Fox Body Mustang Gets Restored in Heartwarming Story
Woman lost her son in 2006 and has kept his Fox Body Mustang for more than a decade, and this YouTuber helped her bring it back to life.
This is the kind of story that will restore any lost faith in the car community. The loss of a loved one is never easy, and the effect of that feeling multiplies when a parent loses their child. In 2006, Maleeya, the woman featured in this video, lost her son. Her son was a big fan of racing and specifically a big fan of black Mustangs. When he passed away, she opted to hang onto the old Fox Body but has been considering selling it due to her home needing repairs.
Enter the hero of the story and creator of this video, Jerry Heasley. Heasley is a writer for Automobile Magazine and creates videos, like this one, for his YouTube channel. This video outlines the entirety of the restoration process, from picking the car up to returning to its rightful owner.
Humble Beginnings for the Fox Body
“How do you buy an old car from a woman who loves cats and has been told her Mustang is worth far more than it really is? The answer is: maybe you don’t. Instead, maybe you end up being a good neighbor and helping her out in the best way you can,” says Heasley.
The video starts with Heasley introducing us to Maleeya and taking a quick tour of the sad old Fox Body. After overlooking the car and discovering she has lost the keys and it has a dead battery, Heasley recruited local restoration shop owner Jason White.
Using a lock pick kit, White can get the ignition to turn. Additionally, he swapped the battery terminals for fresh ones and put in a new battery. After a bit of tampering with the aftermarket alarm (who doesn’t love those?), they got it ready to fire. With a little fresh gas and a turn of the “key,” it fires right up and idles great.
So, with the car loaded on a trailer, it’s off to White’s shop for the repairs and restoration.
The restoration begins
The first step is to get the car clean to truly see what they’re working with. With that out of the way, the guys waste no time taking the old girl apart. They find a lot of the trim and weather sealing is pretty wrecked. However, the interior is in great shape, save for the ashtray not staying closed. Luckily, the guys over at Late Model Restoration offer a kit to repair that, and the owner of LMR, Shannon Guderian, wanted to help with this project.
“Shannon said he didn’t care if he got one view, he wanted to help,” says Heasley.
With help from LMR, they acquired all the parts they needed for the repairs and got to work.
The transformation of the paint on this thing is mind-blowing. It truly speaks for how well paint restoration techniques work. While most of the car was just cut and buffed, the bumpers and spoiler were removed and repainted with true-to-era single stage paint.
With the stock spoiler added, a set of era-correct wheels, and some red vinyl pin-striping thrown into the mix, the car is done. The difference in appearance is bonkers!
Big Reveal
The restoration of the Mustang went so well, Maleeya did not even think it was her car when she arrived at the shop. Between the shiny paint, red trim, and the “fin” change (which is what she calls the spoiler), she didn’t recognize it.
“Is that my car? You put that on there? That looks so much better!” she exclaims with a surprised gasp
After a quick rundown of the changes, Maleeya even got her hands dirty, assisting in some of the final assemblies. Finally, it’s time for her to take it for a drive.
Overall, the restoration of this old Fox Body carries a story that most do not. It’s remarkable to think that Maleeya can now enjoy her late son’s Mustang the way he always intended it to be.
Furthermore, Heasley also set up a Gofundme to assist in paying for the damage to her house so that she may keep the Fox Body Mustang. If you’d like to aide in keeping this old fox in the family, you can contribute there. We hope she keeps this thing for many years to come. After all, it’s now well capable of being a daily driver.