To start it off, me and the family fly from San Diego to Michigan for a "last visit" to my wife's grandfather. He had parkinsons and has been bed ridden for the last couple of months.. Well we introduced out kids to him on friday and he passed away Monday morning around 3am.

The other sad part was that as soon as I pulled up I noticed the front end of a red 69 sticking out from behind an old truck in the back corner of their lot.. Turned out to be a Convertible in pretty sad condition.Been sitting for the better part of10 years, they said that the grandpaw drove it up and parked it right there and hadnt touched it since. It had a 302, power brakes, manual steering, and lots of rust. It was pretty much sitting with the frame rails in the dirt and the top was pretty torn up. Little trees growing out of the seats too.. All I could get was a phone picture..
The Car was whole though.. Im hoping they keep it so I can at least get some of the trim and headlight buckets, and the side view mirriors.

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The grille ornament is in the wrong spot.. but the trim does all look pretty nice. Looks like it's even got the original hub caps. If you can, and the family doesn't mind try and salvage all the trim and pieces you can. Originals in good condition are hard to come by (I need a front bumper that isn't scratched myself).

 

It drives me nuts.. They have at least8 other cars just sitting around their 4 acre yard plus 4 boats. Its damn near a salvage yard. The mustang was sitting next to a 76 F?? with a 351w and there was an unrecognized ford motor sitting on its side in the garage. I think it was another 302. Carb and all.. I was just sad looking out the window at that 69 just sinking into the ground.

 

Get it out! Its family for goodness sake!

 

It is family. I think you should get it to restore it.

 

^yea really, get it outa there.

 

Only problem is Im in san Diego and they are in michigan.. long way to haul something. but in 2 years when I get out of the navy we may move closer and I WILL put that thing on a flatbed and get it home if its still there.

 

Id build and pait it all myself..

 

Please don't just part it out. I feel badly already that another '69 might lose it's life. Under that torn roof and misplaced grill ornament is a soul. A Mustang that still has spirit. Come back and restore it. It will come back to life faster than you think.

Think about it.

CP

 

Oh,, Im not thinking really about parting it.. I would like to roll it into the barn at their house and build a rotisery for it. Strip and blast it and then learn to weld.. I allways wanted to put some fastback quarters on a convertible.. I will be thinking about this car forever.. I'll give it a few weeks or a month or two and offer to buy it or ask to have it.. I think that if I tell them that I would restore it to its former beauty they would let me just to see it stay in the family and get put back together.. I would make it a tribute to Grandpaw.