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twotone64 -> Help out a soldiers dream. (4/14/2008 7:57:41 PM)
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I posted first in the new member section but thought Id get a little more exposure in this section.
I found this website after doing some searching online. I came here in search for some help in a project I have decided to take on. First allow me to introduce myself, the project and then my dream. My name is Rodney Hill, and I live and teach High high school shop classes in central California. The project is to complete my late brothers 65 Mustang to present to his daughters within 2 years time. My brother was killed in action in Baghdad Iraq on Oct. 29, 2005 by an IED. Now for the story behind the Mustang.
In 1993 after owning the car nearly 10 years, My brother asked me to try to diagnose an over heating problem on his 302 while taking auto courses in College. I agreed but then foolishly agreed to allow my buddy to borrow the car for a half hour to run go get his pay check from work. 45 minutes after allowing my friend to drive off, I called his work (he never showed up). I called his GF she didn't know where he was. So I began to walk the perimeter of the college to see if he was waiting for me in a different parking lot. When approaching the last corrner parking lot to my horror I saw my brothers beautiful blue Mustang wrapped around a light pole. My buddy who was living with my family at that time, agreed to pay a mere $2k in montly payments to my brother. One day after only two payments, while my family was out of town, he took all his stuff and moved out. We had to sue him in small claims to get the money. We recieved a nother $100 through wage garnishment, untill he filed for bankruptcy.
One day in the summer of 2000 My brother and I were doing some yard work at his house. We were talking about my Chevelle which I had just started the frame up on, and he had mentioned he wished he had an extra $2K cause he had found a perfect project car in Stockton only 45 min away. That weekend he started his two week summer training for the Cal. National Guard. I approached his wife and I told her that if she goes in with me that I would put $1500 down on the car. Well we ended up getting the car for only $1800. It had an extra motor and lots of parts. The car had never been in any major accidents, no cance at all and a great starter. Sea foam green (?) exterior and White interior. The next couple of years he spent taking it apart and stocking up on good used or new parts as he could afford them. He got a lot of hand me down parts from his buddy which was doing a 66 at the time.
In The summer of 2004 he announced to the family that he was being deployed to Iraq with his Unit, he 1-184, 1-487 Cal/Hawaii National guard and be attached to the 3rd ID out of Ft. Stewart Georgia. The next couple of months while stationed in Arizona ( I think) for training he was ordering parts for his suspension so that when he got home in 18 months He and I would start in on his car. Well Oct 29, 2005 our family was notified of his death. He along with his driver were killed by an IED while drivingin their Humvee on a volunteer mission to assist in Iraqi families who had been affected by a raid the night before.
His wife gave me the car knowing that it would be the best thing, and probably what my brother had wanted. So my dream is to complete this car and give to his little girls. One is in 8th grade and one is in High school (taking shop classes) in Iowa where they moved a year after my brothers death. The daughters are upset with their mom for her giving me the car, but I have told their mom what I would like to do. Last summer a few people from the American Legion in Turlock helped out and announced the dream to their members. A small news paper article was written about the car and I got a few more people willing to help. To this day, I have a new/rebuilt transmission donated, the engine was completed by my students, and a few people are willing to donate their time. I took the car to a car show on the 4th of July last year where I collected close to $400 to go toward odds and ends. The car is still in need of the entiror being refinished, the suspension put on the car, and the car being put back together. I have abody man that has agreed to do the body work for $2,500, but dont have anyone currently to paint the car or paint itself. I also have one of his soldiers that has secured the body to be media blasted just before body work, and have a gentleman that served with him his first few years that served with my father, that has agreed to some monitary help, but not sure how much.
So I am asking if there was any way any of you could help me out in this situation. Ideas, physical help, parts etc. If you have any questions, or comments please feel free to email me or post here. My email address is rodnamy@sbcglobal.net. Please put "Mustang Help" in the subject line. Thank you for your time and generosity.
Rod Hill
Here are the pictures of his old car before and after the accident, and the new project along with a family photo.
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Two more pictures. One of the new project, and one of him and his family prior to his Iraq deployment
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