunday traffic is light. For me in
central Maryland, driving the interstates to Delaware or
Frederick, MD, or through the lower mountains through
West Virginia and Virginia is a blast! Driving Harpers Ferry early in the morning is extremely picturesque, while
watching the water flow over the rapids as I wind through
the mountains. Just gorgeous!
16
IT HAPPENED WITH A SIX
The other fun half is talking to other enthusiasts about their cars. If you want to make friends in a hurry, just tell
the owners that you like their car! Also, it is rewarding to visit many different car shows to see these cars in person, whether Mustang or not, and talk to their owners. Get off the internet, put down your reference books and go
see the real cars!
I always thought that there were only two kinds of car shows, popular vote and judged. To me, "popular vote"
meant that those competing in the show were given a ballot to select five or ten cars that they thought were the
best, and "judged" meant that an experienced person or group evaluated the exterior, interior, engine, trunk and/
or undercarriage by a point scale. Those entrants with the highest points then won trophies. But to my great surprise at three shows this season, there appears to be a third category, with "judged" shows that are, in reality,
"popular vote" shows by a handful of "judges" selected by the club with no points system used.
Rick Mitchell's '14 Mustang at the AACA CARnival display on the lawn of
the AACA Museum in June
Here is how this anomaly works. The club
advertises their show as a "judged" show.
Dummy me, I assume that my car will be
judged on a point scale. I arrive and set up
my car for the judges. On three occasions at
this kind of "judged" show, the judges
walk the line of cars and look at each car for
what seems like less than 30 seconds, mostly at the engine, and then go to the next car.
They jot down a note and the "judging" is
done. The first time I saw this, I thought my
eyes were playing tricks as it happened so
fast. Despite my Mustang being as neat as
can be with many small appearance mods, it
received its "judgment" in only a matter
of seconds. Unbelievable! This system to me
has to be worse than standard popular voting whereas judging by a point scale is
still the best, or at least call these
shows something other than a "judged"
show, which is incredibly misleading.
Dash plaques are among the greatest inventions for car shows! As it gets harder to win, I concentrate on shows
that give dash plaques as they are like small trophies! After one show, I went home after dark, brought my gear in
and put my car away, only to find that I misplaced my dash plaque. I sent emails to the show's moderators to locate another. Fortunately the next morning I found mine sitting near my mailbox. It fell out when I brought in my
mail. Crisis averted!
Finally, on my desk there must be another 14 or 15 show flyers running through November, many of which I have
never attended before, including the CJ Pony Parts and American Muscle shows. Many pieces on my '14 came
from these two excellent vendors in Pennsylvania. The CJ show draws over 400 cars whereas AM draws over
2,500! There are also many Ford dealer and collector car shows ahead, with opportunities to see many different cars, some going back over 90 years, as well as the chance to speak with to their owners. Look for an end of
season article later this year!
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A TAIL OF TWO PONIES
A CONVERTIBLE TO FIT MY BUDGET
Story and pictures by Ed McKnight
Our First Mustang was a 25th anniversary edition, convertible 5.0. The car was originally owned by my neighbor Shirley, she and my wife had become friends and
enjoyed spending time with each other. Shirley was a
diabetic and unfortunately did not do anything to treat
her diabetes, which resulted in her passing away.
It’s now 2014 and I wanted to find a Mustang convertible
to cruise around in and go to car shows with. My budget
is too small for a new one so I began searching, I found
that even the classic Mustangs were very expensive. As
I continued to look for one I discovered an auction going
in in eBay for a 1966 Poppy Red Roadster, with a black
interior, console, complete with a removable top that
It had been Shirley’s wishes for her nephew to be given
was in my price range. I kept an eye on the auction and
her Mustang, but her nephew’s parents did not want him
waited till the very last seconds before it ended to place
to have the car because he was not old enough to drive
my bid. My patience paid off and I became the proud
yet. In order for Shirley’s wishes to be kept, my wife
owner of 200 CI Mustang with a C-4 transmission. I got
bought the car from Shirley’s estate, with the intent of
my car in time to drive it in the local 4th of July parade,
giving the car to the nephew when he was old enough to
and everybody just loved my Mustang!
drive.
When the nephew reached driving age, his parents still
did not want him to have the car. They were concerned
that because the Mustang did not have all the safety
features that newer cars had, such as air bags and antilock brakes. We continued driving the car hoping that
eventually Shirley’s nephews parents would change
their mind and allow him to have it, though that never did
happen.
We decided to finally sell the car to someone else after
my wife narrowly missed having an accident, during a
rain storm one winter. An interesting side note is the fact
that Shirley was the aunt of tennis star Andre Agassi.
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A TAIL OF TWO PONIES
I decide that I want to add power steering and power
brakes as well as heat and a/c so that my wife would be
able to not only drive the car, but want to! As I am removing the original steering box I discover is in horrible
condition, it sounds like a blender full of nuts and bolts
on high speed. This sends me searching the internet and
catalogues looking for a complete kit to convert the car to
power steering. I had a budget set for the cost of installing the power steering, but from my searching it appeared that there was going to be no way to stay within
it.
It was at that point that I realized that the conversion to
power steering would be much less expensive if I acquired the parts needed individually rather that in a kit. I
realized that this would take modification of some of the
parts I was going to use. My Mustang now has power
rack and pinion steering as well as a collapsible steering
column.
My next project was the a/c and heat, after some searching I found a kit was the best option for that, and went on
and bought a kit that had free shipping. After I completed
all the upgrades to my car, I had ended up staying way
under the budget I had set for myself, and that included
the purchase of the Mustang!
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M6A AT THE SHOWS
KURT KARR AND FRIEND JIM, KINDLEBERGER CAR SHOW
TOM RILEY, AACA NATIONAL, LOUISVILLE KY
FIRST JUNIOR AWARD
2 M6A CARS AT CERTIFIT CAR SHOW
TERRY REINHART, AACA NATIONAL, LOUISVILLE, KY
SENIOR AWARD
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M6A’s NATIONAL CAR SHOW
CLICK ABOVE TO REGISTER FOR SHOW
Registration for the show and
WHERE TO SLEEP, EAT, SHOP AND WASH
WHILE YOU’RE IN MUSTANG OK
for our national car show
We’ve put together links to the three hotels where we have rooms blocked off for our National
Show. We also have links to all the areas restaurants and eateries, places to shop till you drop,
and for some the very most important, locations of all the car washes in the area! If you have
any questions, contact me at [email protected] If I don’t have an answer, I’ll find
one for you! Just click on each symbol on bottom of page for the links.
Fairfield Inn and Suites Marriott (HOST HOTEL)
Holiday Inn Express and Suites
La Quinta Inn and Suites, Oklahoma City – Yukon
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M6A’s NATIONAL CAR SHOW
Allen King, president of the Oklahoma Mustang Club, sent me a picture of the trophies that are going to
be used for our show. They are the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place trophies as well as the OMC’s picked Best
of Show for our show.
M6A will also have two Best of Show trophies, one for a inline 6 and one for a V-6. There will also be a
furthest distance traveled award presented by M6A. These trophies were custom made by me and are
one of a kind originals.
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SUPPORTERS OF M6A
CLICK ABOVE FOR THEIR WEBSITE
Because of the generous sponsorship of NPD we were able to have our website hosted on the internet Also because of their sponsorship as M6A logo window decals will
be mailed for free. To get yours, just email [email protected] with
your address and put window decal in the subject line.
CLICK ABOVE FOR THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE
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THE PONY STOPS HERE
By now you know that I like to get right to the point about things, and so once again I want to ask for
everyone's opinion. In the short time that the forum has been online, I’ve had several people comment
to me about the idea of having a donation link on the forum sight, so donations could be made to M6A
via PayPal.
I will say the following and be done with it. I intend for M6A to stay a completely free Association indefinitely. But it does cost money to operate M6A. NPD gave us a wonderful donation the beginning of December last year, and that money was used to host our website, and buy stamps to mail out the window
decals for free, that money is long gone.
If you’ve noticed we have a new sponsor, Resurrections from Rust, our new sponsor has been regularly
paying for the incidental costs that M6A incurs, and will continue to. It just so happens that Resurrections from Rust is owned and operated by me.
Ok I’ve said my peace, now let me go to another thought, the continued “in the world” growth of M6A. I
truly believe our Association, has connected with a part of the Mustang community long ignored, a part
that is very glad to be recognized and promoted. I think the great response to our First National show is
a indication of that.
If our show in Mustang OK is a success, as I know it will be, it will be the beginning of an annual event.
It is my goal that in 2017, we will be able to have two National Shows, one in Mustang and one on the
east coast, to give those who live in that part of the country an opportunity to attend a show closer to
them. I know that will involve a lot of logistics, finding another Mustang club to be as wonderful and generous as the Oklahoma Mustang Club is, and of course it will also take money for trophies. My ultimate
goal is to grow where we have three shows a year, a west coast show, the Mustang OK show, and a
east cost show. While I’m at it let me throw one more goal at you, M6A charter associations, around the
country and even world!
Is all this possible? Well let me answer that question with a question, who would of dreamed that in less
than a year we would have added almost 400 to our membership rolls , with a good chance of having
our membership exceeding 700 by the end of this year?
A well known Chinese proverb says “a journey of a thousand miles, begins with a single step” I believe
that the longer each step is, the quicker you will travel those thousand miles. My steps have been getting longer all the time, wanna follow me?
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