My then 17 year old son got me into the vintage car world when he bought a '69 Mustang SportsRoof in 1994 that a P.O. had tried to convert into a Mach 1. He and I worked on the car together on a regular basis and he actually became pretty competent with a box of tools. We began to bicker over what to do next with the fastback so my wife suggested I buy a toy of my own. While looking for a suitable SportsRoof, GT or Mach 1, I came across a standard '69 convertible. Even though I really wanted a fastback, I settled for a vert. That was in 1998. I still have the vert and it has won 32 awards in local and regional Mustang shows. My 44 year old son is working on his SportsRoof in my driveway as I write. We both love these old cars. I wish I had a SportsRoof too, though. ... View more

That's what I did in my first Mustang club. The powers that be said that they'ed tried a show once and it was a failure. A couple of club members and I planned and put on a club Mustang show and it's still going strong 20 years later. One of the Mustang events of the year in the Bay Area. I left the club a long time ago, but I regard that show as something to mark my having been there. ... View more

I recently decided to reprise 17 years of pure joy that I had experienced with a bought new 1983 Bronco by buying a 1995 Bronco. Both had/have a 32 gallon tank and gas mileage of around 13 mpg with a tail wind. The "new" Bronco even has a larger engine than the first one (351W v. 302), but the current one's 4 speed overdrive automatic compensates.:-) Anyway, the pleasure of driving that big old XLT more than offsets Governor Newsom's gasoline taxes. ... View more

My son took me to see Ford v. Ferrari and I thought it was a bunch of dramatic B.S. crafted around some real facts. I worked for a subsidiary of Ford from 1969 to 1981 and, while Hank seldom called me, the depictions of both he and Beebe in that movie were pure nonsense. Henry Ford II was quoted as saying "Never complain and never explain". Good advice for corporate hating screen writers with a late 20th century college indoctrination. ... View more

In 1977 I was working for a wholly owned subsidiary of FoMoCo and had reached the first level of Executive Lease Car privilege. My first was a '77 Mercury Capri Snow Cat. It had the 2.8L V6 with a 4 speed manual transmission and was all white with gold pin-striping. My daily driver at that time was a '72 240Z 4 speed car. I'm still sorry I sold that car, but the Capri's performance was very similar to the Z car's. At the time I was a new father and I saw the value of a back seat. I assume that Hank must have gone to England to drive that Capri because 1977 was the last American version (with the steering on the correct side) was offered for sale in the US. ... View more

I'm on my second Corvette. I bought a '69 L36 427/390 hp coupe in 2005. It was a numbers matching low mileage (69K) example in LeMans Blue with a black vinyl interior, an M21 Muncie 4 speed, F41 suspension and 3.36 gears. The car was a remarkable looking vehicle that was torture to drive and a disappointment to own. It got tons of eyeball but was actually a big pig. Too nose heavy for the track and too slow for the drags. I never ran it at the drag strip because it was a survivor, but I do believe that my '69 Mustang convertible would have spanked its butt in the quarter mile. My current Corvette is a Victory Red '09 C6 1LT coupe that I bought in 2015 with an actual 27K miles on it. It's an automatic with 2.73 gears and that super 430 hp LS3. Great car with great handling and plenty of room for silly stuff like luggage or golf clubs. It is definitely the fastest and quickest car I have ever owned including my '00 Z28 Camaro with a stout LS1. ... View more

I have to agree with you. That was clearly a comparison born out of deadline pressure. Besides, after all the "redesigns" that the T-Bird went through before Ford was successful in completely destroying the marque, you could compare a T-Bird to almost everything from a sports car to a Lincoln to a Fairmont to a Mustang. ... View more

Eh, let's see, a commercial for old German cars and a bunch of incomprehensible graphs that benefit whom? The car flippers and traders who aren't real car guys? Thanks Hagerty. ... View more

This all seems somewhat premature. Despite constant promises of "new technology" has anyone resolved major problems with electric vehicles like battery charge duration (range), battery life, the amount of time it takes for a recharge compared to refueling an IC vehicle, known fire hazards represented by the lithium ion batteries, etc.? Beyond that has anyone "settled the science" that says that we are saving the Earth by switching to electric vehicles or has anyone done a trade off between the amount of carbon fuel that would be used to generate the electricity necessary for this venture vs the amount of carbon fuel necessary to drive the same miles in IC vehicles? Stop pushing a woke agenda! ... View more

Are "survivor cars" fading in popularity? Gee, I hope so. I have always viewed that trend as an excellent way to keep your wallet in your back pocket and flip a heap. BTW, it would also seem to be a reaction to the outlandish cost of a decent paint job these days. ... View more

I'm a Mustang guy. I currently only have one '69 convertible along with a '95 Bronco XLT and an '09 Corvette C6, but I still identify with Mustangs. I was on a Mustang forum some years back and there was a guy inquiring about the value of a '72 SportsRoof (fastback) that was built with an I-6 base engine. He thought it would be worth more because there were very few of them built. Hard convincing him that the small build numbers reflected the undesirable nature of a factory six cylinder fastback even back in the day and that things probably hadn't improved immensely since then. I would have probably wanted a more popular Mach 1 M code car with a Cleveland 4V engine. Lots more of those built for obviously reasons. ... View more

The Ferrari 275 GTB rang a huge memory bell for me. Many years ago I was at a summer bar-b-q at my best friend's house and his cousin and her boyfriend showed up with a dark blue version of that car that had belonged to Sly Stallone at one point in its life. It was a gorgeous car with a light saddle colored interior and he took all the guys out for a look and a listen. The battery was dead. He had no idea where the battery resided in the car. BTW, at a previous family party he had shown up with a bright red Testarosa. Shows you what hard work and inheriting a title company from your dad can do for your future. ... View more

I knew a guy who inherited a Holman-Moody built '68 Mustang 428 CJ GT Fastback from his dad. What a brute that car was. Totally unstreetable, it had to be towed to car shows where firing up the big CJ was a show of its own. The car had been built for a Ford dealer for the muscle car wars at the local drag strips but proved to be excess to their needs prior to delivery, having purchased a similar car from another local dealer that they were then campaigning. My friend's father was a dedicated drag racer and the Ford dealer gave him the opportunity to buy it, which he did. When my friends mom passed, he found the '68 sitting under tarps in the barn at the family ranch. With a little effort he was even able to bring back the original Highland Green paint job and the black GT striping. Very low mileage since it had been acquired mostly 1/4 mile at a time. ... View more

I'd have to agree with most of what you had to say but, if you've never had to try to install a part that was made in China on a vintage ride, you can't be so critical of those who advise avoiding foreign made parts. Additionally, the upgrade to disc brakes is hardly a frivolous or unessential modification. I have a '69 Mustang convertible that came to me in stock form with 4 wheel manual drum brakes. The car was a nightmare until I converted it to front wheel discs. BTW, having owned two LS powered vehicles (2000 Z28 LS1 and a 2009 Corvette LS3) I can attest to the "goodness" of those Chevy small blocks, but I too am repelled by the number of hot rod builders who seem to regard the installation of an LS power plant as the performance solution to all vehicles. ... View more

Ford managed to screw up the Thunderbird after starting with a really desirable and slick two seater and transforming it to something on the Lincoln Continental platform. Now an electric SUV version of the Mustang with 4 doors to boot? I wonder how their marketing group manages to sit around the conference table in those skin tight pants? Back to your mom's basement boys! ... View more

If you look at the quarter mile performance of most of these "brutes" from back in the day, you would be sorely disappointed. Most of these big, bad cars ran in the very low 14's to the mid 13's. Respectable for a modern Japanese family sedan.  My '69 Mustang convertible ran a 14.308 @ 99.1 mph at the local drag strip some years back.  Not bad for a mildly modified SB Ford and actually competitive with some of the "monster" cars back in the day. ... View more

I can't afford one either. ... View more

And the bottom line, after your business school assessment of cars as an investment, is that you are pissed that you don't have the money to buy one of these unique machines. Right? ... View more

Looks like GM stole their inspiration for their entire 1958 Pontiac, Olds and Buick lines from that '56 Nash. Gaudy doesn't quite cover that. ... View more

You sound like someone who is either 1) super impressed with yourself or 2) being paid by people who have something to profit from the wide use of electric vehicles. Looking down your nose at people isn't necessarily the way to change their minds. ... View more

Actually, people who like cars and driving just do not get it. Guys in tight legged jeans who call older people "petrol heads" clearly get it. ... View more

Hey, I'm 75 and I still have a mildly modified 1969 Mustang convertible that I drive regularly. I still enjoy making my own decisions. Older clients aren't the ones buying electric self driving vehicles. ... View more

Under "Ford" see Thunderbird for an example of what bloodless marketing and P.R. professionals can do to a popular marque. The end of the Mustang is upon us. ... View more

As the owner of a '95 XLT, gosh I hope so! ... View more

So when does Ford bring out the all electric convertible model with luxury leather interior?  Ford always wants to turn wildly popular models into "product lines" that are all things to all people.  Witness the metamorphasis of the Mustang or the late Thunderbird. ... View more

The article didn't mention how far into my jeans I would have to dig to secure this crate engine wonder. ... View more

Hot hatches and pickup trucks?  Are you guys running out of subject matter? ... View more

Seriously?  Two European maintenance nightmares and a so-so performance pickemup?  That's it?  Where is the usual gaggle of four door sedans and station wagons you guys usually feature? ... View more

I recall back in the day I was in love with the TR4.  By the time I got out of the Army the 4 had been superseded by the TR6.  I looked at them pretty hard but the general "word" in those days was to avoid any Triumph with a 6 cyl. engine.  Apparently they spent more time in shops than on the road.  My best pal's wife bought a TR6 and I actually got to enjoy replacing the tranny and clutch.  What a hassle.  ... View more

Having purchased an '83 XLT from Ford as an executive lease car turn in and driven it for 162K miles in 17 years and presently being the proud owner of a '95 XLT that had 164K miles on it when I bought it three years ago, I've got to wonder how you differentiate between the Bull Nose ('80-'86), Brick Nose ('87-'91) and Aero Nose ('92-'96) as separate "generations".  Driving my '95 feels a whole lot like driving my '83 did.  It is the same size vehicle built with a large number of interchangeable parts.  It departs from the previous "generation" in no way similar to the First and Second generation Broncos.  There are refinements here and there but the overall package is still the same truck from 1980 to 1996.  My '83 and my '95 even had the same fixture on the ceiling as a dome/map reading light.  The major difference is the front sheet metal, which changed with Ford's minor design changes of the F150.  Those should all be classified as third generation Broncos.  The current butt ugly vehicle is the fourth generation of the Bronco concept.  IMHO that one took longer than the average baby elephant to arrive and isn't nearly as attractive.  ... View more

How about the Jaguar XKE coupe and the Datsun 240Z?  I owned one of the latter and always wished I had owned one of the former.  I was looking at my Z car one day and realized how much like the XKE it looked.  R.E. the Porsche 925 and the AMC Pacer, what were you guys thinking.  They both had big rear glass.  That's about it.  Also, wouldn't the Porsche 944 be a better match up with the second gen Mazda RX7? ... View more

I had a '69 L36 coupe that was the spitting image of the '68 car you used as an example.  Le Mans Blue with a black standard interior, M21 4 speed tranny, 3.36 gears and the F41 handling package.  It had the dealer installed luggage rack and the inserts in the gill slits but no side pipes.  I bought the car in 2004 and sold it in 2011.  In the seven years I owned it I put seven thousand miles on the car to run it all the way up to 77K.  It was a low optioned unit with no AC, which would have made it impossible to own outside of the SF Bay Area where I lived at the time.  I had it judged by NCRS and it won a Top Flight award the first time out.  It was probably the most uncomfortable car I have ever owned and you couldn't even get a set of golf clubs into it, but I still miss it for its head turning ability.  People just wanted to talk to me about that old Stingray.  ... View more

You forgot the greatest Mustang ever!  My '69 Meadowlark Yellow convertible with a black top and interior.  It was a relatively stock car when I bought it in 1998 from an elderly lady.  Someone had installed full dual exhausts on the car but it still had its original engine/transmission/rear end.  I restored the car to its original appearance, added some factory/dealer available options like dual racing mirrors, chrome rallye wheels and an original luggage rack.  The 302 got rebuilt right at 100K miles and is now a .040 over 308.  The engine has a 351W cam, changing the firing order, JB flat top pistons, an Edelbrock aluminum intake, a Barry Grant Road Demon 4V carb, a pair of Ford GT40P heads, Ford Motorsport roller rockers, anti-pump up lifters, custom tri-Y headers and the greatest sounding set of electric cutouts you ever heard right behind the collectors.  The C4 transmission has a shift kit installed.  The rear gears were 2.79s and are now 3.55s.  Its best pass at the local drag strip was a 14.308 @ 99.1 mph.  Besides all this, it has won 31 trophies and plaques in the 21 years I have owned and showed it.  I love this car!  Since I've owned it I have bought and sold a couple of 4th gen Z28 Camaros, a '69 L36 427 Corvette coupe,an '09 C6 Corvette coupe and a '95 Bronco XLT.  Actually I still have the C6 and the XLT, but I would sell them well before I would consider selling my little standard Mustang vert. ... View more

So this is a further tale of how the lawyers have completely F'ed up America.  Send them back to college to get their social work degrees! ... View more

Christine.  The ultimate millennial machine.  It restores itself, requiring no effort on the part of the "owner".  Sort of like patina. ... View more

I agree with your premise and admit to being a compulsive fixer of every flaw I have ever found on my vintage cars, but how do you explain the "trend" toward patina?  Isn't just an acceptance of the vagaries of time on your vintage vehicle?  Is it driven by the desire to present the vehicle as an historical piece, or is it just an expression of laziness?  We do have dodos replicating patina with a spray gun, which might negate the laziness argument, but it still feels like an excuse to do nothing.    ... View more