So, I haven’t talked about it to much but I have lost a bunch of weight recently and in doing so have found I am starting to be able to fit in cars I just couldn’t in the past. I posted a while back that while on an errand in a local automat had taken a chance and discovered I actually fit in a new Mustang now. Having determined that I couldn’t help but go over to the Chevy dealer and try on a Camaro which I fit in as well. So with Trucky Verde down after murdering her transmission on my trip down to Grand National Roadster Show. I needed a rental and when the rental guy offered me a mustang I jumped at the chance. When the coupes were all gone and he offered me a convertible I was like “fuck yeah! Even better”. Then he had to go and break my heard its a Turbo Four…
Damnit.
I am pretty open car guy wise. I like American, European and Asian manufactured rides. I love cars in general from mini trucks to Dekotora I want to see it all. That said I am not a man without bias and one thing I have no interest in is a non V8 Mustang or Camaro. Some things just shouldn’t be and in my option that one of them. Or so I thought…
While I do and have owned Fords never anything newer than 1966. So climbing into the Mustang it took me a while to figure stuff out. For instance I never did figure out how to make the heat work very well. Or how to get the top vents to join in on the fun. In my defense its very possible that they were broken. I also was mystified as to why Ford decided to put the steering wheel feel adjustment on a massive toggle switch below the climate controls? They put so much else in the menus. Accessed via what I at least felt was way to God damned many steering wheel buttons. Once I was in and got things situated though I found it quite nice. Snug but nice. After lighting the candle and figuring my way out of the rental labyrinth I was genuinely shocked by how well the little Turbo 4 got me on the freeway. I remembered reading some articles about how the Turbo 4 could put out some serious power with a little help from the Ford Performance Parts catalogue. I was so happily surprised I had to look it up 310 HP and 340 ft pounds of torque. Not bad, not bad at all. When I picked up the Mustang it had been over cast and drizzly but it was almost as if the car gods had seen me getting a convertible and pulled a few strings on my behalf. The sun came out and the top went down.
Man I completely forgot how great it feels to put the top down on a convertible. And once the top was down I knew what must be done. Well first stop was The Petersen as I wasn’t able to do that earlier due to Trucky Verdes Transmission failure. So I headed out. Top down painted alloys spinnin. I had my phone connected to the stereo and apple car play had my tunes jumping in no time. I wouldn’t say the stereo was great but this was a base model after all and I am sure the higher level Mustangs get significantly better. Or, well, at least I sure hope they do. After my time at The Petersen I decided to drive by West Side Collector Car storage. They were closed so I dint get the chance to try and finagle a tour but it was cool to see the building. Building something like that for my own has long been a dream of mine. Maybe someday I'll make it down there in time to check it out. After leaving the house that Matt Farrah built, I headed for the beach. It was pretty windy but with the heat on my feets and the sun on my back I didn’t care. I made it out to Venice beach, at one point I was driving down a narrow street toward the beach when out of an alley came a black Fox Body convertible. Top down deeply tinted windows and at least 17 inch spokes and low pros. it looked to be in beautifully maintained shape and had that Flowmaster rumble I so wished my little white rental had. After hitting Venice I headed south. The whole way was on public surface or highways so I didn’t get a chance to really put the spurs to her. I did some spirited freeway entrances though and found the Turbo four to be very livable. After getting turned around and accidentally finding the land mark Randys Doughnuts I had to stop in. Standing there in line, I happened to catch two impalas cruising by one hopping as it passed, I even caught them video. Man I love So Cal! After they'd passed I found myself still standing in line and truly admiring the Mustang. I couldn't get over how happy I was driving it. While I found the Turbo 4 to be a bit better than adequate. As decent as it was, I had to be honest the 4 cylinder exhaust note and a heaping helping of my own bias it wasn't going to let me like it enough to make one my very own. I need that V8 under the hood.
Even though I was extremely limited in my ability to really push the little mustang. I did have an experience were the Mustangs hind quarters stepped out on me while making a long sweeping left hander. The back end suddenly whipped out and thankfully I had enough room to reel it back in. I am not sure what caused it but I had flashbacks to the many Mustang eats crowd videos I have seen and wondered if I’d be the star of the next one. Other than my not being used to or understanding Fords HVAC and other controls. Oh, and that one instance of the car not acting predictably through a corner. I gotta say, I thoroughly enjoyed my time behind the wheel. I was even pretty comfortable driving from LA to Sacramento. I tried to tough it out but ultimately had to surrender and put the top up halfway over the grapevine. Surrounded by snow I was bummed to have to do it. That's when I discovered that the rear windows or top or both were out of adjustment. For some reason with the top up the rear windows wouldn't completely close and left about a quarter inch gap between them and the door windows. Even so the wind noise wasn't that bad. So while I absolutely would be at the dealership trying to get that fixed if she ws my own it didn't bother me all that much on the drive home. In fact, I was shocked at how bummed I was to be returning it. I’d grown quite fond of my four cylinder steed and wished I could have it longer, or better yet swap in a V8 and keep her forever. As much as I liked it though, it made me even more curious about the Camaro. I’m gonna have to find and excuse to rent or maybe try out Turo and spend a day or two with a Camaro and see which I like better. I don’t know that I am ready to add a modern GT or Pony car to my fleet but I am definitely curious!
James
The Lowered HMFIC
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