Typical Story
#1
So, I'm 14 or 15... and my Mom has a friend in her class at Utah Technical College with a '71 H-code in Grabber Yellow with a Ginger Deluxe interior. Much like this car, but with sport covers, rather than the Magnum 500s:

[Image: IMG_0217.JPG]

One day at picnic put on by the class, her friend invited me along, and actually got a little too drunk to drive. He asked if I knew how to drive, and having driven my Mom's car before, I was just marking time until could get my license - of course I know how to drive. So - there I was, driving him home in a bad-ass '71 Mach 1. I believe the term is "Game Over." I decided right then and there that I will be having one of these cars at some point in my life.

Fast-forward to summer 2010, and I'm jonesin' for a hot-rod/project car because my pal had just picked up a '63 1/2 Galaxie 500XL. I'd been thinking about helping out a friend and taking over their "soon-to-be repo'd" 2010 Camaro 2SS. My wife suggested I get a car that I could restore and make it my own, instead of having monster car payments again. A few days later, I found this on Craigslist:

[Image: schlep1.jpg]

A few days later, after dickering with the price, and the seller realizing this car was a turd and that he'd paid too much for it himself, I bought it. I asked my pal (a master mechanic) what I should start with, and he said, "A tetanus shot." Dodgy (OK, it really was pretty funny)

I started doing research and kept seeing pictures of Pewter and Black Mach 1s - and they really grew on me because I like grays and blacks. I also learned that mine was an original H-code with Ram Air in... wait for it: Pewter and Black. I was over the moon. No, it wasn't Grabber Yellow with a Ginger Deluxe interior, but it was better, IMHO.

Long story short, I've rebuilt this car literally from the ground up, including replacing about 40% of the sheet metal, swapping the front clip, rebuilding the seized 351C-2V with tons of go-fast goodies, swapping in an AOD, and loading it up with cool period-correct as well as modern amenities to make this one truly mine.

And I did it all myself (literally... except for the paint and finish body work, that is).

[Image: Frankenstang2014.jpg]
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#2
Awesome car...great story.

I once owned a 72 Q-code 4-speed car. My first car, my 71 Mach is an auto, and I kicked myself for not getting a stick, so...I bought another to satisfy my "u-shift-it" jones.
It was a great car, fun to drive and used regular instead of premium and got better gas mileage than he 429 CJ ( barely). So I drove a lot, and left the 71 parked a lot throughout the mid/ late seventies.
Then, my all original, Light Pewter Metallic 4-speed 72 Mach 1 got stolen one Sunday morning in Houston, Tx...from a church parking lot of all places!
Awesome as my 71.429-er is, I still pine away for old "silver shifty", as my girlfriend nicknamed it.
Hey man, you and me, we're alike: no radio antenna!
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#3
It looks even better in person! Good seeing you last month Eric and no, I don't remember seeing the old train station or I would have photographed it.
Oh yeah, diggin' the front tag.
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#4
Great story Eric...the car really came out beautiful! Excellent color choice. I restored a 66 fastback over the last 3 plus years and it gives you a great sense of pride saying you did it!
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