It is the time of year when we all celebrate various holidays that are either American, religious, or ethnic in nature.

One thing they all share is that they give us a focused time to get together with families, relatives, and friends and give thanks for what we have.

Sometimes it has been a tough year, or things have happened to us or our families that make giving thanks seem like a hard thing to do. I know. Yet we still all have so much to be thankful for.

I would like to encourage everyone in that regard, and to also ask all of you to include in your prayers the people around the world and here in the USA that are far less fortunate than we are.

The hungry

The poor

The sick and/or dying

Those without adequate incomes to support their families

The lonely

The forgotten

The list goes on….

HELP others every chance you get. That is the greatest thing we can do with our lives.

I wish a wonderful, happy, and truly thankful Thanksgiving Day to everyone.

May we remember all that we have, give God thanks for it, and share what we have with everyone we come into contact with.

Enjoy this MUSTANG themed edition of the Newsletter!

Thanks to all the contributors once again!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1 Editor’s Introduction

2 Feedback

3 Advertiser’s Promos

4 Picture Caption Contest

5 Cruise Night Information / Thanksgiving Food & Toy Drive Event

6 Guest Writer’s Columns

Tom Sebastian

Joe Gunning

Rich’s Tech Tips

7 My Car Story

My Car Story

8 The Archive

9 Editor’s Closing

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Some of the latest:

Hey – a big thanks to LI Classic Cars dot com for making this a great car season. Your site is a great addition to the hobby and sure contributes a lot!

Freddie

Pete,

I really enjoy the site and the car clubs list. There are more clubs out there that are not listed on your site. How come?

Keep up the good work, this newsletter gets better every month.

Antman101

Still can't see how you can publish this once a month and still do other things! - Like work and raise a family!

Keep up the good work,

Tom

Thanks to everyone for writing in.

Regarding the other car clubs that are not listed…I do not know of all of them, send them our info if you would. (That goes for everybody out there who knows of a car club!) However, most of the clubs I have contacted and some of them for whatever reason have not listed themselves on this site.

It’s a puzzle to me since it is all the more publicity for the club and for their events!

Go figure.

And yes, thank you for noticing….this does take a tremendous amount of time!

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Here are some special deals and offers from some of our advertisers!

We thought it would be a good time to re-acquaint you with what these folks offer when you mention Long Island Classic Cars.com. They have grrreat stuff!!

All of these businesses below advertise on Long Island Classic Cars.com in the underlined section of the website.

These folks have GREAT stuff for CHRISTMAS and HANNUKAH gifts!! – Order now!!

Let’s start with TRANSPORTATION.

When you buy that new car or sell one of yours, Phil at ABRO MOTORSPORTS is offering special rates for those who mention Long Island Classic Cars.com! He has all new equipment, fully enclosed, insured, and door to door service by the owner himself! Call him for a free quote today!

Mike at S&S ULTIMATE AUTO TRANSPORTING has been serving liclassiccars.com readers for several years and he has reported some nice business from you folks. Call him and mention us for a nice rate to go along with his nice service!

Hmmm….maybe you are buying something to add to the fleet!? In that case check the INSURANCE section.

Call VEHICLE APPRAISERS NETWORK. Dave Smith is an accredited appraiser of the International Appraisers Network. What that means is that his services are reliable and accepted by major members of the collector car market. If you need an appraisal of your car, or an experienced and accurate assessment of a specialty or classic vehicle that you are considering purchasing, Dave is the guy you should call upon. Don’t make that purchase without a professional appraisal! Spend a little now to save thousands later!! Tell him he was recommended by liclassiccars.com!!

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If you like dealing with pros, try the DeStefanos at ALLSTATE/HAGGERTY AGENCY. They work in conjunction with one of the world’s finest Specialty insurance companies, but can also provide you with the local touch you need!

Perhaps you need a little monetary help with that new purchase? Go to the FINANCE section and see…..

The largest and most widely known of all Classic Car Finance institutions is J.J. BEST. They have so many years of getting people into cars and have helped thousands! Their experience and rates are top notch! Mention LI Classic Cars.com for some special consideration!

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Also try Jim at CLASSIC CAR FINANCIAL. He can help you if your credit is less than perfect. They finance classic and modern machinery.

How about PARTS for your baby?

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The folks at A&M AUTOMOTIVE HARDWARE have all the auto body supplies, hardware, and specialty tools you could need. They are giving 10% off when you mention Long Island Classic Cars.com. They also carry the Wizard product line.

Call or go to PARTS AUTHORITY. They have everything automotive and locations throughout the area! They are giving 10% off to all who mention Long Island Classic Cars.com. Get your repair, maintenance, and performance parts all in one place! Get some stocking stuffers from their vast inventory!

AUTOMOTIVE UNLIMITED has a huge selection and stock of classic and modern day parts. Give them a call and ask for Eric or Dave. Mention our site for some nice savings!

Is your radiator or cooling system steaming you up? Then Bill Carberry at CLASSIC HEATERS and CAP-A-RADIATOR SHOP is the one man who has what you need! Whether it is parts, service, or a custom build, this guy does it all. Mention liclassiccars.com for a discount that will certainly cool you off!

How about some NOS, reconditioned, or used parts for your Chevrolet vehicle? Don at RESTO TRIM is offering 10% off now through the end of May when you mention Long Island Classic Cars.com. Minimum $100 purchase. He can give you the parts you need, or refurbish yours to showroom new condition!

If you need Mopar parts, HERBEE DODGE is giving 5% off when you mention Long Island Classic Cars.com. Whether you need resto, performance, or daily driver parts, call or visit them. They are a great bunch of guys in the parts department! Ask for Bob or Ronnie.

More GM stuff you say? DAVE’S GM PARTS is also offering 10% off for all who mention Long Island Classic Cars.com. He has three (3) warehouses full of parts!

Traction issues? Slip slidin’ away? BARNWELL HOUSE of TIRES offers a nice 10% discount to folks who mention Long Island Classic Cars.com. They do all kinds of front end, suspension, and mechanical work in a very neat and modern facility. They also can “hook you up” with a new set of stickies for your vehicle at a great price!

Need some RESTORATION or REPAIR?

Any restoration is only as good as the prep work that goes into it. That being the case, here is a company that can start you off in the right direction: AMERICAN DRY STRIPPING will take your car and all your parts down to bare metal so you can restore them better than new! Tell them we sent you for some special considerations!

APPEL AUTO SERVICE is operated by a classic car nut! He is more protective of your cars than you are! Call him to get free quotes on all types of work. Tell him LI Classic Cars.com sent you and he’ll take car of you and your car for sure!

Jan at ELITE COACHWORKS takes tremendous pride in his work. He can make your modern, classic, or anything else look gorgeous! He has good prices, turnaround time, and most important he is a quality guy to deal with! Tell him LI Classic Cars.com sent you and get a discount as well!

Dave (from above) also owns and operates BANNER ROD & CUSTOM. I have seen his work and man his cars are scary fast! He performs surgery on all types of cars, whether you want repairs, fabrications, customizing, restorations, engine or chassis building, paint and body, dyno-tuning, and more!! Again mention Long Island Classic Cars.com for 10% off any work! That can be a monstrous savings for restorations and custom work!

Try AL & SELWYN. Paul is a serious pro at classic car and performance mechanical work. He takes great care with your vehicle and has a true interest in the art. He offers great prices and service to begin with, but mention Long Island Classic Cars.com for a nice discount.

You don’t have to be nuts to be CAMARO CRAZY. But you must be nuts if you don’t visit Anthony and Ken for your Camaro and other muscle car needs! These guys do repairs, restorations, and custom building of all kinds of cars. They are offering 10% off on all labor costs for any kind of work when you mention Long Island Classic Cars.com. Sweet deal!

EAST COAST RESTORATIONS is also owned and operated by Don Ness. He does beautiful work on vehicles. Stock, modified, or custom, he does it all! A nice, clean, and efficient shop is his trademark.

STREETSIDE RESTORATIONS specializes in fabricating, roll cages, and complete restorations! Tell Christian that liclassiccars.com sent you! He will take care of you and your ride.

You saw them mentioned above for your transportation needs, however Mike also owns S&S ULTIMATE AUTOMOTIVE. They specialize in 55-57 Chevys, but also do work on all kinds of specialty vehicles. Tell him we sent you! Mike’s a real nice guy too!

BARNWELL HOUSE of TIRES offers a nice 10% discount to folks who mention Long Island Classic Cars.com. They do all kinds of front end, suspension, and mechanical work in a very neat and modern facility. They also can “hook you up” with a new set of stickies for your vehicle at a great price!

Many of our readers have foreign cars that need love too! Lou Palumbo at GULLWING MOTORS INC. is THE specialist to see for all your repairs on British, Italian, German, and other foreign car makes. They have over 25 years experience! Tell them you saw their ad on liclassiccars.com and they will take care of you and your car with “kid gloves”.

Bill at CLASSIC HEATERS and CAP-A-RADIATOR SHOP does some real special fabrication, repair, and resto of your cars components. He makes things from scratch as well, and does some neat resto work to boot!

Paul Rawden who sells and restores vintage license plates is now also offering a duplication service. If you have one good plate and the other one is damaged or even lost, Paul can duplicate the good one for you so you have a full set again! How about that?!

Warm weather means top down cruising! Just in time, Jim at PHOENIX AUTO INTERIORS is offering 10% off on convertible top repairs and replacements! Just mention Long Island Classic Cars.com and he’ll have your car ready for the road in style!

Another professional upholstery shop is RP INTERIORS. They do many of the custom and classic rides you may have seen at the shows. Tell Rich you saw his ad on liclassiccars.com. They do cars, boats, bikes, even airplanes!

And what’s better than driving with the top down and the radio on?! Nothing if you ask me! The problem is most of us don’t have a good working radio and speakers. Robert at ELLIOT’S CAR RADIO can fix your “box” and speakers and have you driving and singing along with the music. (Hopefully that’s a good thing.) He is offering free shipping on your radio purchases and/or repairs for the month of April. Just make sure you tell him Long Island Classic Cars.com sent you!

While you’re parked or driving, THE REFELECTED IMAGE can ensure that you properly see where you are going and what’s around you! They are offering 10% off on all mirror restoration, customizing, and re-silvering! What that means is simple: if your rear or side view mirrors are cloudy or gray, they can make them brand new again! They also create stock and wild custom etchings and graphics for any kind of ride!

Want some collectible or show stopping AUTOMOBILIA? Check the PARTS-BUSINESS AD section.

Alan at CARZIGNS is offering free shipping on all custom made signs for your pride and joy! These are the highest quality show signs out there and he offers a design service that no one else does! Put your orders in now for CHRISTMAS GIFTS!!

Just make sure to mention LI Classic Cars.com for the free shipping! (By the way, his design service is outstanding! I know, he did a beautiful sign for my ’69 Super Bee that you may have seen at the shows.)

TOYS TOYS TOYS! Who can have enough? Not me! Call DIECAST MUSCLE. They have one of the largest stock of die cast items that includes ultra-rare and limited edition models you can’t find anywhere else. I have many of their items and their service is fantastic! Ask for Mark or Dave. They will give you 10% off all orders regardless of amount, and, free shipping if you spend $100 bucks! Make sure to mention you saw their ad on liclassiccars.com for the discount.

ORDER YOUR CHRISTMAS GIFTS NOW!!!

How about these great deals!! Just don’t wait folks, some of these offers are for a limited time only!

Brought to you by Long Island Classic Cars.com

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Long Island Classic Cars.Com’s

Submit your caption along with your name and e-mail address to: newsletter@liclassiccars.com

This contest is open to everyone! (LI Classic Cars.com paid personnel, regular column writers, and business advertisers are not eligible.)

Winners will be notified by e-mail and/or phone.

Please submit all entries by the 1^st of the next month. (ex: for November’s contest the entries are due by December 1^st)

No substitutions of prizes will be allowed.

In the event of prize choices, winner will be given the opportunity to select the one they want.

All decisions are final and are made by the paid personnel of Long Island Classic Cars.com

A few simple rules:

1) Be funny and creative!

2) Keep it somewhat clean!

Here is last months winning entry from Frank Antoniello

"Just need to weld this hole in the gas tank before the rest leaks out.”

Frank wins a set of three 1/43^rd scale Muscle Cars! Congratulations!

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OK – Here is the picture for our November “Caption Cut-Up Contest”!!

Go to it! Send in your funniest, wittiest comments by 12/1/05 and win the prize!

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“EXTRA EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!!”

Locations in red are finished for the year. (Lightweights!)

2005 Cruise Night location updates:

TUESDAYS: McDonald's. Metropolitan Ave. & 69^th Road, Forest Hills, NY.

Sponsored by East Coast Car Association/Toys For Tots

TUESDAYS: Audrey Ave. Oyster Bay, NY

Sponsored by Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce

TUESDAYS: Bald Hill Cultural Center. North Ocean Ave. Farmingville, NY

Sponsored by the Farmingville Fire Department

TUESDAYS: Old K-Mart Plaza. Hempstead Tpk. Levittown, NY

Public gathering.

WEDNESDAYS: Long John Silver's/A&W. Union Blvd, South of Sunrise Hwy. West Islip, NY.

Public gathering

WEDNESDAYS: KFC. William Floyd Pkwy & Montauk Hwy. Shirley, NY

Sponsored by Bow Tie Boulevard Camaro Club

THURSDAYS: Wendy’s. LIE South Service Rd at Exit 62. Holtsville, NY.

Sponsored by The Fabulous 50’s & 60’s Car Club

THURSDAYS: Wendy’s Shopping Center. Montauk Hwy and Locust Ave, Oakdale, NY

Sponsored by Still Cruisin’ Car Club

FRIDAYS: Huntington Shopping Center. (Toys R Us) Route 110. South of Jericho Tpk. Huntington, NY.

Sponsored by Greater NY Region of the A.A.C.A.

FRIDAYS: Bellmore Train Station. Sunrise Highway. Bellmore, NY

Public Gathering

SATURDAYS: *AM Cruise* Steve’s Collision. 618 North Bicycle Path. Port Jefferson Station, NY.

Sponsored by Steve’s Collision.

SATURDAYS: Sonomax Station. 278 Greenpoint Ave. Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY.

Sponsored by East Coast Car Association/Toys for Tots

SATURDAYS: Kohl’s. Corner Grand Blvd and Commack Rd. Deer Park, NY.

Public gathering.

SATURDAYS: King Kullen Shopping Center. William Floyd Pkwy. North of Montauk Hwy. Shirley, NY.

Sponsored by Bow Tie Boulevard Camaro Club

SUNDAYS: *AM Cruise* Ocean Pkwy, Captree Beach Parking Lot through May, then at OBI.

Public gathering.

HERE IS AN IMPORTANT AND WORTHWHILE EVENT:

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GUEST WRITER(S) COLUMN(S)

Tom Sebastian continues with Part II of his trilogy on his Formula 1 racing experiences. This guy is truly and international James Bond. Hopefully soon he’ll provide some pics of his jet-set ladies!

A new writer who goes by the name of Joe Gunning gives us a history lesson about the Ford Mustang.

Joe is a local boy that has owned several ‘Stangs and does most of the work on the cars himself!

We welcome him and hope you enjoy his article.

“Rich’s Tech Tips” has corralled the problem of rusty (read: Mustang) panel replacements! Yes, I know, I know, Mustangs are very popular cars that have quite a legacy. But they are known as Rustangs for a legitimate reason. No offense.

In this month’s “My Car Story” we have a Mustang twin-bill ! Two stories from an Uncle and Nephew who share their passion for, and interest in, Ford’s ever-popular pony car.

First up is Blake Barton and the tale of his 1986 Mustang. Blake and the lovely Randi were at a recent car show in Bayville showing off this pristine pony!

Right after that we have Blake’s Uncle Bobby Orr (not the hockey player) and his super cool 2004 black Mach 1. Nice is an understatement!

Enjoy…

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Tom Sebastian

Tom goes from this …. to this!

Don’t Try This At Home

“Little men in little cars going very fast around a little track.”

-- The Late Dale Earnhardt commenting on his first F1 race at Monaco

The above illustration represents another of the author’s attempts to master the “F1 Monster”, this time in Southern France. The vehicle is a Cosworth-powered AGS racer. (He still looks scared to me...)

Just quickly: Cosworth. Cosworth Engineering: An amalgam of Mike Costin and Keith Duckworth, premier British (there’s that country again) engine builders whose legendary association with Ford Motors kept that company involved at the highest level of international motor sport throughout the modern era. (Sadly, GM and Chrysler had no such association.)

They could take any V8 engine that Ford produced and turn it into such a fire-breather – 800, 900 horsepower and more – that even the guys who designed the engine back in Dearborn had only a whiff of a clue as to how it was done. Their engines remained in the premier rung of F1 racing for some twenty years. They are still used by two teams today, though they no longer run among the front-runners. Honda, BMW, Renault and a few others want “IT” more -- and are willing to pay the enormous fees in R & D for those precious, front-row starting positions.

AGS: Automobiles Gonfaronaises Sportives. A French team whose owner – a successful wine merchant from the Riviera -- had deep enough pockets, interest, and knowledge of racecar technology to nearly pulled it off. But, alas for the little guy, ‘nearly’ is the operant word here. If you’re not dressed in Ferrari red, McLaren silver or Honda of any color, ‘Y’ain’t gonna’ cut it over there.’ (To paraphrase Vince Lombardy: In the F1 universe, money isn’t everything -- it’s the only thing.)

As for the CHAMP/IRL Car series here in America, well... you do have the international competition but the technological and spending restrictions for that series make it far less interesting than F1 -- if often more competitive: an important factor in those series’ favor.

NASCAR, as competitive as you can get, for too many years wouldn’t let anyone else play in their sandbox. If you didn't sound like Gomer Pyle; didn't hail from within a two hundred mile radius of the Smoky Mountains; didn't have a distant relative thrown in the clinker for hauling hooch during Prohibition; or didn’t think that the 40-year old technology represented by the push-rod engine wasn't the greatest thing since sarsaparilla, ‘Then you was out of it, man’. (As you can tell, you will NOT have to fight with me for a place in line for tickets for the upcoming Staten Island race.) But I’ll give those boys credit where it is due… drafting flat out, that close, takes balls. And, with the entry of Toyota in the series, it just could get more interesting down the road.

Back to F1. The international regulating body for racing, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobiles -- FIA for short -- has been trying forever to regulate the speed of the F1 cars – especially since the death of the ultimate enigma of the sport, Ayrton Senna, in 1994. But the high-tech automotive engineers have as much fun with new FIA regulations as do American tax lawyers with each year's attempt by Congress to plug existing, tax loopholes. Both groups love the challenge to find even bigger loopholes, which, of course, they both do.

As a result, the wealthy here pay less in taxes on April 15 than they ever did, and F1 cars go faster every year. Some examples.

FIA to Teams: “You must cut the engine size from 3.5 to 3 liters.”

Engineers: OK. Fine. Let's develop the most efficient, continuous fuel-injection systems ever devised.

Result: Cars go faster.

FIA to Teams: “No more ground-effects bodywork allowing the cars to hug the track at high speed.”

Engineers: Big deal. Let’s change the fuel chemistry.

Result: Added horsepower. Cars go faster.

FIA to Teams: “We will now narrow the tires and stop using the slick tires so as to slow you down in the corners.”

Engineers: Great. Let's experiment with new rubber compounds.

Result: In a sport whose records are traditionally broken by thousandth of seconds, cars are now going a staggering 4 seconds a lap faster than before.

Etcetera, etcetera...

Titanium, honeycombed carbon fiber and heat-resistant aluminum alloy – NASA territory, right?

Virtual trajectory simulators, heads-up, in-helmet displays, double-carbon brakes good for over 1000 degrees – Jet-fighter terminology, yes?

Telemetry and depleted uranium – all for some future, missile defense system, correct?

Nope. This is the reality of F1 today -- and the reasons for the staggering costs.

…..

When Al Unser went on TV some years back to speak of the technology of Indy cars being “second to none”, I wasn't the only one snickering. Bernie Ecclestone, the one-time mechanic and motorcycle dealer who is now -- financially speaking -- the ‘Sam Walton’ of Europe and the Czar of F1 said, cuttingly, that there was a time when only one year separated the best of European and American race technology, but that now it was more like 5 years -- and the gap is getting bigger. He then went on to say that this fact plus the difference in training (seriousness) of European vs. American racers meant, essentially, that the very best of what America had "couldn't even qualify in Formula One."

Embarrassing. But he was proven right.

Michael Andretti won the Indy Car Series Championship in 1992. In a variation on his father’s career (Mario was World Champion in F1 before coming into Indy racing), he thought he’d advance his career by ‘going the other way’ for 1993.

It took Michael a long time to get the differences, because for too many races into that 1993 season, he wasn’t able to complete even one lap. By comparison, Nigel Mansel, the reigning F1 Champion was, simultaneously, trying his luck in Indy car racing. But he won the whole thing handily his first year out.

Michael finally did reached the podium towards the end of the season but, by that time, the damage was done to all Indy hopefuls. Excepting the talented Canadian, Monsieur Villeneuve, and the Columbian, Juan Pablo Montoya, the rest of them -- Mad Max Papis, Paul Tracy, Baby Al et. al. -- finally came to believe that F1 was, indeed, as Mr. Ecclestone had indicated, a different animal. As if to underline the point, Alex Zanardi went to play with ‘the big boys’ several F1 seasons after Andretti tried it. Having won the Indycar championship twice in a row, he was similarly annihilated by the competition in F1. (Sadly, on his return to Indy racing, he was nearly killed in testing. He lost two limbs but, courageously, not his will to compete.)

Could it be that American racing is only the place where elephants -- washed up F1 Drivers -- go to die? Why should this be?

…..

Racers start out early in Europe – very early: 8 years old and younger. With plenty of sponsorship money available, the focus on racing over there has to be seen to be believed. It has been said that the smell of fuel to a European is like l’eau de vie – a very good brandy. Take in a professional car race on your next European vacation. A virtual nut house! (1)

But this is a huge problem for Mr. Ecclestone and the sport in general that they cannot find an American good enough to entice more American interest in the sport. Because then, Bernie could be ever so much richer…

…..

Now, as I hinted in the last article, cars that used to blow my sox off have, unfortunately, become a bore in some ways. You simply cannot replicate the experience of an F1 car with anything else on wheels. So, since then, I’ve had to dig deeper into the world of sports cars to render a more positive meaning to that experience.

On the up side, sports cars are definitely cheaper (14 million for the entry-level F1 car vs. say, a mere $7500 for a nice, entry-level, classic sportster.) And, since F1 cars are purpose-built racers developed from wind-tunnel research and exotic algorithms, the sports car, for most of us, would most likely take the trophy in any beauty contest. (Some SAE/engineering types may take exception to this. There really is a cold, functional beauty to an F1 racer, a purpose-built piece of mechanical wizardry dedicated solely to performance. Anyway, both types of transport are represented at the Museum of Modern Art, a Ferrari F1 car, and a gorgeous, Cisitalia sports coupe.)

But I will say this: because the technology of F1 cars is so advanced that they can, in some ways, be easier to handle than sports cars – or, at least, require entirely different skills. Hans Stuck, Sterling Moss, Emmanuel Collard (who blew me off the track in Formula Renault) and Tom Christensen were/are eminently better at Le Mans-style racing than was/is Michael Schumacher. But this group’s F1 record is, similarly, less than stellar. And rally racing is something else entirely. But this only makes sense. As with all modern endeavors, specialization has become the key in racing as well. (Only Papa Andretti seemed at home anywhere.)

Oh, yes… Almost forgot… the ‘sex’ issue. Let’s revisit that one again…

While the bedroom romp can last as long as you have time for it, the essential ‘kick’ lasts, approximately, 3.1 seconds. An F1 saunter, by contrast, lasts as long as your foot doesn’t lose its nerve and stays planted -- where it really doesn’t want to be. (The foot, as the saying goes, wants to live.) So, score one – length of experience -- for F1.

They both rely on rather expensive ‘fossil’ fuels: Viagra vs. 100+ octane. So, a tie there…

One is really cheap and accessible (well… there are flowers and all that… a diamond or two, dinners… Ok: scratch ‘cheap’) while the other… OK, let’s see… There are fewer licensed F1 drivers since licensing began than just the entire, current crop of F-16 fighter pilots. So, F1 is a fairly exclusive club.

OK. So sex takes the ‘User Friendly’ category.

So where are we… Total score: 1-1-1. A win, a tie, and a loss.

Tell you what… Give me another couple of months to ponder the question.

Tune in next time as the author attempts to answer modern life’s most baffling mystery: “F1 or Sex!?”

In the meantime… those of you without a classic car in the garage right this moment… Admit it! Something is missing from your life! Don’t let the view of a freshly mowed lawn -- or worse, a Hyundai -- be the last thing you carry into your dreams! Get help pronto! Contact: Tmoore3us@yahoo.com

(1) I will try and provide some of the wilder, European racing venues in the coming issues. As someone who took my advice exclaimed, ‘That event was the most fun you can have with your clothes on!

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The History of the Ford Mustang

40 Years of a Wild Ride!!!

By Joe Gunning

The early 1960’s revealed that the post war population boom would account for 40-50% of new car sales in the next 10 years. In 1961 Lee Iacocca was quoted as saying "a market in search of a car." Dan Frey came up with a plan for an affordable, fun, sports car that would appeal to the young buyer. The prototype - the Mustang 1 T5 was introduced at Watkins Glen in October 1962 at the U.S. Grand Prix. This car was designed to compete with European sport cars. It was an aluminum body with a steel tube frame, two seats, V4 engine, twin Weber carburetors, rack-and-pinion steering, and a pony on the front hood.

On April 17, 1964 the Mustang was released to the public. It was introduced as a 1965 model, it came in 2 versions; a four-seat hardtop and a convertible. The original base price was $2368 with the standard six-cylinder engine. This was under the target of $2500 that Lee Iacocca wanted. You could get a V-8 for $98 to $350 more. In 1965 the 2+2 fastback was released. The car out sold any car. There were over 22,000 orders place on its 1^st sales date! In its first year over 400,000 Mustangs were sold! By the second year over one million were sold!! The Mustang was also the 1964 Indy Pace Car.

Carol Shelby took this car to the SCCA and created a factory racecar. This was the GT 350 for about $4,500 and there was a full race version for $6,000. Hertz went ahead and ordered 1,000 of them to rent. The car in stayed almost the same configuration for the 1966 model year with just some cosmetic changes.

In 1967-1968 the Mustang went through its first change and became more aggressive in its looks. The car was a little wider, little higher, and a lot faster! The GT 500 took over the racetrack. The ‘Stang was still out selling all its competition. Chrysler and GM both were in this car market (The Pony Car Market) and combined could not out sell the Mustang.

In 1969 Mustang went bigger and faster again with the new Boss 302, Boss 351, The Cobra Jet, Mach 1, and a Shaker Hood Scoop. This car was the most outrageous Mustang yet!!! With its long front hood, blacked out hood, rear louvers, and front spoiler; this was a true factory racecar. The 1971 to 1973 Mustang had a lot more options and was much more luxurious than any previous Mustang. Unfortunately, the horsepower started to decrease and the government regulations were tightening up on the wild pony.

In 1974 with the government regulations and fuel supply crisis, Ford went back to a smaller, more compact Mustang that was based on the Pinto platform. This was not the first time that this happened to the Mustang - the original was based on the Falcon platform. The 1974 Mustang was now available with a 4-cylinder engine for the 1^st time, or V-six, but no V-8! There was a version of the Mustang called the MPV, which got 34 MPG on the highway. There was no convertible offered. The next couple of years the Mustang II was slowly improving, adding in 1975 the 302 V-8. In 1978 they tried the King Cobra with a V-8, a 4 speed manual transmission, and graphics. This fell short of sales goals with just over 500 built.

In 1979 Ford came out with a new platform - a little longer with more cabin space. It was available in a notchback and hatchback. There was some excitement back in the stable! In 1979 the Mustang was honored with being named the Indy 500 Pace car, there were 11,000 of these Mustangs produced with an unmistakable graphics. In 1981 sales of the pony car were only 180,000. In 1982 the 302 HO was introduced as the new Mustang GT. In 1983 the convertible was back. But Mustang sales still were still pretty flat. The sales finally went over 200,000 units in 1988 and 1989. In 1992 only 80,000 Mustangs were sold. This generation of Stang’s:1979 to 1993 was the longest production run of the same body style in the Mustang’s storied history.

1994 the Mustang was redesigned and had some classic old styling and hot good looks put back into the pony!

With the side air scoops and the running pony proudly displayed back in the front grill, this new stallion was getting a lot of attention. It was for the third time the Indianapolis 500 Pace car. 1,000 of these Indy Mustangs were produced. The ’94 was roomier, longer, and with a wider wheel base it was a great riding machine. This ’94 version will see many radical changes and improvements over the next 10 years. We will see these cars modified and getting back to the roots of that first pony car!

What came to pass was the return of the Boss Mustang and the shaker hood with this generation. This car put the fun back into the Mustang!

WOW 2005 Mustang!!! What can I say - Wow!!!!!! The Mustang is back! The car has gone full circle. The ‘Stang with its retro styling and swooping lines brings all the excitement back to the Mustang. If you want to get one of these cars you need to get on the waiting list. This shows that there is big time interest in this American Icon. The car has gotten the attention of the automotive world! It is an affordable sports car that turns heads. This is the way it must have been back in 1964 when someone saw their first Mustang! I remember my Uncle’s ‘66 hardtop and my friend’s dad’s 65 fastback when I was six.

This started my passion for this wild horse. From my first 1965 Mustang to the 1973 convertible bucket of rust that I just picked up, still shows I love the old Mustangs. But this new one has gotten my attention! Looks like I’m not the only one!!! We have Carol Shelby making a Cobra version of this car. We have today’s Hot Rod designer Chip Foose making his version of the Mustang. This car can be ordered from Ford Performance Parts as a race car. And there are many more options yet to come! Ford brought the Mustang back to its roots. Who could forget this scene from the Super Bowl ad?

Can I say it again? WOW!!! This Mustang is on my Christmas list if my wife decides to tell Santa. A GT Convertible in Blue. Well, my passion will live on at least for the next 5 years.

(Thanks Joe for a great contribution! The Mustang lives on!)