Happy Birthday, Frog

August 10th was TFrog's 15th birthday.

There are loose panels in the interior. The power door lock doesn't work on
the driver's side. It still has the original Ford Premium Sound System with
AM/FM Cassette. The center caps are peeling on all four wheels. And the
black paint gets harder and harder to work with every passing year. I dream
of the day when all exterior molding is replaced and the car gets a new
blacker-than-black paint job...

Still, 213000 miles have passed on that clock and TFrog got that second coat
of wax yesterday and looks fantastic. http://www.tfrog.com/tfrog/tfrog.htm

Today, we're going for a romp for a belated birthday celebration. The first
half of vacation week was spent getting the Frogs ready - the second half is
all about enjoying the hell out of 'em.

dwight
(still stuck in 1993)

"dwight" > wrote in message
. ..
> August 10th was TFrog's 15th birthday.
>
> There are loose panels in the interior. The power door lock doesn't work
> on the driver's side. It still has the original Ford Premium Sound System
> with AM/FM Cassette. The center caps are peeling on all four wheels. And
> the black paint gets harder and harder to work with every passing year. I
> dream of the day when all exterior molding is replaced and the car gets a
> new blacker-than-black paint job...
>
> Still, 213000 miles have passed on that clock and TFrog got that second
> coat of wax yesterday and looks fantastic.
> http://www.tfrog.com/tfrog/tfrog.htm
>
> Today, we're going for a romp for a belated birthday celebration. The
> first half of vacation week was spent getting the Frogs ready - the second
> half is all about enjoying the hell out of 'em.
>
> dwight
> (still stuck in 1993)
>


Nice Photos,
Another 1993
You can get some of the fasterner HW for the panels, but the one by the
speaker, cannot find.
The stock radio works most of the time, but sometimes gives off that burned
resistor smell, comes on but no sound.
Paint is faded bad, el cheapo paint over a cop car. You can see some of the
old black and white throught the paint now, waxing it takes off a little of
the paint each time.
Windows on both sides channel guides are a mess, hard to get up the windows.
This one is at 145k, just got a rebuilt engine, 8# boost from KB, tuned,
nice and very fast for in-town driving.
On third clutch, (second one at 95k, another at 140k) interior is in good
to great condition, some screw holes in the dash where the cops had their
radios.
Some good summer performance tires made a huge difference in hooking up.

Now that is what I call passion for a car!! Keep on rolling!!

Shelby-1

"dwight" > wrote in message
. ..
> August 10th was TFrog's 15th birthday.
>
> There are loose panels in the interior. The power door lock doesn't work
> on the driver's side. It still has the original Ford Premium Sound System
> with AM/FM Cassette. The center caps are peeling on all four wheels. And
> the black paint gets harder and harder to work with every passing year. I
> dream of the day when all exterior molding is replaced and the car gets a
> new blacker-than-black paint job...
>
> Still, 213000 miles have passed on that clock and TFrog got that second
> coat of wax yesterday and looks fantastic.
> http://www.tfrog.com/tfrog/tfrog.htm
>
> Today, we're going for a romp for a belated birthday celebration. The
> first half of vacation week was spent getting the Frogs ready - the second
> half is all about enjoying the hell out of 'em.
>
> dwight
> (still stuck in 1993)
>
>
>

Congrats and Happy Birthday!!! Your cars are awesome and an inspiration to
the rest of us!

Nick



"dwight" > wrote in message
. ..
> August 10th was TFrog's 15th birthday.
>
> There are loose panels in the interior. The power door lock doesn't work
> on the driver's side. It still has the original Ford Premium Sound System
> with AM/FM Cassette. The center caps are peeling on all four wheels. And
> the black paint gets harder and harder to work with every passing year. I
> dream of the day when all exterior molding is replaced and the car gets a
> new blacker-than-black paint job...
>
> Still, 213000 miles have passed on that clock and TFrog got that second
> coat of wax yesterday and looks fantastic.
> http://www.tfrog.com/tfrog/tfrog.htm
>
> Today, we're going for a romp for a belated birthday celebration. The
> first half of vacation week was spent getting the Frogs ready - the second
> half is all about enjoying the hell out of 'em.
>
> dwight
> (still stuck in 1993)
>
>
>

On Aug 28, 8:39 am, "dwight" > wrote:

That's one nice looking Fox... I mean frog.

Oh, and get to know 5.0Resto.

Patrick


> August 10th was TFrog's 15th birthday.
>
> There are loose panels in the interior. The power door lock doesn't work on
> the driver's side. It still has the original Ford Premium Sound System with
> AM/FM Cassette. The center caps are peeling on all four wheels. And the
> black paint gets harder and harder to work with every passing year. I dream
> of the day when all exterior molding is replaced and the car gets a new
> blacker-than-black paint job...
>
> Still, 213000 miles have passed on that clock and TFrog got that second coat
> of wax yesterday and looks fantastic.http://www.tfrog.com/tfrog/tfrog.htm
>
> Today, we're going for a romp for a belated birthday celebration. The first
> half of vacation week was spent getting the Frogs ready - the second half is
> all about enjoying the hell out of 'em.
>
> dwight
> (still stuck in 1993)

"hanry" > wrote in message
...
>
> "dwight" > wrote in message
> . ..
>> August 10th was TFrog's 15th birthday.
>>
>> There are loose panels in the interior. The power door lock doesn't work
>> on the driver's side. It still has the original Ford Premium Sound System
>> with AM/FM Cassette. The center caps are peeling on all four wheels. And
>> the black paint gets harder and harder to work with every passing year. I
>> dream of the day when all exterior molding is replaced and the car gets a
>> new blacker-than-black paint job...
>>
>> Still, 213000 miles have passed on that clock and TFrog got that second
>> coat of wax yesterday and looks fantastic.
>> http://www.tfrog.com/tfrog/tfrog.htm
>>
>> Today, we're going for a romp for a belated birthday celebration. The
>> first half of vacation week was spent getting the Frogs ready - the
>> second half is all about enjoying the hell out of 'em.
>>
>> dwight
>> (still stuck in 1993)
>
> Nice Photos,
> Another 1993
> You can get some of the fasterner HW for the panels, but the one by the
> speaker, cannot find.
> The stock radio works most of the time, but sometimes gives off that
> burned resistor smell, comes on but no sound.
> Paint is faded bad, el cheapo paint over a cop car. You can see some of
> the old black and white throught the paint now, waxing it takes off a
> little of the paint each time.
> Windows on both sides channel guides are a mess, hard to get up the
> windows.
> This one is at 145k, just got a rebuilt engine, 8# boost from KB, tuned,
> nice and very fast for in-town driving.
> On third clutch, (second one at 95k, another at 140k) interior is in good
> to great condition, some screw holes in the dash where the cops had their
> radios.
> Some good summer performance tires made a huge difference in hooking up.

There's no question - with every passing year, these cars will become harder
and harder to maintain, let alone repair and refurbish. Well over 1,000,000
Fox Mustangs hit the streets between '79 and '93, but the point of my post
was simply to point out that ALL of them are now at least 15 years old.
That's ancient for an automobile (classic owners, don't scoff).

Keep at it. Fix one problem at a time. I find that when I look at the car as
a whole, the list of issues becomes daunting. But when I replace a little
thing like door handle bezels, I think, "One down, XXX to go..."

dwight

"John Verdi" > wrote in message
news:_3Htk.904$482.489@trnddc06...
> Now that is what I call passion for a car!! Keep on rolling!!
>
> Shelby-1

I took a break from waxing and came into the house for a soda. My clothes
were soaked through (hot, sticky day), and my wife took one look and
laughed. I'm not as young as I was when I first waxed TFrog, that's for
sure, so it now takes a good four to five hours for the whole process. She
said, "You love it," and I said, "Yeah, when it's DONE."

I took the car out yesterday for a couple of hours (why is gas $3.51 in the
middle of nowhere, but $3.73 in civilization?) and I thought, jeez, the
thing is 15 years old and still drives like a kid. I am not hallucinating
when I say that a fresh polish and wax makes the car drive much better. It
is always quicker and stronger when it's shiny - it's not just my
imagination. Less wind resistance?

Anyway... I still love the looks of the LX Fox bodies, and the configuration
fits me to a tee. It's almost the perfect car. Days like yesterday remind me
why I want to keep this car forever.

dwight


> "dwight" > wrote in message
> . ..
>> August 10th was TFrog's 15th birthday.
>>
>> There are loose panels in the interior. The power door lock doesn't work
>> on the driver's side. It still has the original Ford Premium Sound System
>> with AM/FM Cassette. The center caps are peeling on all four wheels. And
>> the black paint gets harder and harder to work with every passing year. I
>> dream of the day when all exterior molding is replaced and the car gets a
>> new blacker-than-black paint job...
>>
>> Still, 213000 miles have passed on that clock and TFrog got that second
>> coat of wax yesterday and looks fantastic.
>> http://www.tfrog.com/tfrog/tfrog.htm
>>
>> Today, we're going for a romp for a belated birthday celebration. The
>> first half of vacation week was spent getting the Frogs ready - the
>> second half is all about enjoying the hell out of 'em.
>>
>> dwight
>> (still stuck in 1993)
>>
>>
>>
>
>

"ND" > wrote in message
...
> Congrats and Happy Birthday!!! Your cars are awesome and an inspiration to
> the rest of us!
>
> Nick

Thanks, Nick. The cars photograph well (especially TFrog), but don't look
too closely. On inspection, they are definitely 15 year old cars. They are
good-looking 15 year olds, but still showing their age.

The paint has worn off of those front fender panels around the headlights
and the front bumper. The GT convertible looks like it was owned by a
serious tailgater (I've had it now for going on four years) - the windshield
and the nose of the car are pitted as if sandblasted, and the paint on the
nose is cracking and could start peeling any day now. Like I said, a
laundry list of issues.

Still, they are among the best looking Foxes around. That's easier to say
every year, since there are fewer Foxes every year.

dwight

>
>
>
> "dwight" > wrote in message
> . ..
>> August 10th was TFrog's 15th birthday.
>>
>> There are loose panels in the interior. The power door lock doesn't work
>> on the driver's side. It still has the original Ford Premium Sound System
>> with AM/FM Cassette. The center caps are peeling on all four wheels. And
>> the black paint gets harder and harder to work with every passing year. I
>> dream of the day when all exterior molding is replaced and the car gets a
>> new blacker-than-black paint job...
>>
>> Still, 213000 miles have passed on that clock and TFrog got that second
>> coat of wax yesterday and looks fantastic.
>> http://www.tfrog.com/tfrog/tfrog.htm
>>
>> Today, we're going for a romp for a belated birthday celebration. The
>> first half of vacation week was spent getting the Frogs ready - the
>> second half is all about enjoying the hell out of 'em.
>>
>> dwight
>> (still stuck in 1993)
>>
>>
>>
>
>

> wrote in message
...
> On Aug 28, 8:39 am, "dwight" > wrote:
>
> That's one nice looking Fox... I mean frog.
>
> Oh, and get to know 5.0Resto.
>
> Patrick

Oh, you KNOW I've got an account with them! I like Mustangs Unlimited for my
immediate needs (water pump, brake rotors, etc.), but I enjoy shopping
50Resto for replacement parts. Of course, I can't devote as much to the
Frogs as I'd like...

The plastic grille on the hood of TFrog is still broken, where a tree limb
came down on it years ago. That's $75+ and still on my list. CFrog has
glaucoma and needs a new set of headlights ($180+), like I did for TFrog a
few years ago. (What a difference!)

Just a couple of examples of things I keep putting off. Of course, whatever
the cars need to RUN and/or pass inspection, they get. The rest is optional
and "someday," unless it's something I just can't live with - like TFrog's
peeling wheel hubs.

dwight

>> August 10th was TFrog's 15th birthday.
>>
>> There are loose panels in the interior. The power door lock doesn't work
>> on
>> the driver's side. It still has the original Ford Premium Sound System
>> with
>> AM/FM Cassette. The center caps are peeling on all four wheels. And the
>> black paint gets harder and harder to work with every passing year. I
>> dream
>> of the day when all exterior molding is replaced and the car gets a new
>> blacker-than-black paint job...
>>
>> Still, 213000 miles have passed on that clock and TFrog got that second
>> coat
>> of wax yesterday and looks fantastic.http://www.tfrog.com/tfrog/tfrog.htm
>>
>> Today, we're going for a romp for a belated birthday celebration. The
>> first
>> half of vacation week was spent getting the Frogs ready - the second half
>> is
>> all about enjoying the hell out of 'em.
>>
>> dwight
>> (still stuck in 1993)
>

"dwight" > wrote in
:

> August 10th was TFrog's 15th birthday.
>
> There are loose panels in the interior. The power door lock doesn't
> work on the driver's side. It still has the original Ford Premium
> Sound System with AM/FM Cassette. The center caps are peeling on all
> four wheels. And the black paint gets harder and harder to work with
> every passing year. I dream of the day when all exterior molding is
> replaced and the car gets a new blacker-than-black paint job...
>
> Still, 213000 miles have passed on that clock and TFrog got that
> second coat of wax yesterday and looks fantastic.
> http://www.tfrog.com/tfrog/tfrog.htm
>
> Today, we're going for a romp for a belated birthday celebration. The
> first half of vacation week was spent getting the Frogs ready - the
> second half is all about enjoying the hell out of 'em.
>
> dwight
> (still stuck in 1993)

dwight, kudos to you! Both frogs (T and C) look awesome. Now if you
were my neighbor, I might not have sold my LX...

The headlights look pretty clear - are they originals or replacements?
Also, you could take the caps off and give them a shot of silver - would
look tons better than the scarred black. Or just remove them
altogether. You can probably find caps on the Internet somewhere.

You might consider a resto at some point, as I believe you are correct -
these cars will continue to cost more with each passing year. If it's
not yet time for the resto, maybe retirement to the garage is in order
until resto time arrives.

Best of luck with them!