Original Ford truck seats from 1956

Here's the best example of an original seat that I've ever seen.

They normally look like this:

56 Ford Bed dimensions

Getting the truck running

Got the garage cleaned out today. Deb suggested one last dump run with the old truck before I tear it apart for the big restoration, so I dutifully got it running and re-rigged tail lights. The thing barely fits in the garage. Here's a pic:

Mustang ad from December 1964 Reader's Digest

This ad was just inside the cover of the Dec '64 edition of Reader's Digest.

I love the not-so-subtle message:

A Mustang will get you chicks.

Here's my 67 Convertible. It's a c-code car and has spent it's entire life in California. Originally sold to a woman in San Gabriel, CA, the car was sold to a Navy pilot in 1977 and moved to San Diego. I became the third owner of the car in 1994. Since buying it, the only work I've done is to restore the interior. Because it's in such good shape, it is third in line to be restored behind the 66 coupe and my great grandfather's 56 F-250.

2008 Auctions in Monterey

Here's some photos from the preview areas in Monterey.

A Clean 289

The weekend project from last October is finally done. Gotta love a clean engine...

I didn't pull the engine, but probably should have. It was a pain to get it clean with it sitting in the engine bay. The motor has over 100k since the last rebuild, but runs fine. Good compression, no smoke, strange noises, etc. The engine really showed it's age when I popped the valve covers and intake manifold, however. The sludge on the top of the heads and the valley was unbelievable. Chipped the gunk loose with a screwdriver and into a waiting shop-vac to keep it out of the passages. The screwdriver came in handy on the outside of the motor too, digging massive amounts of accumulated grime from the nooks and crannies. Overall it took about 50 scotch brite pads, nine rolls of shop towels, 10 gallons of Simple Green, a dozen bronze wire brush drill attachments, and a gallon of laquer thinner to get it clean. Plasticote 224 engine paint was the best match for the remaining area of original engine paint under the air cleaner.

Original details on our 66 coupe

Here is the "M" paint code as found on the driver's side radiator support, as well as a marking on the driver's side frame rail, just ahead of the front tire.

Laguna Seca historics

Hanging out with my old friend Rob at the Laguna Seca historic races last year, in the middle of three famous Mustangs. Perfect.

And, here we are with his 69 Mach 1 back in the mid 80's. It's the car that first got me interested in Mustangs.