One Reader's Mustang Story
| published July 10, 2014 |

By Mindy Gordon
Thursday Review contributor

My Dad was the black sheep of our family: he owned three different Chevy Corvettes. But Mustangs were in my blood and I was surrounded by Mustang lovers in my family. My Dad’s brother, Uncle Odie, has a 1965 Mustang convertible. His son, my cousin Earl, has a ’66 Fastback Shelby Mustang. His brother and my cousin Mike had a 65 coupe, and then there was me. My Dad purchased a 64½ Mustang in the early 1980’s with the intention of fixing it up for me. With the help his nephews, Mike and Earl, they beautifully restored what became my very first car! And what a great senior year it was.

It was a classic; beautiful and fun car to drive, even in 1982! Freshly painted back to its original color of deep maroon, its light tan leather interior was the perfect compliment. The car came with a new headliner, but the radio, steering wheel and gear shift were all original. And there was no air conditioning, but I didn’t care--after all I was 17! We also installed a more modern radio, and bolted it under the dash without damaging or disrupting the original dashboard at all.

After finishing college, and upon getting my first job, I graduated into a ’83 white GT, five-speed convertible with a black top. It was incredible! I held onto that for several years until after I was married and expecting our first child, at eight months pregnant I just couldn’t push the clutch in any longer. Years later my step-Dad Sonny Gray purchased a brand new 2003 Black Cobra Mustang and I was getting the itch again! With three children and one still in a booster seat, a Mustang was not practical for me so I continued to drive the family SUV and borrow his Mustang every chance I could. But along came 2012 (21 years after I sold my 2nd Mustang) and I bought a 2003 convertible again, and at that point my identity returned: “Mustang” Mindy"!

The best part of it all? Some people hold on to keepsakes from their childhood and teenage years, I held on to my 64 ½ Mustang.

And no, it’s not for sale.


Related Thursday Review articles:

Mustang: 50 Years of the Original Pony; R. Alan Clanton; Thursday Review; June 14, 2014.