1968 It's saved....

Posted a while ago about a CS I picked up last Sept, planning a EXP500 replica...

Have now decided to keep the CS as-is, and just spruce it up a bit as in driving the somewhat faded semi-survivor C code I've found it quite fun... even with a somewhat tired engine, 2 bbl and drums... :lipsseal:

So now the plan is to find another mule for the EXP and do weekend/minor clean up on the CS and keep driving it.

Pull the engine, fix the hack in the shock tower (typical zerk access issue), tidy up/paint the engine bay, repaint the engine and other bits, new wires, etc... drop it back in.

Do some touch up painting to cover door dings, etc. New stripes.

Already dyed the carpet, replaced the faded dash bits, and replaced the door panels and the difference for an afternoon of work is quite noticeable.

Maybe someday do a full strip and restore, but as it drives pretty good as it is just didn't have the heart to tear it to bits and modify it... even if it all was bolt-on and could be reversed.

It is nice to have one that is not perfect that you can take the wife out to dinner in and enjoy her company and the food with out worrying about the car. Good choice in keeping it orignial there are plenty of good coupes to modify. Marty

I don't "worry" about any of them... drive the S code convertible to the grocery store, hardware store, or wherever I go on nice days (it doesn't go out in the rain!) ... park it and walk away... that's why the wheels are round and I have insurance! Will do the same with the S GT coupe as soon as its done.

Don't even bother to lock them as an average five year old told "you get and ice cream cone if you get in in 30 seconds or less" could manage that on a 60's era Mustang... :smile:

I have a few friends with "nice cars" they almost never drive, or just drive around the block, because they are afraid to park it as "something might happen"... so the car sits in the garage... what's the point! (besides a meteorite "might" hit it there!) :grin:

It ain't a mantlepiece ornament! But some seem to think so... up to them, but I think they miss the fun!

And the ex-wife just got the "Shelby fund" plus a tidy bonus as a settlement, so now its back to... dating... Need to meet some nice ladies who appreciate a creaky, rattly old "classic"! With an AM radio option!!!! :icon_ecst

I feel your pain on the "shelby fund" my friend. My attorney said it would take me 5 years to get back financially. He was right, it did, and Im back!!! Currently looking for a 2nd GT/CS and maybe a big block as well. Good luck with everything!!! Doc

dalorzo_f said:

I don't "worry" about any of them... drive the S code convertible to the grocery store, hardware store, or wherever I go on nice days (it doesn't go out in the rain!) ... park it and walk away... that's why the wheels are round and I have insurance! Will do the same with the S GT coupe as soon as its done.

Don't even bother to lock them as an average five year old told "you get and ice cream cone if you get in in 30 seconds or less" could manage that on a 60's era Mustang... :smile:

I have a few friends with "nice cars" they almost never drive, or just drive around the block, because they are afraid to park it as "something might happen"... so the car sits in the garage... what's the point! (besides a meteorite "might" hit it there!) :grin:

It ain't a mantlepiece ornament! But some seem to think so... up to them, but I think they miss the fun!

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...Always glad to of hear from another who goes full circle! My neighborhood is getting increasingly full of wheeled mantle pieces that rarely leave their driveways without a trailer of almost equal $$...

What are your predominant thoughts when you visit a show or transportation museum of sorts? Are you satisfied with reading classy signage, looking at someone else's trophies and discussing ad-nauseum "proper & correct"? <or> Do you imagine yourself in the cab, cockpit or driver's seat , actively doing what verbals & visuals fall completely short to convey?

I can't say enough about what a great experience it's been thundering around again in a classic Stang! To be approached by so many elder types who immediately go back to their "simpler '60's" life stories... and having the ability to say "get in! Let's go for a ride!".... running them up the street & back with a chirp between gears here & there, making their day and therefore mine

Yesterday, I took the S-code up to the airport on an errand and visited with a couple of 80+ yr. olds whose home was at the field. After a nice chat, the wife came out & said "hey, don't be leavin' here without me seeing you go! I wanna hear that thing start up"! Needless to say, I did a little more than that, and with their permissive nod - left some pretty good marks on the taxiway ;-)

The GT/CS makes it extra Special because of its awesome looks and rarity! By all means enjoy & get the most of them while you can! There will be plenty of museums around in the future for people to only interpret what you can do today!

dalorzo_f said:

I don't "worry" about any of them... drive the S code convertible to the grocery store, hardware store, or wherever I go on nice days (it doesn't go out in the rain!) ... park it and walk away... that's why the wheels are round and I have insurance! Will do the same with the S GT coupe as soon as its done.

Don't even bother to lock them as an average five year old told "you get and ice cream cone if you get in in 30 seconds or less" could manage that on a 60's era Mustang... :smile:

I have a few friends with "nice cars" they almost never drive, or just drive around the block, because they are afraid to park it as "something might happen"... so the car sits in the garage... what's the point! (besides a meteorite "might" hit it there!) :grin:

It ain't a mantlepiece ornament! But some seem to think so... up to them, but I think they miss the fun!

And the ex-wife just got the "Shelby fund" plus a tidy bonus as a settlement, so now its back to... dating... Need to meet some nice ladies who appreciate a creaky, rattly old "classic"! With an AM radio option!!!! :icon_ecst

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Well said!! I haven't driven mine much this past year but it had nothing to do with fear of dirt or scratches, it's already got plenty of those, just busy with other things and had it burried. It's out now and I'm with you!! Drive it like you stole it and have a great day. Or you can put it in a glass case and look at it like it's a mantle piece and....well, look at it I guess?

First, I really like the idea of a Green Hornet or Little Red (I can't decide which I like best) replica. Or possibly a 1968 Shelby convertible replica. If I had the time I'd being doing exactly the same thing. The idea of having (what I consider) the best looking car made but with up-to-date components is, in my mind, ideal.

Second, I also agree about not wanting a trailer queen. Personally, I bought my GT/CS specifically because it *wasn't* worth so much money that I'd be hesitant to drive it around or do some mods on it. I love cars that have history but I also like the performance/handling of new cars. My goals: "Look 1968 but drive 2008" and "As good as new but its got *history*".

p51 said:

First, I really like the idea of a Green Hornet or Little Red (I can't decide which I like best) replica. Or possibly a 1968 Shelby convertible replica. ....
.......and "As good as new but its got *history*".

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Hey "P51", Why limit yourself to LR, GH and Shelby replicas? ;-)

Hmmm..... to each their own but I'm sticking with a GH over a (IMHO, no offense intended) pretty funky P51 look... Gets points for creativity, but not a direction I'd be inclined to go! :wink:

To me this just looks too nice to pass up... but to each their own.

Midnight Special said:

Hey "P51", Why limit yourself to LR, GH and Shelby replicas? ;-)

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Tim

Excellent! Especially like the exhaust... Now all it needs is some WWII pinup nose art :grin:

James

p51 said:

Tim

Excellent! Especially like the exhaust... Now all it needs is some WWII pinup nose art :grin:

James

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...Well, of course!

dalorzo_f said:

...I'm sticking with a GH
..............To me this just looks too nice to pass up...

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...I've always loved the GH and wished Ford went the extra step of adding the Shelby front end to the CS. I can understand why they didn't, but it would've been great if they did...

Hey you guys are a little hard on us concours guys! I was only 11 when our cars were new so I could never have a new one. I love the look smell and feel of a brand new car so why not restore the car that we love as closely as possible back to that point? I think it is also important to have some cars saved as a bench mark and a slice of time in 68 so others who never lived it can experance it. Also as a help to others that are trying to do the same. I do love to drive them, we drove our 68 fastback to Seattle and back then 3 weeks latter drove it to Virginia Beach Va. and back last Summer loging over 7K in one month. I even drive the trailer queens a limited amount locally. Everyone knows that a car is not new looking for very long. It takes so much time and cost so much to restore a car to concours standards I want to make it last as long as possible. Even so they still start to show their age. That is why I start showing in the MCA concours trailered class them drop it down to the concours driven class and hopefully have gotten enough wins in a few years to go in to the conserverator class where it recives a grill medallion and is no longer judged. We will at that point drive the good out of it and sell it or restore it a second time. As on this site and in the MCA it is as much about the freindships as the cars, it's just fun to find people who share your passion. The fastback that I mentioned earler needs just one more gold to receve it's grill medalion. I have been showing it since 1995 and it is really starting to show its age. As most of you, I will never be with out one that we can jump in to and drive anywhere. Drive fast and never let your dust catch you! Marty

Tim, great artwork, as usual. On driving them, I drive whenever I can, and it's not enough. Unfortunately, where I work, several supervisors and managers have had their cars vandalized, so I stopped taking the older ones. It's more hassle getting them repaired than newer cars, and just not worth the risk to me.

Steve

Well guys Im new to this forum, one month, and none of you really know me. I do have to wholeheartedly agree with Marty. I too have three trailer queens, one is a cal special, and I am more into knowing they are preserved. It is impossible to have a car at the level these cars are and drive them much. I am not much into showing them these days, may get back into it later, dont know. Got tired of all the work, time, effort, and cost, (and attitudes) to be honest. But that gets to my point.....I WANT A CAL SPECIAL DRIVER. I love the idea of folks here on this forum that has some of the same interests as me, ie preserve the cars, enjoy the cars, and drive the cars when you can. I hope to make friends on this forum, hope to be able to meet people on this forum face to face and like the idea of the car made the friendships. I am in another car club that has a national meet 2 times a year and have developed friendships all over this country due to the love for that particular car. Saying as much, Im sure some will think I am wrong for not driving my cal special. To those, I dont mean to offend. But intend to remedy that with a driver. Thanks for listening to my post. Doc

It is such a pleasure for me when I take my Special out for a nice drive. Especially the first drive of the springtime! I did that yesterday. Took her to a dental appointment and all the young kids working there just went gaga over it. Even a couple of the patients were drooling over her. All one guy could say was "whoa" (at least 5-6 times). One person said "you actually drive this thing? I would keep it in the garage and just look at it." I then told them that "If I did that, you wouldn't be appreciating it right now".

I must admit, one reason we don't take it out of the garage as often as we might is because of the collector car insurance restrictions (no running errands, no taking to work, etc.).

ari guy said:

Well guys Im new to this forum, one month, and none of you really know me. I do have to wholeheartedly agree with Marty. I too have three trailer queens, one is a cal special, and I am more into knowing they are preserved. It is impossible to have a car at the level these cars are and drive them much. I am not much into showing them these days, may get back into it later, dont know. Got tired of all the work, time, effort, and cost, (and attitudes) to be honest. But that gets to my point.....I WANT A CAL SPECIAL DRIVER. I love the idea of folks here on this forum that has some of the same interests as me, ie preserve the cars, enjoy the cars, and drive the cars when you can. I hope to make friends on this forum, hope to be able to meet people on this forum face to face and like the idea of the car made the friendships. I am in another car club that has a national meet 2 times a year and have developed friendships all over this country due to the love for that particular car. Saying as much, Im sure some will think I am wrong for not driving my cal special. To those, I dont mean to offend. But intend to remedy that with a driver. Thanks for listening to my post. Doc

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...To quote ""dalorzo_f" ...to each their own.....to each there own...""
and all is good!

Doc, What I've always liked most about this site lies in the diversity of its members, and the fact that no matter what you do to derive pleasure and enthusiasm with your GT/CS, you will never be without friends. Not too many other venues do it as well as Jon's li'l place here.... It's only for the few purists with "attitudes" that I want to show the value of the difference...

Welcome aboard! and if you're ever in Northern California > Look me up!

PonyGal said:

... Took her to a dental appointment... Even a couple of the patients were drooling over her...

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That could've been the novocaine :wink:

Midnight Special said:

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Originally Posted by p51
Tim

Excellent! Especially like the exhaust... Now all it needs is some WWII pinup nose art

James

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...Well, of course!

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Ah. The perfect combination - cute girls and fast cars... or visa versa :grin: