Any Car Guy's?? Car-Brats Maybe?

[Desert Dory]

I was PM'ing with Mike (Tyboo) about some account changes when he happened to mention his "other" car.

Well, being a 45 year car nut myself I got to wondering who else on here was into cars/hot rods.

My story: My Dad (I miss him very much) was a hot rodder in the 50's in San Diego county. He had a full custom '48 Chevy in high school, which also happened to be the second fastest, according to him, rod in San Diego county. Growing up, we always had some kind of cool car in the driveway. '56 Chevy 2 door post, a couple different '63 Impala SS's, '67 Caprice 396, etc, etc.

Of course this kind of activity generated an interest in the impressionable young man growing up in this his household.

My first car I bought when I was 15 (1976) was a '66 Mustang coupe. I put all my pennies and sweat into that thing only to have it creamed by a drunk driver one night.



I bought the wreck back from the insurance co., parted it out and bought the white '66 coupe to replace it. The reason for getting the wreck back was the fact that I had just paid for a full custom interior and wanted to move that into the replacement vehicle. I kept that car until 2006 or so, and finally let it go
because, well, life just gets in the way sometimes.



I've had a few other interesting cars over the years and would have trouble putting them all here.

But! The latest is another Mustang that I picked up form a buddy that just needed to get the thing gone. '65 Fastback project that needs a LOT of work. I have done this before, and will do it again once I get the motivation to get out there and get busy.

Anyhow, here's a few pics of the project Mustang








Sooooo, you car guys! Post em up!!!

 

[Robert H. Wilkinson]

Desert Dory, I've been working on cars since high school(1974). Served 2 apprenticeships - licensed 310a and 310b technician. Gave up the mechanical side in 86 and focused on collision until 2014. Then after a heart attack switched to restoration. My jobs have ranged from a 76 Gremlin that the guy uses as a daily driver to a 56 Bel Air that the owner has invested over 100k in. We do a lot of work for Hitman Hotrods in Cambridge Ontario. They are one of Canada's premier builders of custom hot rods. You can see a pic of the 56 here - https://www.facebook.com/HitmanHotrods/ ... theater--- there are other pics of it on their facebook page. Would send you the link to their website but it looks like you have to log in to view it. Another tech in our shop just painted a Mustang(66?) Origional green with satin black on hood.

As for my cars - had a 66 Chevelle convertible, 68 Fairlane(390) coupe, 70 Buick Electra 225(454 4bbl) - then I switched from fast cars to 4 wheel drive. Had a 67 Willies Kaiser Jeepster - then when I was 21 bought a 77 Land Cruiser FJ45(pic in my album). Still have that(lawn ornament) - wife says she's going to bury me in it!

Regards,

Rob

 

[localboy]

Nice paint job. I like the fastback Mustangs much more than the standard.

Takes a lot to do this in your home garage. I know. I did a total ground up on a 1965 VW Notchback in my garage. 7 years and untold hours. Outsourced the body/paint, long block build & interior. My buddy and I did all the rest.

I also have a '66 VW Bus "Westy" camper. All original. Needs a small amount of rust repair that I shall tackle once I retire.

http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?...ame=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

 

[Peter & Judy]

Not really a car guy myself, but my wife had a '68 Mustang when she was going to University. I sometimes dream of driving my first car again, a '67 Pontiac Grande Parisianne.

 

[Desert Dory]

Desert Dory, I've been working on cars since high school(1974). Served 2 apprenticeships - licensed 310a and 310b technician. Gave up the mechanical side in 86 and focused on collision until 2014. Then after a heart attack switched to restoration. My jobs have ranged from a 76 Gremlin that the guy uses as a daily driver to a 56 Bel Air that the owner has invested over 100k in. We do a lot of work for Hitman Hotrods in Cambridge Ontario. They are one of Canada's premier builders of custom hot rods. You can see a pic of the 56 here - https://www.facebook.com/HitmanHotrods/ ... theater--- there are other pics of it on their facebook page. Would send you the link to their website but it looks like you have to log in to view it. Another tech in our shop just painted a Mustang(66?) Original green with satin black on hood.

As for my cars - had a 66 Chevelle convertible, 68 Fairlane(390) coupe, 70 Buick Electra 225(454 4bbl) - then I switched from fast cars to 4 wheel drive. Had a 67 Willies Kaiser Jeepster - then when I was 21 bought a 77 Land Cruiser FJ45(pic in my album). Still have that(lawn ornament) - wife says she's going to bury me in it!

Regards,

Rob

Sounds like you've "been there, done that" Rob. Folks down here would kill for that FJ. I always wanted one of the FJ55's. You could practically live in one of those.

Nice paint job. I like the fastback Mustangs much more than the standard.

Takes a lot to do this in your home garage. I know. I did a total ground up on a 1965 VW Notchback in my garage. 7 years and untold hours. Outsourced the body/paint, long block build & interior. My buddy and I did all the rest.

I also have a '66 VW Bus "Westy" camper. All original. Needs a small amount of rust repair that I shall tackle once I retire.

http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?...ame=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

The guy I bought the Mustang from had all that work done by a shop. It's actually a Fastback grafted onto a coupe. The fastback was found out on someones property on the Three Points AZ area and when my buddy got it home and tore into it, he found it was too far gone.

I was never a VW enthusiast but that Notchback is friggen sweet!
I did go with a retro vibe on my '05 XB when I had it. Steelies with trim rings and a roof rack from an old station wagon that I found in the junk yard. Not sure why I got rid of that car, it was a great commuter.

Not really a car guy myself, but my wife had a '68 Mustang when she was going to University. I sometimes dream of driving my first car again, a '67 Pontiac Grande Parisianne.

I had to look that one up Peter. Nice car!

 

[Robert H. Wilkinson]

Folks down here would kill for that FJ. I always wanted one of the FJ55's. You could practically live in one of those.


Allen, I did live in my FJ45 while in college. 2 months every year for 5 years as part of my apprenticeship training. Had a canvass pop up tent in the truck box. Was a bit chilly in April some years but no money for an apartment away from home or to commute close to 4 hours every day. Some guys have tried to buy it but after 43 years - a lot of memories. Would love to restore it someday but after working on cars all day - not much ambition left.


[quote = "Localboy"] Takes a lot to do this in your home garage. I know. I did a total ground up on a 1965 VW Notchback in my garage. 7 years and untold hours.

Mark, nice job! When I see something like this the first thing I think is how much effort went into a project like that. The average person has NO idea. A friend of mine had a 68VW squareback. He was a 6'8" farmboy from Saskatchewan!

[quote = "Desert Dory"]It's actually a Fastback grafted onto a coupe.

Allen, looks like the fastback was a Shelby - judging by the spoiler built into trunk. Beautiful car!

Regards,

Rob

 

[localboy]

Thanks, all. It was a "commitment". :lol: I had a "Cal bug" in my early days. Then I got married and had my son and that bug was just stupid, so I sold it. That was in the early 80s.

Have always liked the Notch as it's a gray market car and was never officially imported into the states. Hence, you don't see many. When I moved to the PNW prior to getting into boating, I needed something to do...if I'm being honest, I will never do it again to the extent I did on that car. Only thing I wish I had now is a shop with a lift; getting down on the ground to work on them has lost it's "luster". :wink:

 

[Desert Dory]

Allen, looks like the fastback was a Shelby - judging by the spoiler built into trunk. Beautiful car!

Regards,

Rob

Thank you Rob. Yeah, a very pretty car. Although, to be honest, I'd like it to be red. I bought the car just as it looks in the pics. None of the work was done by me, or on my dime.

The car is actually a plain old C code Mustang. Nothing special other than being a fastback. The shop that grafted the fastback to the coupe also did the custom work (fender flares, hood scoop, side scoops, duck tail spoiler, everything molded, etc.) and the paint. My buddy wanted it to be a '65 with '67 Shelby attributes. His plan was to do a "resto-mod" build with it.

IF/when I start working on it I'd like to take things a bit further. It's already a bastardized car so keeping things "original" is not a must. There are plenty of other '65-'66 original mustangs out there.

I have a ton of pics of it being built and will post up a few if anybody's interested in seeing them.

Allen

Edit: Oh!! Good on you for keeping the FJ. I would too. Hopefully you can get it back on the road one day.

 

[localboy]

Oh, yes Allen. Go for it. I'd run a modern FI engine, disc brakes, up-dated suspension (4 link?) if you can. The thing will drive like it's on rails and be utterly dependable!...but still look like a '65 Mustang FB. If money were no object I'd get someone to build me a totally modern '66/'67 Nova II, with all the bells and whistles. But I have not won the lottery yet. :wink:

 

[Desert Dory]

Oh, yes Allen. Go for it. I'd run a modern FI engine, disc brakes, up-dated suspension (4 link?) if you can. The thing will drive like it's on rails and be utterly dependable!...but still look like a '65 Mustang FB. If money were no object I'd get someone to build me a totally modern '66/'67 Nova II, with all the bells and whistles. But I have not won the lottery yet. :wink:

Exactly the plan. I missed out on a 4 link on Phoenix Craigslist awhile back. Brand new for $500. Guy was dumping his whole project. Someone beat me to the 4 link.

I love those bathtub Chevy II's! Especially like the wagons that have had a 2 door conversion done to them. Sweet!

Here's the engine I got with the car. '90's 5.0. Supposedly had work done to it but I can't really find anything that would indicate it. Doesn't even have the GT 40 heads :roll:. FI is some kind of aftermarket unit that, from what I've been able to fine on the interwebs, pretty much sucks. Issue appears to be fuel leakage from the fuel rails.

Will probably start over with the engine when the time comes, or better yet, piss off the purests and drop an LS into it.

Got a Tremec 5 speed with it too. No bell housing though.





So far I haven't been motivated to do much of anything with the Mustang yet. We just got our boat last August and I've been so busy I haven't even had much time to do the things I want to do on it either. Grrrrrrrrr...