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Your GT/CS "Plans"??

P

PNewitt

Guest
I was wondering....

What are all of you going to do with your GT/CS? Which one of these is your "dream", or eventual plan?

1. Totally restore to prime show condition.

2. Partially restore--a driver--with everyday upgrades.

3. Customize, "Restomod", radical engine, wheels, etc.

4. Shelby (period) Vintage accessories (wheels, Paxton, valve covers, etc.). As if it was upgraded in 1968.

thanks--

Paul N.
 

68sunlitgold

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 20, 2002
Messages
1,357
Paul,
I am hoping to start this fall on my CS, after being away from it for the past 3 years. I will do a partial restoration to make it a driver and like you stated, some upgrades like Power Brakes, etc.

Who knows maybe I will get it done before the "get Route 66 together" that has been discussed. It always seems there are other things to do or get done and I do not know how much time my new job will take. I am guessing I will have to pay someone to do alot of it, which is not my plan.

Doug
 

68gt390

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 22, 2004
Messages
2,021
Location
Columbus, Ohio
Paul;
My GT/CS is as pumped up as she is going to get. With the custom cam and heads ported and polished, ceramic headers, new traction lock, the only thing I need now is my seats back from the upholstry shop. Their dragging their feet. Show's have started and my GT took a dump on me last night on the way home from a show. Will start tearing into it in the morning to see what's up with that. Bottom line, my GT/CS is a driver, I enjoy it way too much to make her a trailer queen. Am looking forward to a get together. If help is needed to do that let me know. Don't know what I can do from the Ohio area but, I'm willing to help. Would be interesting to know how many folks are planning on attending the Grand Nationals in Youngstown in September? My house is open to those who wish to attend. Don't have a lot of room but, I do have some friends in the local area who can help. Am 2 hours from Youngstown.

Don ;D
 

dbeal

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 5, 2003
Messages
123
Paul, My plans are # 2...BTW how's the new book coming.. I can hardly wait until its ready!
 

390cs68rcode

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 29, 2004
Messages
2,864
Location
Houston Texas
option #1. just about there already. I do drive the car a few days a week as well. I am early into showing the car but so far I am 3 for 3 on getting awards with her.
 

nfrntau

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 15, 2004
Messages
1,020
Location
Rosharon, Texas
Mine will be option number 3, with the ability to switch back to number 1 if the next owner wishes to do so.
 

hookedtrout

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Joined
Mar 28, 2003
Messages
1,929
Location
Idaho
#2 for me. I want her to look original and fresh but be a driver. Someday when I'm retired and have lots of time I may go more for the total ground up restoration. I do have a trailer to haul her if I need but short of long trips she'll have her rubber on the road.

Hook
 

rvrtrash

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 25, 2003
Messages
3,649
Well I'm no help. I did a ground up restoration (#1) but did some mods to the engine (#3) and plan on driving it and enjoying it (#2), and if I hadn't "goofed" and went back to the 10:1 compression, I would have probably put a Paxton on it (#4). I like the history aspect of an original restoration but to me cars are meant to be driven, even if just on nice days. The only reason I bought a trailer was for hauling projects home with.
Steve
 
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PNewitt

Guest
What I'm trying to get at is where folks are about the "guilt factor" of not having a total restoration. I mean that half-sarcastically, because there is an unspoken expectation that every Mustang be totally restored. It's not that anything is wrong with that, but I've always had a respect for the average person that likes to drive and enjoy their CS. I certainly appreciate the time and effort for restrorations and (the hassle of) car shows, but I wouldn't hold the room full of trophies over the heads of that person who is driving their car, and getting attention, and having fun doing it.

I think that at this point in time--these cars are now 37 years old, and you can do with it as you wish.

My two bits,

Paul N.
 

Andrew

Active member
Joined
Jan 25, 2005
Messages
36
I have felt at times that I would not be doing the car justice if I did not try to bring it back to respectable shape. This meant quality paint(not show) job that I would not break into a sweat if a nick or scratch appeared, good mechanical shape with tranny and motor rebuild an an original 37 year old interior(except for the front seats and headliner-prior owner must have had a pet tiger). For the first time in 7 months, it is 70 degrees and the last remnants of snow gone two weeks ago. The car has not seen the road in 6 months, but like every spring for the last 18 years, it was time to put Red Barchetta in the casettte player and hit the road early in the am. Later in the day, put the kids in the car for ice cream and make it home in time to hear 'Play Ball!" at Fenway on tv. This is what it is all about for me, keeping the car in good shape but not afraid to use it.
 
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PNewitt

Guest
You put it so well, Andrew. This is what the experience is all about.

When I lived in San Diego in the 80's, I'd drive into this tunnel north of El Cajon, and slam it into second, and hear the engine (through dual 30" glasspacks) rev up to 4 grand--and reverberate through the tunnel.

Nothing like it!

Paul N.
 

Andrew

Active member
Joined
Jan 25, 2005
Messages
36
What good fun these cars have brought to us. It is the closest thing I have to feel like being 19 all over again, back then though, more time than I knew what t do with and not a dime in my pocket for the car. Now, yes, more expendable income, but time has become far more precious. Trying to find a few spare minutes to hit the road to relive the excitement can be a challenge. I think back to some many times over the years I almost let it go, only to think now what a foolish mistake that would have been. Coming back to this site helps me remember the excitement I had the day I got that car in May 1987. Thanks to Eugenio in LA for selling it!
 

hookedtrout

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Joined
Mar 28, 2003
Messages
1,929
Location
Idaho
[quote author=PNewitt link=board=1;threadid=1588;start=0#msg9613 date=1113759472]
I've always had a respect for the average person that likes to drive and enjoy their CS. I certainly appreciate the time and effort for restrorations and (the hassle of) car shows, but I wouldn't hold the room full of trophies over the heads of that person who is driving their car
[/quote]

Speaking for myself I'll be the first to congratulate a trophy winner. It takes a lot of patience to live with a beauty queen but there's a lot of reward in doing so when you peer under the covers. :eek: And if it makes a show winner feel better to rub in someones face they can use mine anytime because I'm tough as leather and it won't bother me any. But I'm yet to find anyone that takes pride to the point of rubbing it.

Most trophy winners I've met get excited to win and they like to share their rewards but they don't rub and I think at times us daily driver trailer trash types have a little envy when we peer under the hood and not see a drop of oil or dirt on anything but.... when the engine roars and I'm leaving a patch as I exit the car show I'd be willing to bet the the trailer queen has a little bit of envy as well when all the heads turn from his spotless beauty to see the smoke from the rubber and roar of the engine and the grabbing of gears.

The tough part is accepting that there is more than one way, so I would offer to each and everyone out there. Before you go suggesting what someone should do with their car ask them what their future plans are for the car, just like Paul has done here and if they respond they want it to be a show winner and you have a show winner give them some good advice. If they offer they want a nice daily driver respect that as well because it certainly is a viable choice that offers a whole bunch of fun in the sun and equally as much enjoyment albeit a bit different.

In a nut shell it's two different worlds and both have their positives and their negatives I've just chosen to put the rubber to the pavement and get my enjoyment out of that as for trophy's I've got shelves full of them from my kid winning baseball tournaments so I got all the trophy's I need.

Hook
 

joedls

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Joined
Mar 12, 2005
Messages
1,980
Location
Lake Forest, CA
OK, this is my first post. I bought my GT/CS a couple of months ago and am new to this whole collector car thing. But I now have the Mustang bug. I first bought a '65 convertible Mustang in September that was a great daily driver. I decided to have it painted last November and one thing led to another.... There is very little left that is original. It has a couple of months before it's done with all the body, paint, new engine, tranny, rear end, brakes, etc...

I originally bought the GT/CS , with my father-in-law, to drive until the 65 was done. Then we thought we'd sell it and try to make a few bucks. Or he'd take it up to Washington State. I now have learned to love the GT/CS and am contemplating a Holley 174 blower. I originally bought the blower for the 65, but went a different direction. So, I keep thinking that blower would give the GT/CS just the right amount of power to make it interesting. Because, frankly, I wanna drive it. I could care less about car show trophies. I have never entered one and have only been to a few as a spectator. Like I said, I'm new to all of this.

The Holley 174 is supposed to fit under the stock hood. Anyone have any experience with this?
 

jk89cat

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Joined
Mar 10, 2005
Messages
213
Location
vernon hills, IL
my 67 clone is going to undergo a 302 ho efi conversion . restomod . but i want to keep the overall gt/cs look to the car. since i decoded the vin last week, its nothing special just a 289, c4 , p/s base coupe . but the shell is in quite good shape and want to make it into something , hence my plan for it . justin
 

68MustangHCS

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Joined
Mar 16, 2005
Messages
258
Location
Eastern, NC
My HCS Plans

I like my car the way it is, I just want to detail the motor, cleanup the undercarriage, tinker with it now and then, recover the driver's seat, drive it on weekends, play my 8 track tapes, go to car club meetings and shows, add some vintage ford over the counter accessories to it, kick the tires every now and then, and enjoy driving it.
 

PFSlim

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Joined
Feb 9, 2004
Messages
1,546
Location
Weatherby Lake, MO
We have two formal shows to do this year still. One is May 1 in Liberty, MO (an MCA sponsored/judged event). Then in Sept, we plan on taking it to Northest MO for a show at our hometown. It will be a participant judged event. As well, we have been asked to bring the GT/CS and the AC Cobra to the local Ford Dealership in July for an open house event.

Work wise, we need to rebuild our power steering pump. Also, our speedo is not working properly so we will end up removing our old one and installing a reconditioned one.

Other than that, drive it!!!!

Paul
 
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PNewitt

Guest
[quote author=jk89cat link=board=1;threadid=1588;start=0#msg9632 date=1113799161]
my 67 clone is going to undergo a 302 ho efi conversion . restomod . but i want to keep the overall gt/cs look to the car. since i decoded the vin last week, its nothing special just a 289, c4 , p/s base coupe . but the shell is in quite good shape and want to make it into something , hence my plan for it . justin
[/quote]

You could always build a "Little Red". Somewhere around here is a URL for that car...

Paul N.
 

jk89cat

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Joined
Mar 10, 2005
Messages
213
Location
vernon hills, IL
the only problem with cloning a little red, is well the color, i dont like red . . oh what would you guys think of running the hella f550's 3x6 square fog lamps ? i think thats the correct model number . i am also planning on the composite headlamps too . with silverstar bulbs of course . justin
 

jk89cat

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Joined
Mar 10, 2005
Messages
213
Location
vernon hills, IL
i forgot to add.... what would you guys think of using a 68 shelby floor console instead of the stock style gt console? justin
 
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