FordFinally

I will be honest here as possible, so no hurt feelings on either side. And it's not a short story!


I have hated Fords for more than forty years. I grew up a GM guy - all Chevrolets for my much older brother and therefore for me since I was seven and he brought me home Hot Rod, Car and Driver, Sports Car Graphic, Car Craft, Motor Trend, etc. etc. along with piles of new car brochures (he worked in auto advertising), and when he actually brought home a loaded new Bolero Red Camaro Rally Sport convertible, that was it -- I was hooked on Chevy until Pontiac took hold of me after my own high school Camaro convertible taught me the weaknesses of the Chevrolet small block.


But a funny thing happened... my dislike of the squeaky flexing front ends on Fords and the complete lack of character from the 302 in the one old Ford Merc Montego that I owed turned me off to all Ford products ---- but there were those 1967 - 68 Mustangs and Shelbys... I always thought they were near the top of the best designed cars of the '60s.


Anyways by the mid-1980s I could buy what I want within reason -- but (as far as I knew) there was no stated value collector car insurance that actually let you DRIVE an old car, so I found myself looking at the newest Camaros and Mustangs in their respective showrooms and I thought "what a let-down." Dripping paint and loose trim on both. And not a lot of horsepower. I had been buying up damaged Celicas for next to nothing and actually getting another 200,000 miles out of them without anything but body work. Amazing cars (the 18, 20, and 22rs were used in 30-passenger buses in Japan). So I celebrated with a white 5-speed Supra that eventually was featured in Hemmings Sports and Exotic. That doesn't mean I forgot American cars though -- every few years I would buy something crazy and use it as a daily driver alternating the Celicas -- I drove a 1969 Caprice with a built L-48 and h/d station wagon springs that came with the car (probably about 320 hp) and drove it across Route 66 with not a single issue -- the second old car that I did that in the (the Supra did it disguised to look like a POS with old Celica wheels and Mexican seat covers). I also bought multiple Coupe DeVilles and used those as well as the Caprice to truly scare commuters on the daily ride to downtown L.A..


Around 2004 I sold the Supra - it was too nice to drive, actually nicer than the one in the private Torrance Toyota Museum -- and finally was able to enjoy American torque again in a very affordable, very original, very-low-production model and color (one of 37)1995 Firebird Formula convertible that had been owned by a mature real estate salesperson and her husband. 80,000 miles for just $4,700. It was a very, very limited late run of 1995 dual-catalytic-convertor-but-still-OBD1 cars for California so was producing 285 hp. I was not crazy about the automatic, but the torque was great and I liked using an older modern-muscle pony car to travel across the country with the top down which I did with that Bird in 2018 and again in 2021, again largely on surviving sections of Route 66. And the "modern" LT-1 ran flawlessly even if it was a Chevrolet within a Pontiac. I enjoyed comparing the power-to weight with the old supercars, such as a 1969 GTO convertible I had for just a few days (it was stolen but since my friend had owned it I had been using it and found the tires just could never stay hooked --- those 440 foot-pounds). Also the modern LT-1 it almost equaled out to a stock 19701/2 Z/28 with 360 gross horsepower and around 3600 pounds of weight.


But something happened... there were those 1967 -68 Mustangs again... but now modernized. The wife and I rented a 2005 V-6 convertible to drive the Northern CA coast and I loved it, even with the "tractor" motor. It was a tight comfortable car that could light up its little tires, and I loved the darker red. I soon had every Mustang sales brochure and planned for the future going back and forth between the red and Legend Lime GTs. And I watched as these cars ran to 120,00 miles, 150,000 miles, 200,000 miles.....


So (finally) six months ago, the future came and I received a very bad sign when the Firebird and its Chevy engine --- so well-cared for by myself and the original owner -- somehow blew a head gasket from simply sitting for about 5 minutes and then my stabbing the pedal to the floor. It smoked those tires... and then something was clearly wrong.


So while the Firebird sits in the garage still as I wonder if I can ever find anyone to yank the top of the motor off in that tiny bay -- I changed the water pump and it took about five weekends so I won't do it --- I have driven three 2008 Bullitts, a few GT hardtops, one with a 4.10 rear and opened intake and was blown away especially by the Bullitts' increased mid-range pull -- I mean THAT feels like an old muscle/supercar. My wife and I fought over which body --- she rightly loves what she calls "the real Mustang look" of the hardtop, while I say how can you live in this state and not have a convertible? I wanted a GREAT used Bullitt or GT -- was even willing to lay down as high as $22,000 which I really cannot possibly afford --- but began to back off when either I could only find red or lime automatics, or cars that would get snapped up instantly (FL seems to have a better selection but higher prices... AZ has the best cars sold mostly by retirees. CA Bullitts bring a premium, but then are increased even more when East Coast dealers grab them up).


Anyway one day about four weeks ago - at exactly the same time I found an incredibly original, 45,000 original mile, 49-year-old Pontiac-engined second-gen Firebird in a REALLY rare color for sale for $11,000 less than a previous sale (the new owner tore the interior to pieces and left a LOT unfinished) -- I lost my mind and bought two cars at once when I also suddenly found a one-owner 5-speed, Legend Lime GT convertible with just 80,000 miles on the dial -- for $10,000! Yes, miracles happen, I love the Mustang, but I now have NO savings whatsoever, FIVE cars at a house we are renting, and a lot of ceramic coating happening in 108 degree weather. Do I worry that I have no savings..??? Can't even buy set of larger 18 inch factory wheels for the Mustang???? Naw...


NO savings.


And btw, I now realize that I have NEVER personally known of any pre-LS series Chevrolet V-8 getting to 100,000 miles without some MAJOR problem -- head gasket, worn cam, bad opti-spark, etc. GM/Chevrolet, you have let my family and myself down for the last time.

Paris MkVI

Great automotive history my friend, and welcome to the the forums.

You can see from my signature that I've had Mustangs since I was 17. But others were in the mix as well from GM, Plymouth (a Mitsubishi badge job), even Dodge (in the Daimler-Chrysler era). They all got the job done (although the big bathtub-body Caprice with a 305 was rather gutless.)

But I have always enjoyed the Mustangs. Even the lightweight 2.3L Fox bodies were geared so they were fun to drive. Fast? No, not really. But fun. The old 302 could be built into a pretty good performer. And the modular engines are pretty good tech.

The Coyote 5.0 version of the modular line is one terrific engine. But credit where credit is due - the V8 engines GM was developing pushed Ford to build the Coyote. Nice to have a little old-school horsepower/torque competition again - at least for a season.

NC14GT

Welcome!!
It's never too late to have a Ford but you have been missing out. I enjoy ALL American muscle. My first new car was a 1982 GT with the new 5.0 HO. While all my work buddies were waiting for their 1982 new Camaros and Firebirds to get out of the dealership repair bays with that God-awful Crossfire engine, I was driving my GT everywhere with no engine issues the entire time we owned it through 1988. I can't imagine being without a Mustang.
I feel nothing but love for my now 23 year old Trans Am as well. When I bought it new it listed for $33,000. I thought it was insane to pay that kind of $$$ but now it seems like nothing at all these years later.
Christmas in July below.

Bert

welcome to the forum and nice introduction

I never really understood the Ford versus Chevy/GM versus Dodge/MOPAR thing; they all made good cars and bad cars at one time or another

tamstang_09

welcome bert! i love legend lime green, congrats