FYI FORD MustangSteve's Ford Mustang Forum / Checking In

**Posted by riwall** 8/09/2024 7:08 PM

It has been a while. Sorry. I've had a small battle with the "Big C" which kicked my butt for many months. I'm finished with Chemo and doing Immunotherapy and things are looking up. Hoping to be more active on a lot of things, this site included.
About a year ago I splurged on an American AutoWire wiring kit and a Classic Instruments gauge cluster for my '67 Mustang. The plan was to do the installation myself over the winter. Well, life got in the way and it was not getting done and I was tired of looking at the boxes so I found a small local shop that works on Classics and had them do the installation for me. Today I picked up the car. Amazing! The wiring is great and everything works!!! Pretty exciting.
I've tried to upload a photo but being "technologically challenged" I'm not sure if it worked. Looks like a bunch of hieroglyphics to me. I may try again if it was unsuccessful.
Glad to be back. Rick Wall

**Posted by coachJack** 8/09/2024 8:36 PM

Rick,

Sorry to hear your battle with the "Big C" but great to hear that things are looking up!!

The gauge cluster looks clean and Im really diggin on your shifter handle. Did you wire any of the buttons on the shifter? Enquiring minds NEED TO KNOW!!!!

Coach Jack

**Posted by RTM** 8/10/2024 6:49 AM

Glad to hear things are moving in the right direction.

**Posted by TKOPerformance** 8/10/2024 7:23 AM

Glad to have you back, and she's looking great!

**Posted by Bolted to Floor** 8/10/2024 9:06 AM

Glad to hear you and the car are doing better.

**Posted by Rudi** 8/10/2024 9:41 AM

It’s great to hear that you’re doing better Rick.

**Posted by rpm** 8/10/2024 11:01 AM

The Mustang looks great, and more importantly I'll glad you're doing better. Welcome back.

**Posted by riwall** 8/10/2024 11:23 AM

For coachJack. The shifter is one-of-a-kind. I did post about it way back so I'll give you the Cliff notes version. I had the "pleasure" of ejecting out of a Starfighter when I was a younger man. The accident investigators pulled the shifter out of the hole left by my steed and presented it to me so it has sentimental value.
I thought about wiring up some of the buttons but that exceeded my skill level. I did however adapt it so that I pull the trigger to shift from PARK to REVERSE, etc.
Cheers

**Posted by BobE** 8/10/2024 12:00 PM

Rick - glad to hear that you're doing well recovering fron the dreaded "Big C".
Dash looks good, glad you're happy wth his work.
I was going to ask if that was a eject button and wheter the passenger seat could be ejected.
Cool story, and glad you were able to incorporate into the Mustang.

**Posted by Nos681** 8/10/2024 1:26 PM

Glad to have you back Rick.

The car looks great.

Still dig the shifter.

**Posted by 6sally6** 8/10/2024 4:32 PM

Good to see you back Rick (and front too!)
Looks like that shop did a great job on your Mustang Its pretty hard to find a shop that will do a GOOD Job anymore..
(ehhhh.... S'good enough seems to be the attitude anymore)
GREAT to see you're driving it too!
Glad to have ya back...
6sally6

**Posted by riwall** 8/10/2024 4:56 PM

FYI for anyone thinking about the American AutoWire kit - the chap who installed it for me had worked with the American AutoWire stuff previously but never with the AAW crimpers which I provided. He said it was so much easier with these crimpers so I sold mine to him.

**Posted by rpm** 8/11/2024 11:29 AM

The ejected out of a fighter jet club has to be a small club. And I'd think it would be about the most exciting thing a guy could do and live to tell about it.

**Posted by Mach1Driver** 8/11/2024 12:02 PM

Best of luck with the big C.
For reference I had to look up your plane:
Though it's speed earned the F-104 a nickname of Zipper or Missile With a Man In It, It's tendency to crash and kill its pilot also created nicknames like Death Tube, Lawn Dart, Silver Sliver, Hooligan, Flying Coffin and, of course, the Widowmaker.

**Posted by 6sally6** 8/11/2024 5:49 PM

^^^^^ ^^^^^
6s6

Last edited by 6sally6 (8/11/2024 5:50 PM)

**Posted by riwall** 8/11/2024 6:10 PM

Well, to be honest most of the nicknames were generated by the pilots as a joke. The airplane was great and certainly exhilarating to fly. I'll try to be brief. The issues/accident rate that we (Royal Canadian Air Force) had were primarily due to the role it was used in - very low level, very high speed attack. Basically dropping bombs on things. Add in a plane that takes 4 small countries to turn around and, at least in Europe, often marginal weather and unpleasant things can happen. I think I can speak for all of my friends when I say that we loved the airplane and had a blast flying it.
A saying that the Germans had - If you want your own Starfighter, buy a piece of land and wait.
It's not really fair but it is funny.

Last edited by riwall (8/11/2024 6:12 PM)

**Posted by rpm** 8/11/2024 6:46 PM

riwall wrote:
Well, to be honest most of the nicknames were generated by the pilots as a joke. The airplane was great and certainly exhilarating to fly. I'll try to be brief. The issues/accident rate that we (Royal Canadian Air Force) had were primarily due to the role it was used in - very low level, very high speed attack. Basically dropping bombs on things. Add in a plane that takes 4 small countries to turn around and, at least in Europe, often marginal weather and unpleasant things can happen. I think I can speak for all of my friends when I say that we loved the airplane and had a blast flying it.
A saying that the Germans had - If you want your own Starfighter, buy a piece of land and wait.
It's not really fair but it is funny.

Brahahaha... Yes it is funny

**Posted by KeithP** 8/11/2024 7:47 PM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_F-104_Starfighter

**Posted by Steve69** 8/13/2024 7:52 AM

Glad your ok!