Joe Grippo's 1970 Mustang

[JOES66FURY]

did you ever think in the winter of 85 while you were sanding and cutting that the car would be doing wheels up launches someday...killer story...I really like stuff like this...guys that buy one car and hang on to it...there is a real bond there...killer

[Scott Liggett]

What a great story and car. You're one of the smart ones who didn't sell his car. Way to go!!! Looking forward to more of it.

[Brian Lohnes]

Joe, that's total greatness.

Awesome stuff. Hell, you had a pretty good command of the camera even back then!

[tarafied1]

great car and cool story, you inspired me to post my own story!

[Joe Grippo]

great car and cool story, you inspired me to post my own story!

Cool! I was inspired by Bamfster's Chevelle story!

Thanks for compliments guys, lots of great stories here and it does seem many of us have very similar tales to tell. Many of my friends in the late 80's and early 90's had a different car every few months but I knew I had what I wanted so I focused my energy, time and cash into making it better. And really, things haven't changed much in 25 years, I still a have a massive list of things I want to upgrade or improve on the car. All in due time...

[Thumpin455]

Another 41 year old here.. Summer of 88, now that brings back memories. I enlisted that fall and ended up in Germany so my cars sat for years. You got a sports roof $50 cheaper than I got my Cougar, but it took me 22 years to get it painted and it had very minor rust. Having a dad that will teach you is a great thing, mine could have but we didnt get along back then.

You and I are in an elite group, we still have our first car and it was a car worth having! I will never sell mine, and I doubt you will sell yours. Just think, you could have been forced to drive something less cool, but you worked for it and bought what you wanted. So did I. Wish kids would still be that way today.

Awesome Mustang. Wheels up like that is killer

[tarafied1]

I still a have a massive list of things I want to upgrade or improve on the car. All in due time...

I hear ya!

[Joe Grippo]

Jumping around some...here are some shots of my brake upgrade from a few years ago...

I wanted to get some better stopping power and lighten up the front end some so I decide to do a disc brake conversion around 2007. I went with Lamb Components, because I wanted a very high quality setup. Roger Lamb was great to deal with; I had to send him my spindles to be machined and received back an out of the box, ready to install disc brake arrangement that I almost put in my display case rather than on the car...






While I had my cash out I also ordered a new lightweight Mopar style master cylinder, brake lines and fittings from Lamb ....



What a difference! I can footbrake the car past 4 grand and and it will not move. I don't, but I can. I have been flirting with 130mph (best of 128.4 and the brakes haul my 3400# behemoth right down with no complaints. Some of the best cash I've ever spent on the car, I think...

I have a brake pressure gauge I still need to install one of these days. More later.

[mike343sharpstick]

I've only had my car for almost 5 years, I feel like a noob. :D
Those brakes are probably the best looking I have seen. I have the aerospace kit on my car, the only "expensive" indulgence I did when doing the resto. Those Lamb brakes make mine look like a walmart kit :D.
Money well spent, good front brakes are a very big deal. Weather you are a drag racer or a road warior the weight savings of a kit like you have is huge!

As far as "still more to do", I have a major motor build on commin' up :o With those front tires that high you certainly have that taken care of. :o

[Joe Grippo]

Mike, Tarafied and Todd thanks for checking out the thread and for the nice words!

How about some CARNAGE from 2005? Seems we snapped a head off an exhaust valve. I learned a valuable lesson, as they were the only thing we reused from the previous incarnation of the engine. It happened after running most of the season, we stuck it in back in March '05 and it ate itself up in late September of the same year. Good parts too, Manley Severe Duty. Stuff happens, Fix it Stronger and Faster! As the photos show it took out a head, and beat up the pistons, scored up some cylinder walls and bent a rod....never did find the head of the valve.









When we put it back together I used Ferrea Valves and went another .010 on the block with a little more compression. The engine is still running strong with best of 10.39 late last year...went 10.51 in the soup-like heat and humidity last Sunday.

By the way, the piston above had the bent rod and now resides in case in my basement (the one laying down)...a constant reminder of a lessoned learned.



More later.....