A Psychological Assessment of Classic Mustang Owners

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ORIGINAL: supermanzx9r

amen brother.......amen 

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ORIGINAL: Timelockmind
I had a  long talk with some people about the pyschological underpinnings of owning a 40 year old Mustang.  

We all know we could have transporation that is cheaper and more reliable.  Then why do we devote all this time, attention, and money to these machines?

One person suggested ownership was a way of overcompensating for a lack of self-worth

Another suggested that, for us middle aged guys, it signals an identity crisis.  They "joked" about many Mustang owners being close to twice the age of their cars

One of the wives thought owning an "aged" car meant I couldn't let go of the past and it was sad attempt to be "cool" like Steve McQueen!

I simply said it was great fun and a very special conncetion with the past.  And I do feel "oh-so-cool" when driving it!

Am I the only one that is surrounded by idiots (who dive new BMW/Lexus/Mercedes)  who don't get it!!!

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ORIGINAL: MustangPammie

Well, I'm not a middle-aged guy, I'm not twice the age of my car, and I'm not ashamed by the size of my penis.

I'm cool whether I drive my Mustang or not. 

I like classics, be it classic cars or classic rock.  I like learning about my car, I like the way the older cars look with their square corners.  Every car I see today has that rounded look and they all look like Toyotas from the front to me.

Chicks with muscle cars rock, it's that simple.

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I hate to inform you  Pammie, but you don't own a muscle car.  You have a very nice looking pony car, but it is certainly not a muscle car.

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ORIGINAL: bodyputtyless

I own my 1970 Mach 1  because I fell in love with a brand new1969 Mach 1 that I would walk past on my way home from the 6th grade. My first vehicle was a 1973 F100 Ranger. When I was 18 I looked at multiple 1969 fastbacks but was always outbid. I only had about $1200 and most of the others had Mom or Dad as their bank roll. I finally found my 1970 Mach 1 and paid a whopping $600. I never even drove the car. I started it up, and told the owner I'd buy it. He wanted $900. I've had it ever since. I simply own the car because it looks beautiful. I sit in my garage sometimes and just admire the lines. If I really dig deep for some profound reason, I can say that it remains proof that I set a goal and I achieve that goal. The reason your friends don't "get it" is exactly why they "drive" the cars you mentioned. They never open a knuckle while wrenching on the car. They don't have floor jacks and jack stands and air compressors in their garages. I bet if you looked into it you'd find that people who own classic cars generally own the same home for a long time. In comparison, folks who own Beemers, and Lexus, Toy and Hon's move. They like there cars can't find their way because they have forgotten their past.

I still remember the smell of the air when we would leave my grandparents on a summer night and my Dad would turn on the headlights of the 1964 Galaxie 500 to see if any rabbits were under the apple trees. The glow of the dashboard was magical. The smell of the interior. Standing on the transmission hump while hanging on to the front seat. A time when we as a people and country were free. Something I'm sad to say we no longer are.