My First Fastback
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Just before I turned 16, I got the itch to buy a classic Mustang. I had friends that had them, and so I was determined it would be my first car as well. Luckily I had started a neighborhood yard business 3 years prior and had enough saved up to buy a starter model on my own. I happened this Fastback by chance (as I didn't really know what a Fastback was at the time, and definitely wasn't looking for one specifically) and the test drive by the owner was all I needed to know this was the car for me. For a 16 year old kid this was one the fastest car I had ever been in, and with the skinny rear tires you could do the "one wheel peel" all the way down the street! I convinced my dad that this was the right car for me, and we got it. The car was a base level Fastback (i.e no options like power steering or AC) with a 302 and 4-speed toploader transplanted. The body was in fairly good shape as far as rust goes, but it could have used a fresh paint and there was a bondo job gone bad on the drivers rear panel. Unfortunately after paying the 3K for the car my funds were pretty depleted. I had enough to redo the interior with fresh carpet, seat covers, and door panels to make it nice. We also went into the top end of the engine and installed a big cam, 600 double pumper Holley, and a few other performance mods. After getting it back on the road after the engine mods I promptly blew out the rear gears within two weeks with the newfound power. Luckily I was surrounded by a dad that was very mechanical, and numerous friends and family that knew alot about maintaining and fixing issues with the car. It was definitely a great opportunity for me to start the learning process and build a love for taking a car and customizing it to be exactly what I want. This car definitely helped to increase my interest in Mustangs, and more specifically opened my eyes to the Fastback body style which is now a favorite of mine. |
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