Virginia Classic Mustang Blog: Happy Holidays from Virginia Classic Mustang: Image ©Virginia Classic Mustang Inc I love this, so I've been posting it for the past couple of years. I found it somewhere on the internet.
Twas the night before Christmas and in the garage,
There wasn't a trace of a Chevy or a Dodge.
The presents were wrapped and the lights were all lit,
So I figured I'd mess with the ‘Stang for a bit.
I popped out the hood pins and I lifted the hood,
When a deep voice behind me said "looks pretty good."
Well, as you can imagine, I turned mighty quick,
And there, by the workbench, stood good ol’ Saint Nick!
We stood there a bit, not too sure what to say,
Then he said "don't suppose that you'd trade for my sleigh?
I said "no way, Santa" and started to grin,
"But if you've got the time we could go for a spin!"
His round little mouth, all tied up like a bow,
Turned into a smile and he said "hey! Let's go!!"
So as not to disturb all the neighbors' retreat,
We pushed the Mustang quietly into the street,
Then, taking our places to drift down the hill,
I turned on the key and I let the clutch spill.
The sound that erupted took him by surprise,
But he liked it a lot, by the look in his eyes.
With Goodyear’s a' crying and side pipes aglow,
We headed on out where the hot rodders go.
And Santa's grin widened, approaching his ears,
With every up shift, as I went through the gears.
Then he yelled "can't recall when I've felt so alive!",
So I backed off the gas and said "you wanna drive?"
Ol’ Santa was stunned when I gave him the keys,
When he walked past the headlights he shook at the knees!
Then the HiPo exploded with side exhaust sound!
Santa let out the clutch and the tires shook the ground!
Power shift into second, again into third!
I sat there just watching, at loss for a word,
Then I heard him exclaim as we blasted from sight,
"Merry Christmas to all...........what a great night!!!"
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Sunday, December 23, 2012
1986 Mustang
About 2 years ago I bought a 1986 Mustang GT 5.0 HO with T-Tops. I realize today this year is the one that slides between the cracks. 1979 to 1986 were all carb cars and in 1986 it was the first year of fuel injection. From 1987 until 1993 the car kept with the fuel injection system but there were a lot of changes from the 1986 model. In other words electronics for a 1986 Mustang almost have to come from a 1986 Mustang only! It was a first year of a car and then all of the changes came the next year.Anyway a few years back I owned a 1985 Mustang and now I was a little older and more mature so when I found this 1986 it was love all over again. It started and ran but that was about it. A lot of work was needed if this car is to see the light of day. So, I parked it in my garage and occasionally tinkered with it from time to time getting no where fast.
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| As the car sat in the garage it became more storage than a car. |
We took all of the interior out to check the sheet metal and decide what needed done first. Once everything was removed we needed to replace the floor pans in small areas and not the whole thing. I had some sheet metal and we cut out areas that were rotted beyond repair. I then looked up on You Tube how to weld and went out and bought a wire feed welder. LET THE LEARNING BEGIN!!! Welding is a lot harder than the videos look. I learned and we cut more metal as I burnt through some, but eventually I got the hang of it. I also ended up with a sunburn because I tried to use just the goggles instead of a full face shield. I now have a full shield with auto tint abilities. No more face burning for me!! The welds are not the prettiest but they are strong and hold well. The ugly welds are covered nicely by some carpet.
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| New paint and new gauges help with the interior. |
The car has tested all of our other problems and we are still trying to finish the car. It has become a lot harder though since my son has left for the Army and I need his hands to help finish other problems.
I am always looking for extra advice on how to make the car better and other people's wisdom is wonderful. We have several problems still to overcome. One example is I took out the dash board and to fix the heater core. While everything was out I bought the white face gauges for the car and changed them over. That was easy, the heater core was hell.
I have the dash back together and had to replace the headlight switch and and wires and a few other items. Now, when I turn on the headlights only half of the dash lights come on. Everything outside works fine, but I cannot get the dash lights to work right. I changed all of the dash bulbs to LED lights, and cannot find any tears in the electrical board on the dash bezel. I am at a loss for what I need to do and looking for any help I can find.
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| 4 point harness are cheaper than the regular seat belts when replacing for new. |
Once again the car seems to win the small battle against me but in the end I will triumph overall. It is just a car and we have developed a strong relationship no matter the troubles.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Writing and Web Sites
Portfolio: squirls1025 - Writing.Com
This is a great writing web site for anybody who enjoys writing in all fashions and forms. People will give feedback on anything you write and you can read similar writings from other authors. Plus, it is free!!!
I have created a web site for people to leave stories and read about my life a little further too. The site is www.personalcarstories.com
Check out the site and let me know what you think. No I am not a professional web site designer and I know it shows, so if you have any advice to help make my site better, please feel free to let me know. I take real advice and apply it for improvements.
I put this on my blog because I am a Professional and Technical Writer. Well, in training at least! I encourage anybody who wants to write or enjoys reading unknown authors to help them develop their craft to visit the site. It is free to join and can be rewarding if you are a writer. Getting your name out into the writing community is not the easiest thing in the world. Yes, even with all the technology we have around us, it is still hard to be found. Sometimes, the plethora of BS posted on the web makes it hard for the others to be found. Like myself, I struggle using all the different technology to eventually be found out. I have started a web site, created a blog, belong on all the social media sites, yet the biggest following I have currently is on Pintrest for my posts on placing rosemary on charcoal to season your cooking. Go figure.
This is a great writing web site for anybody who enjoys writing in all fashions and forms. People will give feedback on anything you write and you can read similar writings from other authors. Plus, it is free!!!
I have created a web site for people to leave stories and read about my life a little further too. The site is www.personalcarstories.com
Check out the site and let me know what you think. No I am not a professional web site designer and I know it shows, so if you have any advice to help make my site better, please feel free to let me know. I take real advice and apply it for improvements.
I put this on my blog because I am a Professional and Technical Writer. Well, in training at least! I encourage anybody who wants to write or enjoys reading unknown authors to help them develop their craft to visit the site. It is free to join and can be rewarding if you are a writer. Getting your name out into the writing community is not the easiest thing in the world. Yes, even with all the technology we have around us, it is still hard to be found. Sometimes, the plethora of BS posted on the web makes it hard for the others to be found. Like myself, I struggle using all the different technology to eventually be found out. I have started a web site, created a blog, belong on all the social media sites, yet the biggest following I have currently is on Pintrest for my posts on placing rosemary on charcoal to season your cooking. Go figure.
1966 Impala
When I was 19 I was in the Navy in San Diego California. I found a car in the paper for $500.00. It was advertised as a "low rider." When I got to the used car dealership I found out what they truly meant. In order to make the car a low rider the original owner had taken the back coil springs out of the car. By the way just removing some coil springs is not a good idea. The shocks will not hold the car and as you drive it, the gas tank bounces off the pavement at every bump, pot hole, or even bit of concrete. I am not good at science, but I do know that sparks, and gas can lead to very bad things!
The car was a 1966 4 door Impala with a small block V8 and a 2 speed power glide transmission. The car sat about 2 inches off the ground in the back and if you bounced on it the gas tank hit the ground. The paint job was grey primer, and the only interior was the seats. One window was missing and there was no door panels. It was a horrific site and I wanted it! My wife cried and I bought it.
On the drive home, yes the car did start and drive, I was pulled over by the police. The officer said I was showing the road with sparks and he did not feel the car was safe. Remember the above paragraph, sparks, gas can be a bad thing. The good news is cars from the 60's were not made with flimsy metals and the tank had held up for the drive home. Luckily, I was less than a mile from my apartment, so he let me off with a warning and told me to get the car fixed. He said he was upset that I threw sparks all over the front of his car. I cannot imagine why? I believe he had a love of cars or else I could have been forced to tow the car home. He escorted me to the next ramp as I slowly crept along trying not to throw too many sparks on the pavement. I did not have the heart to tell him my brakes did not work well either, but I think he might have known since out of the 6 lights in the back only 2 of them lit up and one of them was pretty dim. I got the car and my family home safely that night.
The next day I talked to the mechanic shop about putting the coil springs back in the car and fixing the brakes. They did not work to well either. It took the shop almost an hour to get the car in the garage! That afternoon I had my Impala back and raised to a proper height to keep the gas tank off the ground. It was my first classic car and I was thrilled. My wife cried again.
Later that week I went to the junk yard and bought some door panels and a new window. Nothing really matched but you could lean your arm out the window without cutting yourself on the old metal edges. I was young and had a lot of plans for the old car. I drove it everywhere while I lived in California. I even went on a trip to Mexico for three days in the car! During these times I slowly fixed certain parts to make the car more driver friendly. It was hard because this was my daily driver as well.
One thing I never could get to work right was the gas tank and I did run out of gas quite a bit. I knew the car got around 10 mpg so I would put gas in every 100 miles or so. It seemed like a solid plan, but it did not always work out so well. Did I mention how heavy the car was when I would push it down the road trying to get to a gas station because I forgot my gas can? It was dead weight but I loved the old car.
While in California, I slowly added some interior pieces, a very large stereo with amp and speakers, matching door panels, and a back dash. I had basic steel wheels that I had painted black so they all matched since they did not when I got her. My wife and I hand stitched a custom headline since I was a lonely E-2 in the Navy. I could not afford to take the car to a shop, but I could afford some fabric remnants at the fabric store.
The following year I moved to Mesa, Arizona. On the typical 8 hour drive my old car started to over heat when I made it to Yuma, Arizona. It was five in the morning and I figured we would make it the other four hours relatively easy. The car would get hot and we would stop for an hour or so. Around 5:00 p.m. we finally arrived in Phoenix and that was when my car had enough. I pulled off the highway to a gas station to let the car cool down, and as I turned the key off, the radiator exploded! It shot steam thirty feet out the front grill. I thought I had killed my Impala. A few days later, I bought a new radiator and the car fired right up. Nothing was wrong and I drove the Impala all the way to St. Louis, Missouri to visit some relatives. I could not believe I had not killed the car.
Once I returned to Mesa, Arizona I moved into an apartment complex where another guy had a love of old cars. Both our cars needed a lot of attention, and we tinkered with them on a constant basis. Slowly, they came together and there was a love for these old machines even with all of their problems.
My old Impala lasted for years. Over time I added door panels, carpet,and a custom headliner. For some reason I never painted the car but it always started in the morning on the way to work,and I left well enough alone. I drove the car across the United States twice and once way down into Mexico. I never questioned the cars abilities. The only thing I wish is when I lived in Arizona I would have installed an air conditioning system! It was hot hot hot.
I loved my Impala but I was young and did not have the skills to complete a restoration. My career was taking off as a Respiratory Therapist. I did not see storing the car until I had time, and I was moving around a lot. Finally, I decided to sell her so someone else could enjoy the car and make the Impala what it could be. I understand why I sold the car, but I do miss the old girl and one day I hope to find another one to place in my driveway again. I have the abilities to work on cars these days along with the patience. I look forward to finding another 66 Impala I can make my own one more time.
The car was a 1966 4 door Impala with a small block V8 and a 2 speed power glide transmission. The car sat about 2 inches off the ground in the back and if you bounced on it the gas tank hit the ground. The paint job was grey primer, and the only interior was the seats. One window was missing and there was no door panels. It was a horrific site and I wanted it! My wife cried and I bought it.
On the drive home, yes the car did start and drive, I was pulled over by the police. The officer said I was showing the road with sparks and he did not feel the car was safe. Remember the above paragraph, sparks, gas can be a bad thing. The good news is cars from the 60's were not made with flimsy metals and the tank had held up for the drive home. Luckily, I was less than a mile from my apartment, so he let me off with a warning and told me to get the car fixed. He said he was upset that I threw sparks all over the front of his car. I cannot imagine why? I believe he had a love of cars or else I could have been forced to tow the car home. He escorted me to the next ramp as I slowly crept along trying not to throw too many sparks on the pavement. I did not have the heart to tell him my brakes did not work well either, but I think he might have known since out of the 6 lights in the back only 2 of them lit up and one of them was pretty dim. I got the car and my family home safely that night.
The next day I talked to the mechanic shop about putting the coil springs back in the car and fixing the brakes. They did not work to well either. It took the shop almost an hour to get the car in the garage! That afternoon I had my Impala back and raised to a proper height to keep the gas tank off the ground. It was my first classic car and I was thrilled. My wife cried again.
Later that week I went to the junk yard and bought some door panels and a new window. Nothing really matched but you could lean your arm out the window without cutting yourself on the old metal edges. I was young and had a lot of plans for the old car. I drove it everywhere while I lived in California. I even went on a trip to Mexico for three days in the car! During these times I slowly fixed certain parts to make the car more driver friendly. It was hard because this was my daily driver as well.
One thing I never could get to work right was the gas tank and I did run out of gas quite a bit. I knew the car got around 10 mpg so I would put gas in every 100 miles or so. It seemed like a solid plan, but it did not always work out so well. Did I mention how heavy the car was when I would push it down the road trying to get to a gas station because I forgot my gas can? It was dead weight but I loved the old car.
While in California, I slowly added some interior pieces, a very large stereo with amp and speakers, matching door panels, and a back dash. I had basic steel wheels that I had painted black so they all matched since they did not when I got her. My wife and I hand stitched a custom headline since I was a lonely E-2 in the Navy. I could not afford to take the car to a shop, but I could afford some fabric remnants at the fabric store.
The following year I moved to Mesa, Arizona. On the typical 8 hour drive my old car started to over heat when I made it to Yuma, Arizona. It was five in the morning and I figured we would make it the other four hours relatively easy. The car would get hot and we would stop for an hour or so. Around 5:00 p.m. we finally arrived in Phoenix and that was when my car had enough. I pulled off the highway to a gas station to let the car cool down, and as I turned the key off, the radiator exploded! It shot steam thirty feet out the front grill. I thought I had killed my Impala. A few days later, I bought a new radiator and the car fired right up. Nothing was wrong and I drove the Impala all the way to St. Louis, Missouri to visit some relatives. I could not believe I had not killed the car.
Once I returned to Mesa, Arizona I moved into an apartment complex where another guy had a love of old cars. Both our cars needed a lot of attention, and we tinkered with them on a constant basis. Slowly, they came together and there was a love for these old machines even with all of their problems.
My old Impala lasted for years. Over time I added door panels, carpet,and a custom headliner. For some reason I never painted the car but it always started in the morning on the way to work,and I left well enough alone. I drove the car across the United States twice and once way down into Mexico. I never questioned the cars abilities. The only thing I wish is when I lived in Arizona I would have installed an air conditioning system! It was hot hot hot.
I loved my Impala but I was young and did not have the skills to complete a restoration. My career was taking off as a Respiratory Therapist. I did not see storing the car until I had time, and I was moving around a lot. Finally, I decided to sell her so someone else could enjoy the car and make the Impala what it could be. I understand why I sold the car, but I do miss the old girl and one day I hope to find another one to place in my driveway again. I have the abilities to work on cars these days along with the patience. I look forward to finding another 66 Impala I can make my own one more time.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Introduction
I enjoy writing and have a deep love for restoring cars. I have started this blog to hear from other people about the cars they have chose to restore. The information I am looking for is Why this car? Why is the car significant to you and the history behind the car? People restore all types of cars and many times there is a reason behind the specific car. Eventually I would like to use the information in the blog to create a book, so feel free to add pictures of the cars and if you want you can contact me for a more personal interview. I love to write and restore cars.
Currently I am working on a 1986 Mustang with T-Tops for my son in the Army and a 1968 Mustang Coupe for my wife. Work is slow and there are reasons for both of these cars in my house.
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The 1968 Mustang Coupe is nothing real fancy, it has an inline 6 cylinder with a 3 speed manual transmission. I am not trying to build a car that passes everything but a gas station. Instead this car is being built for my wife. She is not a car person, but always has had a love for older Mustangs. The car is being built for practicality and one that could be a daily driver.
I plan on changing the cars suspension to meet today's standards so handling will be good. I am looking for advice on what I can do for these options. I have been told you can use the suspension off of a Mustang II, but by the time you find an old car, buy it and then replace the worn parts is it really worth it? Today, places like CJ Pony Parts have complete front suspension parts for around $2000.00. Everything is new and updated so I believe this is the route I will be taking. I am all for a single bolt in suspension!
Hopefully, I will be starting the restoring process this spring. Right now I have a lot of rust to deal with and that is never a good thing. Rear fenders, floor pans, and a complete trunk have to be replaced before anything else is done to the car. This means I will be looking for a good body man who can help replace the back fenders as my welding skills are not that good. Once these items are done I can focus on some of the fun stuff on the inside.
The paint scheme for the car is powder blue on the outside with a pink stripe. My wife has always done the Walk for the Cure for breast cancer. She wants her Mustang to pay tribute to the race is some small ways. Recently we found Mustang badges with the pink ribbon behind the horse. These were exclusively made by Ford for donation Mustangs to help with breast cancer. These emblems will be placed on the car with pride.
Currently I am working on a 1986 Mustang with T-Tops for my son in the Army and a 1968 Mustang Coupe for my wife. Work is slow and there are reasons for both of these cars in my house.
.jpg)
The 1968 Mustang Coupe is nothing real fancy, it has an inline 6 cylinder with a 3 speed manual transmission. I am not trying to build a car that passes everything but a gas station. Instead this car is being built for my wife. She is not a car person, but always has had a love for older Mustangs. The car is being built for practicality and one that could be a daily driver.
I plan on changing the cars suspension to meet today's standards so handling will be good. I am looking for advice on what I can do for these options. I have been told you can use the suspension off of a Mustang II, but by the time you find an old car, buy it and then replace the worn parts is it really worth it? Today, places like CJ Pony Parts have complete front suspension parts for around $2000.00. Everything is new and updated so I believe this is the route I will be taking. I am all for a single bolt in suspension!
Hopefully, I will be starting the restoring process this spring. Right now I have a lot of rust to deal with and that is never a good thing. Rear fenders, floor pans, and a complete trunk have to be replaced before anything else is done to the car. This means I will be looking for a good body man who can help replace the back fenders as my welding skills are not that good. Once these items are done I can focus on some of the fun stuff on the inside.
The paint scheme for the car is powder blue on the outside with a pink stripe. My wife has always done the Walk for the Cure for breast cancer. She wants her Mustang to pay tribute to the race is some small ways. Recently we found Mustang badges with the pink ribbon behind the horse. These were exclusively made by Ford for donation Mustangs to help with breast cancer. These emblems will be placed on the car with pride.
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