Topic: Happy 50th Birthday To My 66 Hardtop -

[jwc66k]

I bought the Hardtop in June of 1988. It had problems, but the price was right. First off was the starting. It would crank but would not fire. Replacing the solenoid corrected that. The braided copper strap inside the solenoid from the copper disc to the terminal that provided a full 12V to the coil while the starter was operating, was fried. My next task was to fix the driver's window. That's when I realized I need a service manual. I wasn't concerned with absolute perfection at that time, just keep the car running. The next task was the power steering. It leaked. So I rebuilt the entire front suspension. Back then, you could get a lot of NOS parts from mail order Mustang stores. I took advantage of that to the maximum. There are a few tasks that one cannot do at home, like rebuild a transmission, or an engine. OK, with a few special tools you could, but I wanted it quick so a local shops did the jobs. Along the way, I taught myself how to do Mustang upholstery, so the front and rear seats were stripped and rebuilt. Previous owners have insured this Mustang will not be a concourse grade car due to front and rear end "encounters", so I've used it a daily driver and test mule to work on my other Mustangs. It is a pleasure to drive - still.
Oh, and please use my Hardware Spreadsheets to help you reassemble your Mustang. I started them to help me on this car.
Jim   

[rodster]

Happy Birthday! 

Glad you are still driving the 66 and enjoying it.

Thank you for those hardware spreadsheets, the time and effort to produce them and your kindness to share them! 

[67gtasanjose]

Ahhhh! 1989 was a great year for you then!

(exert from Wikipedia)

In the 1989 NFL season, Joe Montana threw for 3,521 yards and 26 touchdowns, with only 8 interceptions, giving him a 112.4 quarterback rating, which was then the highest single-season passer rating in NFL history, and was named NFL Most Valuable Player. Jerry Rice, in his fifth year in the league, continued to dominate; he led the league with almost 1490 receiving yards, and 17 touchdowns. The 49ers clinched their fourth straight division title, beating the Los Angeles Rams 30–27 after a dramatic second-half comeback; they finished 14–2, gaining home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Their two losses were by a combined five points.

In the divisional playoffs, they easily defeated the Vikings, 41–13. In the NFC championship game, they played against the Rams for a third time; the previous two games were decided by a total of 4 points, but they were able to blow out the Rams 30–3 earning another trip to the Super bowl, where they defeated the Denver Broncos in relatively easy fashion by a score of 55–10 in Super Bowl XXIV – setting a record for points scored and widest margin of victory in a Super Bowl. Montana himself set many Super Bowl records (some since tied or surpassed) en route to his third Super Bowl MVP. In winning the Super Bowl, the 49ers became the only team to win back-to-back Super Bowls under different head coaches. This 1989 championship team is often regarded as one of the most dominant teams in NFL history, winning three playoff games by a combined 100 points

[DKutz]

happy birthday!!  mine is 51