Alright, so here’s the lowdown on my “American Classics Growth Spurt” project. Buckle up, it’s a bit of a ride!
It all started with me staring at my garage. I had this beat-up ’67 Mustang sitting there, looking sad and neglected. I’d been meaning to get around to it for, like, five years. You know how it is, life gets in the way. But I finally said, “Enough is enough!” It was time to bring this baby back to life.
First thing I did? I ripped everything out. Seats, carpet, dashboard – the whole shebang. It was a disaster. Rodents had been having a field day in there. I spent a whole weekend just vacuuming and scrubbing. Ugh.
Next up was the engine. It was seized tighter than a drum. I soaked it in penetrating oil for a week, and finally managed to break it loose. Turns out, the cylinders were full of rust. Awesome. So, I pulled the whole engine out, tore it down to the bare block, and sent it off to a machine shop to get cleaned up and bored out. While that was happening, I started tackling the body.
The body was… well, let’s just say it had “character.” Rust everywhere. Dents, dings, you name it. I spent hours with a grinder and a welder patching things up. I’m no bodywork expert, but I watched a ton of YouTube videos and gave it my best shot. It’s not perfect, but it’s a hell of a lot better than it was.
While I waited for the engine to come back, I started ordering parts. New wiring harness, new brakes, new suspension, new interior – basically everything. My credit card was crying. But hey, you gotta spend money to make money, right? Or in this case, you gotta spend money to make a cool car.
Finally, the engine came back from the machine shop. It looked beautiful, all shiny and new. I spent a week putting it back together, piece by piece. I’m not gonna lie, I messed up a few times and had to backtrack, but eventually, I got it all sorted out.
Then came the moment of truth. I dropped the engine back into the car, hooked everything up, and turned the key. It cranked… and cranked… and cranked… Nothing. My heart sank. I checked everything I could think of – fuel, spark, compression. Still nothing. I was ready to throw in the towel.
But then, I remembered something I’d seen in a YouTube video. Turns out, I’d forgotten to prime the oil pump. Doh! I primed the pump, turned the key again, and… VROOM! It fired right up! I couldn’t believe it. I was so relieved, I almost cried.
The rest of the build went pretty smoothly. I installed the new interior, wired everything up, and put the body back together. It took a lot of late nights and weekends, but finally, it was done.
The finished product? It’s not a show car by any means. The paint job is far from perfect, and there are still a few things I want to tweak. But it’s my ’67 Mustang, and I built it with my own two hands. And that’s something I’m really proud of.
Was it easy? Hell no. Did I want to quit a million times? Absolutely. But I stuck with it, and I learned a ton along the way. And now I’ve got a sweet ride that turns heads everywhere I go.
Here’s a few key takeaways:
- Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty.
- YouTube is your friend.
- Patience is key.
- Don’t forget to prime the oil pump!
So, that’s the story of my “American Classics Growth Spurt.” It was a long, hard road, but totally worth it in the end. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going for a drive.
