Page 14 - Beep Beep May 2025

Thanks Perry – I asked for projects and this is really good read. Ed
Perry Johnson’s Project
I do have a car collection and a shed, but I went out
to look at a caravan, that I didn’t want, and came
back with a slightly twisted sandblasted carcass of a
1970 Mach1 Fast back Mustang, which was tucked
away in this guy’s shed in Coolum. Apparently his
boys had bought it from the USA some 5 years
earlier and carelessly stripped and abandoned this
once running classic.
So when I came home and Trish enquired on the
condition of the caravan, it seemed like a good time
to share the good news! My very understanding wife
said “that’s nice that will keep you busy” but we both
knew that I didn’t know much about cars other than I
like old stuff?
I had recently stopped having to go to work and I
think my wife Trish knew I needed a reason to get
out of bed and do something. I had been harping on
about this to a lot of older guys when talking about
retirement, it seemed easier to know when was the
right time if you are a police officer or a fireman or
simply in a situation when the decision is made for
you, however I have always worked for myself and
jumped out of bed everyday knowing that I love
doing what I do, so “Why Stop”? It was my opinion if
it is a good idea, if you can find something that
excites you more or equally than the job, you have
done, but you have to have something? Mine for now
was going to be the Mustang it seemed.
The shell/body and 7 pallets of bits and parts was
dragged into the corner of my shed from around the
corner on a pallet truck. It was clear that I was going
to need help but only if I couldn’t do it myself. The
engine and original 351C V8 was elsewhere
apparently, so this was going to require a phone call.
I was assured all the bits were on the pallets (didn’t
turn out to be true, but the way of the world now with
distributors of car parts they were mostly only a few
days away.)
I came up with a system, get some shelves and
place the bits on the shelves, buy some essential
tools grinders and sanders and methodically take
each part down to the metal along with the bolts. The
idea of retirement was soon forgotten, and the
feeling of being out of my comfort zone on a daily
basis was what I really relished. Another way of
putting that, I hadn’t a clue what these parts were or
where they were supposed to go but proceeded to
chip away until I had a set of shelves of shiny newly
primed and painted parts. Like a huge Meccano set
actually.
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