Personalizing my '06 Mustang.

The spoiler is on it's way, and should look something like this.

My Mustang had a few minor mods done to it before I bought it.

They were mechanical changes like the open air intake and the Magna Flow mufflers.

The original radio was swapped out for a Kenwood in dash cd/ bluetooth/ Garmin Navigation combo unit with a back up camera. The door cards got a black accent panels added. 

So far all I've added was the intake plenum cover, which was a gift from my Wife for Father's Day. I also added a set of black floor mats to protect the factory tan units.

Yeah, I like that look!

Last night I ordered a front spoiler lip from American Muscle. It's been out of stock for several months. Now it was discounted 15 bucks and has free shipping. I decided to jump on it while it's still available.

While I do love this model, I really don't want to own
 an actual example.

My goal is to add a little bit of '69-'70 Mach One flavor and styling. The '69-'70 model fastback is my favorite. 

Of course, Mach Ones have always been fast backs. My car is a convertible, so I'm not trying to make an actual replica. 

Note the black tail light panel.

The rear end is a bit thicker looking than the early model

The honeycomb pattern matches the grille.

In the back, I plan to add the black honeycomb deck lid panel, as well as the black tail light trim that makes the tail lamps look like three lenses. 

The stock pedestal rear wing looks good to me, and references the vintage unit. 

I don't plan on changing the wheels. These are the original, standard 17 inchers, and I prefer an unchromed alloy wheel. Though maybe I'll re-polish them.

I'm glad that my car didn't come with the usual "Bullitt" style wheels. They look nice, but are a bit too common, though they came on my '07 coupe.

One interior addition will be a satin chrome trim around the cup holders. I never liked that plain open hole in the plastic console. I'm going to stop with that addition, even though there are all kinds of "billet" items I could add throughout the interior. 

All of these additions are available through American Muscle. They aren't a sponsor but I've been pretty satisfied with their products and service. 

                                           --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Update: I just finished installing the front spoiler. It was easy to position and attach, since it has four screw attachment points. It's well designed. The weight of the unit is supported by the bottom lip of the lower grille opening, so the weight is never supported just by the 3M tape. It doesn't hang down too far, I've found that it easily clears most parking spot bumpers. The finish is attractive, and I see no need to paint it, since it fits the vibe of the car perfectly.

It's nice to have a car that is so well supported by the aftermarket, it makes me want to pry open the wallet and spend some more money!

 Every month I'll take a trip to the Barnes and Noble book store in West San Jose.

They have been cutting down on the number of their locations.

Like the defunct Fry's Electronics stores, they have a large wall of periodicals, which feature quite a few automotive titles. 

There are all the major American titles, along with European based magazines. There are the enthusiast mags for the prestige makes; Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin, Jaguar, and Mercedes.  

Muscle Cars still retain their popularity, so there are still several titles like Hemmings still on the shelf. There are still some rod/custom and lifestyle mags around.

I have subscribed to automotive magazines for over fifty years. A couple of years back I finished my multi year run with Jaguar World and Octane. 

Now my only subscription is to Hot Rod magazine. I'm on a kind of on an auto renewal program. I was going to cancel my subscription, but it has become very cheap. It's the only commercial magazine that I  read. However, I do still receive the in house magazines from The AACA and the Riviera Owners Association.

I will peruse the selection, carefully looking through the issues, I hate the careless guys that dog ear a brand new mag, that's why if I do decide to buy one, I always get it from the back of the stack! 

I can't say that I buy one very often. The last one that I bought was a Motor Trend that featured the new Ford electric Lightning P/U. As well as a comparison of the Mustang Eco Boost four and the new Nissan 370Z.

I occasionally like to read about some of the newer models on the market. 

Generally though, I don't buy anything. 

After fifty years of messing with cars and reading enthusiast rags, there isn't much that I haven't read already. I mean, I lived through the original muscle car era. I was barely old enough to drive, and couldn't buy a new car, but I read everything that I could. I was already subscribing to Hot Rod magazine as well as Motor Trend. 

As the 70's progressed, I added custom car mags like Rod and Custom, Street Rodder, Rod Action, and the original Low Rider magazine. I also bought many of the Petersen Publishing specials and Hot Rod Yearbooks. 

Well into the '80's and '90's I subbed to Classic Truck, Custom Rodder, and one of my all time favorites, Car Craft under editor David Frieburger. I think that this era of Car Craft, under his leadership, was the most connected to the needs and desires of the actual "hands on" gear head. It really was a golden era for CC.

Of course I also subscribed to motorcycle magazines. I started with the legitimate titles like Cycle World, Cycle, The Motorcyclist, and touring oriented mags like Road Rider and Rider.

As I developed an interest in modified bikes, I started out with Choppers magazine and Big Bike, as well as  the milder Street Chopper. Then I took a walk on the wild side with a long term subscription to Easyriders. 

That's a lot of reading material over the years. 

So, unless I'm checking out a new mag that is testing a current model, I could say that I've pretty much seen it all. Already. 

Been there, read that.

It's especially funny to look through the muscle car magazines, I read road tests of these cars when they were new! It's the same thing with traditional hot rods. How many ways can you build a '32 or chop a Merc?

I wrote once that automotive magazines were a way to keep a car guy's level of enthusiasm  up. They fed into his desires and his dreams. They helped supply the motivation and provided the gumption, they also made him feel connected to a community of car builders. Sometimes the car hobby can feel kind of lonely.

I suppose that is still true. When I became interested in Rivieras I found the ROA and their club magazine helped to build and sustain that interest. 

The intensity of my personal desires and dreams has cooled off quite a bit over the years, but I'll keep checking out the magazines at Barnes and Nobles every month. Just in case.

Maybe they'll find a new way to tell the same old story. 

 Do I still think that old cars are Cool?

That's a rare '53 Buick Skylark.

Maybe.

At least I did for a very long time.

And now, if I don't, this is probably something that I should never admit out loud!

First I'll define the qualities that determine something as being cool in my eyes. It has to be; authentic, esoteric, self assured, confident, unusual, idiosyncratic, and uncommon. Different cars will display different combinations of these qualities, which accounts for their desirability. 

For a long time, old cars were not appreciated by the general public, they just didn't get it. They didn't want to get it. In fact, most regular folks thought that owning and driving an old car was just embarrassing. For the non enthusiast, cars were just things that were to be used and then discarded. Even if they didn't consider them a status symbol, they were like clothing, get some wear out of them and move on to next year's fashions. It was a poor reflection on a person's image to hold onto old things, it sent out the wrong kind of social message. 

Old cars were driven by various subcultures, primarily the poor, who couldn't afford anything newer or better. They would own a constant stream of jalopies, one worn out old car that was fixed up as best as possible, until another beater took its place.  A lot of "Depression Era Baby" senior citizens believed in buying a new car and then holding onto it forever.  When they were growing up, money was tight, and easy credit was non existent, and the use of any credit was scorned. The point was to be frugal and careful with your money, once you bought a car, that was good enough. If your financial fortunes improved substantially, there was no need to replace it, just keep it properly maintained and repaired. The young are usually part of the poor, at least temporarily.  Some enthusiasts chose certain models to be the icons of their generation, whether it be by performance, or customized appearance. Over the years these camps diverged. This was further refined by specific ethnic identification that became equated with certain types and configurations of vehicles.

As those youngsters matured and became more financially capable, what was once something that was done as a cheaper alternative to a new car, became a part of their personal identity, and a means of expression. Ultimately an end unto itself. 

Consider hot rods, which were once crudely built from cast off old Fords. Rebuilt on the cheap for transportation and well as improved performance. As the '50's arrived many of these builders started to build more refined and crafted cars. Many examples were completely trimmed, painted, and chromed. 

Custom cars followed the same path, as these builders applied their improving finances and increased skills to craft modified vehicles that set the styling direction that Detroit later followed. 

As the mid '60's arrived, Detroit delivered the Muscle car. Initially built to capture the dollars of the Youth Market, they were mass produced and marketed. An entire generation grew up owning, or lusting to own, these factory hot rods. The Baby Boomer generation really embraced the Muscle Car, and we haven't let go yet! 

As time passed these types of cars retained their value to their aging fan base, and this attraction has been passed on to the following generations.

Over time these cars became cultural icons that were embraced by celebrities, film and music stars, and the financial elite. As a result of this, they became recognized as something valuable, and also became attractive to the general public. 

This increased desirability has resulted in even the most common and unremarkable models now being sought after. 

In my case, old cars were a way to own the type of car that I wanted, but could not afford when new. Depreciation was my friend. I also had an honest appreciation for older models, that I felt exemplified the qualities of the marque. In my case it was Cadillac. As a fan, I found many of the older models to still be desirable.

And they were much cheaper!

It was a way for me to have something distinctive and somewhat unique, or at least unusual. I have owned many 50's and '60's and '70's cars. At the time they were plentiful and cheap. Especially old luxury cars like Cadillacs, Lincolns, and Rivieras. 

Those same old cars, now any old car it seems, is now selling for a lot more money. While I once bought good running examples for several hundred dollars, I've watched as the prices have steadily climbed. Through the 15 hundred -2,000 dollar range,to the 3,500 to 5,000 range. Even prices like this seems like the Good Old Days!

Now it seems that anyone selling a vintage car thinks that they are made of gold. Even the dullest, plainest,  low level, four door sedan models. Once it was only the convertibles and two door hardtops that commanded a high price. A six cylinder "64 Chevy Biscayne sedan offered for 20,000.00? Be real!

While the seller is free to ask whatever price they want, I don't know that they will be able to actually sell it at that price.

To be realistic, inflation has taken a toll. When I first started driving, gas was only 30 cents a gallon! Reference the news story of the Old Man yelling at a cloud!

image source: the Simpsons

Another factor was attrition, the passage of the years has resulted in a lot of old cars being wrecked or scrapped, and removed from the environment. And the market. So some of the price increase is justified. 

To be realistic, I know that I'll have to pay at least 5,000 to 25,000 dollars for a decent old car.

What would I even do with this old car?

Would I want it as a long range project? The answer is a resounding "No!" I've never been a guy that loves to talk about a car they have in the garage that they are "fixing up".

Would I use it as a daily driver? That's what I did in the past. Of course I bought them expecting to use them as transportation. While I'm not a closet Prius fan, most of the old cars I like get pretty poor mileage. I can't see myself driving a ten mile per gallon car very much.

Would I take it to cruise ins, or car shows? I've been to a few cruise ins, as well as cars and coffee events, and honestly I don't find them all that interesting.

Would I want to park it in my driveway? Another elephant in the driveway? Well I don't really want to park some nasty looking old car in the drive. It's not the age, or styling, it's about the condition.

Would it fit in my garage? I would prefer to hide my nasty looking car in the garage, just as I like keeping my nice old cars safely in the garage?  I used to keep my '71 Riviera and later my '56 Cadillac in the garage, but it was inconvenient. 

I suppose that there are really only two questions? The first is, "Do I still think that old cars are cool."

The answer is simple, and still, "yes. "

The second is, "Do I still actually want to own one?"

The answer is also simple, "maybe."

My attitude might be a bit like the famous W.C.Fields quote about women;

I suppose that the value for the dollar is the main question. I'm pretty much past the stage where I want, or need, (or could, even!) appear to be "cool." 

I could use those same funds to buy something that is almost new, that I want just about as much. Maybe that was always the situation. When I was buying cars for twenty five hundred bucks, there were newer cars that might have cost two to three times as much, but that didn't matter, because I didn't have two to three times as much! 

Now I have a bit more money to play with, and I've even considered financing a car that I like. While I don't see that happening very soon, it definitely remains a possibility.

After the bumper re paint, taking care of this and that, between supply chain issues and the rainy weather! I have been working on this post for over a month, Please forgive me if it's a bit disjointed.

You can see how the edge of the license plate mount is cracked. Obviously this picture was taken before the bumper was repainted.

There was this white ring on the underside of the bumper apron. At first I thought that it was residual glue that had held something in that spot. Then I thought that it might have been a glued patch when something punched a hole in that spot. Feeling behind it, the plastic seemed to be intact. I tried to scrape it off, but it looked more like this was a burned spot. I decided that the safest route was just to paint over it with some flat black paint. 

Really, who's going to be looking down here?

It's pretty far down and not too easy to see unless you're crouching down in front of the car. The black paint hid it well.

The license plate mount had been held on with nuts and bolts, which wasn't as convenient to remove. I decided to attach it with riv nuts. These are threaded insets that are attached like pop rivets. Later I considered just using plastic push on pins, sometimes referred to as Christmas trees. These are used to hold on door panels and interior trim, as well as some trim. I had just bought a big assortment at Harbor Freight. Honestly, This would probably have worked out just as well, as there were three mounting points. The front mount on my truck is a plastic backing plate that just snaps into a slot in the metal bumper. 

It's a lot like using a pop rivet

First I drilled the existing holes to the appropriate size.

The threaded inserts are visible on the new bolts.

I didn't take a picture of when I actually installed the inserts, but it's just like installing a pop rivet. After it was attached, I added a simple chrome license frame to add a bit of bling to the front end.

This is the black edging that will replace the chrome type.

I think that it looks more subtle.

I usually add door edge guards to prevent chipping the paint on the door edge as well as protecting the car I'm parking next to. Initially, I bought and applied some chrome edging, but thought that it stood out too much. I decided to replace it with black edging instead. I will probably add some protective strips to the top of the door cladding, this is where other car doors strike my vehicle.  

While I was at it, I gave a little love to the Flex.

Rub a dub dub, it was wash day for my fleet. For at least two of my vessels. 

I had moved my Mustangs out of the garage into the driveway so that I could clean the garage and put away the Christmas decorations. That meant that the Flex and Navigator had to be parked at the curb. The truck was parked out on the side street. 

The biggest issue with parking my cars at the curb is that there are two enormous trees in the green strip. Large trees mean that a lot of birds spend time in the branches. Lots of birds means lots of bird poop. 

The Navigator escaped the worst. The Flex was hit many times and it had dried into quite the mess. 

I noticed that there was a somewhat hazy appearance to some areas of the left side. I know that the seller had taken the car in for a Blue Coral treatment, and that it hadn't been polished or waxed before this. After wiping it down with the waterless wash, the surface looked kind of hazy. I tried some Meguiar's cleaner wax on the area and it cleared off the haze and the original paint turned nice and glossy. I will eventually polish and wax the entire car. After cleaning the windows and detailing the wheels it was looking good. That was on Saturday, unfortunately it rained hard on my trip the next day to Sonoma County! 

As I said the poor Flex got nailed by the birds. I used the left over wash water and worked on each "spot" individually. I soaked them and let them set, coming around to each spot several times. Some washed off completely, some started to dissolve, and some were quite stubborn. I didn't have a problem with taking the Flex to the local brushless car wash that I use. I tip the operator conspicuously and they put a lot of extra effort into spraying off the spots before it goes through the machine. After I returned home I found that while some spots remained they were quite soft. Using a suitable implement I sprayed the area with water less wash and carefully scraped off what had survived the wash.  Then I cleaned the Flex overall again. 

The Flex is a very good looking car, it is my newest and lowest mileage vehicle, and it is one that I'm still making payments on! It behooves me to take care of it. I knew that I was taking the Nav on this trip, so I decided that I would cover the Flex while it sat idle. I bought the cover last year, but had only tried the fit once. It's not easy putting the cover on a big boxy vehicle. My highest priority is to protect the paint from bird attacks that can damage the paint. 

I have been driving the Nav a lot since I bought it, which means that my other cars just sit. It's not that I don't like the Flex, it's just that the Nav was bought as a hobby car for emotional reasons, and let's face it, it's a Lincoln! It's just at a higher level, even though the Flex is 12 years newer. I will start using the car cover on the Nav and start putting the other cars back in the rotation.

Those darned tape pin stripes! I have to be careful with them. I suppose that it wasn't the best idea to have them applied just as the monsoon season started. probably best to add them in the Spring when they can bake in the sun to cure the adhesive. 

I plan to add some tape striping to my '06 Mustang, and I'll compare the results to the 200.00 dollar job I paid for. I found an unopened package of striping tape that I'd bought years ago in a box in the garage. If that doesn't work out, I've seen some striping tape at the auto parts store for 7.00! Quite a difference!

The red touch up paint showed up a few weeks after the narrow black protective side molding arrived. I had to wait for the weather to clear up to apply the touch up paint.  

After the touch up the chips are not so noticeable.

I had to wait a few days for the paint to dry, and then a few days for some good weather to attach the black moldings. I found that the molding is pretty narrow, kind of like a fettuccine noodle. It doesn't stay as straight as I would like. There is room enough to accommodate a 5/8 wide strip, so I may replace these later. I probably should have come up with some kind of guide or jig, but it will do for now. 

The black moldings blend in pretty well.

Looks okay, for now. Let's not make the perfect
the enemy of the good enough.

The tape pinstripes have proven quite troublesome. After the initial application, it took several trips back to the body shop before they fixed it to my satisfaction.

The paint shop has finally replaced the defective section of pinstripe tape on the Navigator. That took three visits, I think that they should have done it the first time. On the third visit they just added some new tape on top of the existing tape! When I saw THAT, I told the guy, "That's never going to hold, why not just replace this section?" So they finally did. I waited three days before trying to wash the car, I wanted to give the adhesive plenty of time to cure. I decided to wash it carefully, wetting it below the belt line by hand, avoiding the striping. I also washed the rest of the car, very carefully.  It came out pretty good.

I decided to take matters into my own hands and put some clear paint over the tape edges, hopefully this will seal them and prevent their lifting. 

This is from the same company that is sending me the touch up paint.

You can't even see the clear paint.

Hopefully this problem is taken care of.

I have polished the headlamps a couple of times, with good results. This episode has finally come to an end, and this post is as good as it's going to get!

On, now the pinstripe ends are starting to lift at the door edges! I like the look but these don't seem to be worth the trouble. I'll put clear paint on those edges. I put some at the back end of the stripe already. What a waste of money!