My 1st REAL car at 46!

I'm 46 years old and I recently bought my first real car. Sure, I've been driving since I was 16, and have owned a number of vehicles since then. Paid $100 for my first car, a '65 Chevy. Owned 2 or 3 other cars after that. Had a Catalina with a big engine. That boat would really cruise down the interstate and feel like you were doin' 30. That was pretty nice! But for the most part, cars were just transportation for me. Never really worried too much about styling or what they looked like, as long as they were clean, good mechanically and had a great sound system. Then I bought a '76 Ford van with a straight 6. The motor had been badly neglected. Got a deal on it because I showed the owner all the chunks in the oil. He looked at me kind of funny when I was pulling the dipstick, like he didn't even know how to check the oil... Replaced the valve seals, and did a little rigging on the rocker arms. Got another

100k out of that motor before I sold the van for other reasons. Bought an '89 GMC van new, and then decided I liked the Astros better. I've been the owner of an Astro van for quite a few years now, and it has over 200K on it. I do a lot of yard sales, flea markets, and auctions. Spend a lot of time at the lake, and this van, the way I have it set up inside is perfect for me. I get kind of tired of driving that box around all the time though, so I thought I'd pick up a second vehicle that got better gas mileage for those times I didn't need a van. Only thing I knew for sure that I wanted in a car was rear wheel drive. These days that really limited my options. The dealer that I bought my Astro van from had a '98 Mustang that looked like brand new except for one little scuff on the trim panel, and a couple of repairs on the cloth seats. He's a Mustang guy at heart. He's owned a number of them as his daily drivers. He ordered a "Bullet" and sold it a year later for more than he paid for it after putting quite a few miles on it. Guess the dealer in him overrode the Mustang in his heart, lol! This is getting long winded, so in closing I'll say that since he didn't lie to me about the van when I bought it, and he told me this Mustang was good mechanically I believed him. Got a deal on it because it's only got a 3.8, and has a 5 speed. Bad combination, but that was fine by me because I wanted something that got pretty decent gas mileage for my second vehicle so I bought it. I LOVE THIS CAR!!! There's something that happens to me when I drive this car. Something about driving a car with a manual transmission. Instead of taking shortcuts to get to my destination I find myself taking the longest route. It feels so much different driving so much lower to the ground compared to sitting way up there in that box of a van! You feel like you're part of the road. It's only got a 6 cylinder, but there's an unmistakable powerband bump that comes on about 2700rpm. Never had a vehicle that would take over like that. They all accelerated gradually and evenly. I LOVE THIS CAR!!! It had tinted glass, a bra, and headlight covers when I bought it. Dark blue. It looks sharp! I'm a bit afraid to take the bra off since it goes back to the previous owner before the dealer I got it from. I can't believe those tinted headlight covers are legal for night driving. They're coming off the next time I drive it at night. Almost stopped and took them off the first time. It had some very low profile 15" tires on it, and I didn't really care for that because it left quite a gap between the wheel wells. I put some 235/60s on the rear, and a pair of 215/65s on the front. The height of the vehicle sets just right, and the width and height of the tires fill in the wheel wells just fine. The fronts are maybe a tad too wide, as they throw a bit of splash on the side of the car, but it's not turning out to be my daily driver anyway. I only seem to get in the mood to drive it on nice days, and we have those throughout the year here in SE Missouri. This was intended to just be a totally functional, economical utility vehicle, and now it's somehow turned into a mood thing... I LOVE THIS CAR!!! Well, I was closing a while back wasn't I? I just want to say I really enjoy following this group. Mostly just been lurking, and learning, and enjoying the fun comments that some of you post. I've only made one other post here when I got some amplifier wiring help and I appreciate that. I see most of you here have V8's, and probably don't even consider my car a "real" Mustang, but I'm wondering if any of you have any suggestions on things I can do toward engine and/or handling improvements. Not that either is bad, but they can always be made better right? Thank you all for running a fun and very informative group. I wish I could help out some, but even though I'm very mechanically inclined I haven't had the need to work on my vehicles all that much so I'm not very knowledgable in that area. I've always felt that every hour of preventive maintenance and listening saves 10 hours of repairs, and so far that's worked out pretty good for me. Maybe that in itself will help some people! Thanx again, Sam
Reply to
Sunset Sam
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Reply to
jim.gm4dhj

Some snipped.

Sam, I feel exactly the same way. I've owned some new cars, but none has ever put a smile on my face like this screaming yellow, 5 speed manual, Mustang GT. It's just fun!

John H

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD, on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it." Rene Descartes

Reply to
JohnH

Better than the V6 with an auto. Way better than a 2.3 with an auto! :)

And that's what really matters, right?

Eh, those bras tend to collect grit that scratches the paint, and they don't allow the sun to fade all the paint evenly, so your hood gets a "tan" line.

They're probably not legal, and besides, it sounds like you've arrived at the (correct) conclusion that they're not very safe. Mustang headlights need all the help they can get anyway, so electively dimming the output isn't very "bright."

All Mustangs are real Mustangs. Except Mustang IIs. ;)

Congrats on your first "real" car!

Reply to
Garth Almgren

Glad ya like it. Mustangs sure are fun cars... mine's being a little of a brat at the moment, but man there are times I really just love her.

-Mike

-- A happy kid behind the wheel of a 98 Mustang GT Cold air intake FRPP 3.73 gears Steeda Tri-Ax Shifter Flowmaster 40 Series mufflers (self-installed woohoo) Hi-speed fan switch

255/60R-15 rear tires Subframe connectors Aluminum adjustable clutch quadrant

Reply to
<memset

"Sunset Sam"

| The dealer that I bought my Astro van from had a '98 Mustang that looked | like brand new except for one little scuff on the trim panel, and a | couple of repairs on the cloth seats.

Sam, you bought THE purtiest body style they have ever made on a Mustang! Some of the folks in here will disagree with me, but it's ok if they are blinded by love. YOu know the old saying "A face only a mother could love" Well, some of the folks in here can be real mothers when it comes to their cars *snikker*

Stick around, you can learn allot in here. Once you get used to the regulars that is.

Congratulations on your new baby (now you'll have to name her) and on your good taste!

OH! Burn the damn bra.

| I see most of you here have V8's, and probably don't even consider my | car a "real" Mustang,

If it looks like a Mustang, smells like a Mustang and tastes like a Mustang... You better stop licking the car LOL

Of course it's a REAL Mustang.

| but I'm wondering if any of you have any | suggestions on things I can do toward engine and/or handling | improvements.

Sub frame connectors & strut tower brace are must haves.

|Not that either is bad, but they can always be made | better right? | Thank you all for running a fun and very informative group. I wish I | could help out some,

Oh, you'll learn, then you will pass it on. Ask enough questions and it's bound to happen.

Welcome to the herd Sam.

Kate

98 Cobra Drop Top.
Reply to
SVTKate

Congrats! Here are a couple of site to get you started.

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and have fun.

Mark M

Reply to
Mark M

Agreed! Purtiest body style indeed! Elizabeth just put a smile on my face for the first time in a few weeks! She's running like a champ again =).

-Mike

-- A happy kid behind the wheel of a 98 Mustang GT Cold air intake FRPP 3.73 gears Steeda Tri-Ax Shifter Flowmaster 40 Series mufflers (self-installed woohoo) Hi-speed fan switch

255/60R-15 rear tires Subframe connectors Aluminum adjustable clutch quadrant

Reply to
<memset

So the new wireset finished off what was left of the rough idle/running? Were they leaking electrons (arcing) or just high resistance?

Reply to
John

The resistance was fine on all of them... seemed strange to me. But then I "crimped" cylinder 7's contact inside the boot so many times I guess it just wasn't touching the plug enough. At first.. the resistance was "OL" (overload)... while the rest were within 7-12.. then I got it down to 7... but I had to pull the contact out of the boot.. then shove it back in.. etc... so the wire was the problem.. then I guess the contact was the problem. Anyway, it's running PERFECT now & I'm happy as can be.

-Mike

-- A happy kid behind the wheel of a 98 Mustang GT Cold air intake FRPP 3.73 gears Steeda Tri-Ax Shifter Flowmaster 40 Series mufflers (self-installed woohoo) Hi-speed fan switch

255/60R-15 rear tires Subframe connectors Aluminum adjustable clutch quadrant

Reply to
<memset

Happy Day!!! Glad to hear it!

K.

| > "Sunset Sam" | >

| > | The dealer that I bought my Astro van from had a '98 Mustang that looked | > | like brand new except for one little scuff on the trim panel, and a | > | couple of repairs on the cloth seats. | >

| > Sam, you bought THE purtiest body style they have ever made on a Mustang! | > Some of the folks in here will disagree with me, but it's ok if they are | > blinded by love. | > YOu know the old saying "A face only a mother could love" | > Well, some of the folks in here can be real mothers when it comes to their | > cars *snikker* | >

| > Stick around, you can learn allot in here. | > Once you get used to the regulars that is. | >

| > Congratulations on your new baby (now you'll have to name her) and on your | > good taste! | >

| > OH! Burn the damn bra. | >

| > | I see most of you here have V8's, and probably don't even consider my | > | car a "real" Mustang, | >

| > If it looks like a Mustang, smells like a Mustang and tastes like a | > Mustang... | > You better stop licking the car LOL | >

| > Of course it's a REAL Mustang. | >

| > | but I'm wondering if any of you have any | > | suggestions on things I can do toward engine and/or handling | > | improvements. | >

| > Sub frame connectors & strut tower brace are must haves. | >

| > |Not that either is bad, but they can always be made | > | better right? | > | Thank you all for running a fun and very informative group. I wish I | > | could help out some, | >

| > Oh, you'll learn, then you will pass it on. Ask enough questions and it's | > bound to happen. | >

| >

| > Welcome to the herd Sam. | >

| >

| > Kate | > 98 Cobra Drop Top. | >

| >

| |

Reply to
SVTKate

Me too =D. She's about to put another smile on my face as I go warm her up & romp on it all night LOL...

-Mike

-- A happy kid behind the wheel of a 98 Mustang GT Cold air intake FRPP 3.73 gears Steeda Tri-Ax Shifter Flowmaster 40 Series mufflers (self-installed woohoo) Hi-speed fan switch

255/60R-15 rear tires Subframe connectors Aluminum adjustable clutch quadrant

Reply to
<memset

Sunset Sam opined in news: snipped-for-privacy@storefull-3113.bay.webtv.net:

..

Sounds like me, when i bought my SVO... first really FUN car I'd had since the 57 BelAir!

Good for you, Sam! Watch yer wallet and get that bra off and to a GOOD detailer for advice

Reply to
Backyard Mechanic

Thanx for the good words everyone, and, yes John, they are fun!

Reply to
Sunset Sam

That's true, but I still have a feeling I'll be looking for one with a V8 some day... soon!

Reply to
Sunset Sam

I see you got your brat spanked and behaving now. Good deal!

Reply to
Sunset Sam

I never thought about naming it, errr her, I haven't even named my boat yet! LOL at "Burn the damn bra"! Haven't done that yet either, but I probably will.

I assumed those were just for handling lots of torque, but I see in another thread that they'll improve handling too, so it will be a consideration. Thanx for the tip!

Thank you Kate!

Reply to
Sunset Sam

Reply to
Sunset Sam

I'm hoping I won't need the detailer, but I probably will since it's been on there a long time already. Thanx for the push :-)

Reply to
Sunset Sam

Haven't named the Mustang yet, but the boat is the 'Poco Loco'!

John H

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD, on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it." Rene Descartes

Reply to
JohnH

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