Dad's Mustang

[silverton_ford]

I recently came across these pictures again.  They have been in a folder for years.

These are pictures of my Dad racing his 1967 Mustang A code 4 speed at the Madras Dragstrip in about 1973 or 1974.  He was running in the 12 second range back then with a warmed up 289.   My Dad still has the car today and it looks pretty much the same.  It currently has 64,000 miles on it.  He doesn't drive it much, but always keeps it in running condition and in the garage.  Always been a Central Oregon car with zero rust. 

Not exactly Shelby related, but figured you guys would still like to see these. Enjoy.

[silverton_ford]

Here are a couple more pictures.

The older color photo is in front of Redmond High School in about 1974.   The newer color photo is in about 2015 and what the car currently looks like.  Different wheels and a more streetable motor is about all that has been changed over the past 40 years.

This car is responsible for my passion and obsession with Shelby's, Mustangs and anything Ford related.   

[Tom Honegger]

Very cool! Nice to know he's enjoyed the car all these years.

[JD]

That is cool!

[2112]

That is cool!

+2

[deathsled]

Great story and it's a good thing to hold on to your personal history.

[Bigfoot]

Nice color!

[Side-Oilers]

Great story and it's a good thing to hold on to your personal history.

+1

[Sixx7shelby]

That is cool!

+2

+3

[Richstang]

Neat old photos. I thought it was a white car. Frost Turquoise is not a color you see very often.

[GT350Lad]

Very cool, thanks for sharing

Cheers

[silverton_ford]

Thank you for the nice comments!  I am glad many of you like it.  Yes, it is Frost Turquoise (original paint).

The story that I have been able to track down is a lady bought it new in 1967 and then traded it back in 1968 for something different.  Mike Sheets was working for the Ford dealer just doing odds and ends when he found it in the back of the lot.   Mike bought it and turned it into a street car.  He painted the black stripes and blacked out the side scoops.  Mike also warmed up the 289 and installed a 1957 Ford wagon 9" rearend.   Mike would blow by 426 and 440 Mopars, 396 and 427 Chevrolets with it out at the old airport dragstrip outside Redmond Or.  Mike said it was a hot light little car and could really take off the line.   Mike only had it for about 3 years or so where it then went through about three other guy's hands before my Dad bought it.   

The owner before my Dad bought it for the motor, so my Dad at 17 bought it without a motor, but was quick to install a 351W, which didn't last long due to a friend forgetting to torq the main caps during the initial build-up.  Soon a deal was made to get the original 289 back and my Dad was off to the dragstrip.   My Dad raced for a couple years at Madras and Portland on occasion.  There are stories of him beating some guys with a fresh 440 Dodge they had just bought with their Warm Springs reservation money...oh boy were they ticked!   My Dad was getting very serious with drag racing and had big plans of a big block, full cage and tubbing the car....luckily life happened and those plans never came through.   Soon marriage and kids were the priority, but the Mustang has always had a spot in the garage and has always been maintained to be able to drive at any moment.

The car has always been a huge part of my life because it was always "sacred" out in the garage.  As a young kid I wasn't aloud to touch it and was always stressed not to walk too close to it in case I might brush up against it and scratch it.  It was (and still is) a huge deal to be careful around in the garage.  I understood that and I always followed the rules.  When the car had the hot 289 in it I was frightened by it as a toddler due to it's noise and slam you in the seat feeling...HAHA!  It is funny what you remember from back when you are a kid and what leaves a lasting impression on you because my current car is very similar in noise as this was today.

By the time I was 8 I had the door tag options memorized and knew exactly every square inch of the car....with my Dad's supervision of course!!  This car fueled my passion for Ford cars.  The car isn't perfect nor will it ever be, but it is still the one that started it all for me.  My Dad said he will pass the car on to me one day when he is gone, but honestly I hope that day isn't for a very very long time.

[Richstang]

Terrific story!
Amazing to see he cared for it for so many years and never painted it a more common color.

[Stillakid54]

Thanks for sharing. Nothing better than a family story, including pictures.

[1690]

That is cool!

+3