At 36 years old, the legend continues

A note: If they had a '68 Mustang section here, I'd have gladly put this there. But they don't, and I don't honestly know what else to do with it, so here it is.

I bought the car back in April 22, 2002. I have been a classic car enthusiast all my life, and this was my daily driver up until very shortly.

Exterior:
The styling is undeniably 60's, with poor aerodynamics, and the familiar long-hood, short-deck combo that made it a hit when it was new. Certainly the styling is at times gawky, but the all-steel construction lends it a look of solidity and quality that's unmatched by anything new. The look is that of a Mustang, frankly; as soon as you see it, you know what it is. That's how much of a legend this car is.

Interior:
The interior is very plain, in a certain sense. The lack of most modern "conveniences" makes it possible for the car to have a clean, classic, sporty look that's uncluttered by any vents or superfluous buttons. The steel dash and doors again give it a very high-quality feel unmatched by new cars. That said, the heater is devilishly hard to work, because it has no markings, and you have to look in the manual (if your car has one) to figure out where to put the levers to defrost, vent, heat, etc. The original seats are wide and soft, but not supportive and are not suitible for long trips, hence why I replaced them. The new units are ProCar seats by Scat, and are supportive, but relatively hard. The back seat is small, but comfortable, and just large enough to be useful. What would I add? Cupholders. You definitely need cupholders. And a good stereo; thankfully, there's plenty of room for a killer sound system if that's your thing, and the steel gives it good acoustics; I like a good head unit and 4 good speakers.

Engine/drivetrain:
My engine is the venerable Ford 302. It utilizes the tried-and true 90-degree opposed, pushrod-actuated OHV configuration, which many decry as being outdated, but suits the car just fine. It has been lightly modified, but is not a far cry from stock. It delivers fierce torque from the bottom-end of the rev range, and although the fun is over well before 5000rpm, you don't really end up caring - around town it makes for a car that's a hoot to drive. In fact, in town it lives its life under 1600rpm. Even on the freeway, though, quick passes are executed without even a downshift. The C4 automatic transmission shifts quickly, but tends to crash into gear, instead of gently gliding into it like we're used to in new cars. The understressed nature of the engine may be a little hard for some new car people to get used to, but it suits me just fine. Gas mileage? Do you need to ask? It's not all that bad, considering everything, I get about 16mpg average, ranging up to over 20 on the freeway, depending on how hard I lean on the go-pedal.

Handling:
In stock form, Mustangs need help handling, though in its defense, if you buy a classic car for it's handling, you need your head examined. I went with KYB gas-a-just shocks up front, with externally adjustible gas shocks out back, and then got 620 front coils and 4-1/2 leaf rear leaf springs. Now, the car no longer wallows. It does still exhibit some moderate body roll, but it always remains well controlled with understeer being the dominant theme in handling. Tap the gas, though, and your torque reserves bring you generously controllable throttle steer. I also mounted some meaty 245/45/ZR17 tires on it for maximum traction, and it has gone a long way towards improving the stiff ride and poor wet-weather traction.

Ride:
Speaking of ride, it is very stiff. You can feel the suspension soak up some bumps, but it never lets you forget you're driving a more sport-tuned car. The long wheelbase is a saving grace here, helping soak up a lot of bumps.

The drive:
It's a completely different car to drive vs. its newer counterparts. The steering is granny-light and slow, so you do most handling exercises by the seat of your pants - you get no feedback through the steering, although it makes up for it by being ultra-pleasant in-town and over the open road. Also, the big overhangs and massive turning radius make parking something of a job, though here practice makes perfect. The big torque makes for quick launches, but you have to be careful in the rain - wheelspin is devilishly easy to invoke. The brakes are mushy with the oddest pedal feel I've ever felt, though plenty powerful - i've locked even my massive tires once. Maintenance is ridiculously easy, with plenty or room to work on things, and an uncluttered design that just speeds every procedure along. But when you're cruisin' down the road, listening to the soothingly slow lope of the understressed V8, you don't really care about any of that. It's a car that's fun to drive and be seen in. It's a car that transcends practical considerations (which I've tried to list nonetheless) and changes your state of mind, into one of bliss. And it's incredibly versatile - equally suited to a quiet cruise down Main Street or being pushed hard.

All in all, it's a great car to drive. It's more than practical enough to be a daily driver, with style, quality and simplicity that surpasses anything made in the last 20 years. Parts are ubiquitous and cheap, and for anyone looking for a first car to restore, it's a bargain.