January 4, 2004
My Fellow Mustangers,
Happy New Year!!
Thanks to all who helped with the Christmas Party, I had a great time and I hope all of you that attended did also. I don’t have a lot to say this month cus’ it’s a new year with a new slate of officers. I think at our January Meeting we can set out as a group in the direction that we want to take our club.
With that business piece out of the way, I thought since we spend a lot of time planning working and attending car shows, I would share one of my favorite car show stories with you.
I was at a car show a couple of summers ago in a small rural town in western ND (Bowman) with my Cobra replica. About mid afternoon these two retired farmers stopped by my car, the older guy had to be early eighties, rumpled and sun worn, but he seemed to be a very nice person. They kept coming back to look at my car. He saw me sitting near and asked if it was my car. I said yes. He then walked back over to his friend and brought him back to meet me. The second man asked me who I bought the car from. I told him that it was a replica and I had built it myself. He seemed puzzled. I do not think he had ever heard of a "replica" automobile before. I asked him why he had an interest in the car. He said it looks like my son Jimmy’s car. His friend said yes! Just like Jimmy’, only Jimmy's didn’t have those blue stripes. I asked, “Your son had a car like this?” (My mind started spinning!) He said "Ya the dang kid went to Denver to buy a Corvette -oh this was a long time ago, early 70's or so. He came back with one of these Fords, I asked him why not the Corvette? He said these were better. I told him he was crazy, the damn thing doesn’t even have "rolling” windows. And the top on it was just crap, it didn’t seal, he had the fenders all bent up in no time and blew the engine.” I asked, “WHERE IS JIMMY’S CAR NOW?” His buddy said that it was parked behind a house for along time, the snow and kids had wrecked the top, and it was in real tough shape. Jimmy traded it for a boat or pickup years ago, and I think he got the best end of the deal. Then the old man said he shoudda bought the Corvette and he could still be driving it today. I was bummed and always wonder what kind of boat or pickup it was that “Jimmy” got for his Cobra.
Stay warm, think spring, and if you have children, give them an extra hug everyday. Our daughter Rani who just graduated from NDSU last month, goes in for open heart surgery tomorrow, (Wed Jan 5) She needs a valve replaced. (I told her I have a couple of sets of used Ford valves in the garage.) We feel blessed that it was caught before she had any symptoms, so she is strong and healthy and should recover very well. It just takes the wind out of your sails for a bit as a Dad to see this.
Hug those kids,
Your president,
Grover Cleveland
Todd Fuchs
Grover Cleveland was the only President to leave the White House and return for a second term four years later. Don’t get any ideas I’m retiring after this term. -todd
REMINDER:
It is time to pay your membership dues. $15.00 for the year.
The Northstar Mustang Club Calendar is now available for $10.00.
