At 16 I wanted a sporty convertible (my dad wanted me to get a big 4 door) and bought a '68 Mustang off a used car lot. Went back to get the car a few days later and the guy didn't have the key to unlock it, once in, it wouldn't start, after it started the engine was blowing blue smoke like a tire factory. I got my money back and a few days later found a '67 Firebird convertible that is now my parts car. That was 1978 and thank God or might be a Ford man today! The car had a lot of rust and in 1980 I found a parts car in Colorado that I BUMPER TOWED home to north central Ohio. I had started working in a body shop and dismantled the car to use as parts. It was such a mess (except for solid sheet metal - by 1980 standards) when I bought it that little did I know that it was a factory 400/4spd convertible with power windows, AM/FM, fold down seat, hood tach (missing), mirror group, remote mirror, courtesy lights (including ash tray), tilt column and wood sport wheel. Lucky for me, everything was there but the engine and drivetrain were not original. It was also one of the first 100 V8 cars off the assembly line! A few years later I got serious about college and the car sat in various storage places until 2003 when I was forced to move it. In the process of moving it, I offered both cars and the RA pans, Ralley guages and other parts I had collected for $3000. He needed to think about it and that was just long enough for me to change my mind and resume my restoration. Now my Colorado parts car is being restored and my first car is the parts car. I should be about 95% done by late summer.
