From Belgium With Love, A Classic Mustang Enthusiast's Journey

Today we are heading to Belgium (northeast of Paris on your map) – this directly from our guest Geoffrey’s website:

Before I start talking about my car, I will introduce myself to you ! My name is Geoffrey, I live in Belgium. I have organized a rally, called Flanders Mustang Event, for 20 years, organize a yearly weekend with the Mustang drivers and several drives a year, and I am also the webmaster of mustangdrivers.be 

Together with Daisy we enjoy and drive my fastback – a lot. Meetings, drives, holidays, you name it, we do it !

My car was built in Metuchen USA as an export model. It was sold new in Belgium in early 1966 (built end of 1965) in a Ford garage in Belgium. As a Belgian car it drives in kilometers rather than miles and it has some equipment not found standard on USA cars. For instance: an export brace in the engine bay (like Shelby's), white parking light lenses instead of amber ones, a thicker front sway bar and a european spec Blaupunkt radio with a special chrome bezel. Most Belgian cars came equipped with "packages" so a console and a rally pac are included as well.

Only the tip of the iceberg let’s dig in more.. Welcome Geoffrey to the Ford Mustang, The Early Years.

Guest application:

How long have you owned your classic Mustang? 23 years 

Please upload a favorite pic of your Mustang: https://cdn.filestackcontent.com/5f9u44iESPKXkxOEIhmd?inbound2791284427545131606.jpg?image/jpeg

What do you do for a living?:  I work for Colruyt Group, one of the biggest supermarkets in Belgium. 

Fastback specs currently:  Dual master cylinder and booster. 15 inch wheels and tires engine: V8 302 ci with electronic ignition transmission: Automatic OverDrive color: clearwater aqua power steering deluxe steering wheel front disc brakes power assisted air conditioning console AM-FM radio visibility group deluxe seat belts tinted windows styled steel wheels remote trunk release parking brake warning light Rally-Pac

More about this fastback: The car was sold originally in Zottegem, Belgium in 1966. This means that it makes kms rather then miles. Like most cars that come to Belgium it had the six-cilinder and a 4 speed manual as drivetrain. No air, no power steering but seatbelts, a radio, a console and a rally-pac. It was dressed in classic Wimbledon white and had the standard 66 wheel covers.

The second owner restored the car and converted it to V8 status. As the engine he got had an AOD to it, it was kept. Disc brakes, power steering and AC were also installed. The typical mustang disease was cured (cowl vent repair), doors, a wing and a hood (from a donor car) and the rear fenders were replaced. The rear floors were also replaced (but I only noticed years after I bought the car). Clearwater Aqua covers my fastback now and it was finished with wire wheel covers.

While all the bodywork and paint job where done properly, I have found during my years of driving it that no new parts, or correct ones were used..... This proves to be problematic when working on the car, or trying to order correct parts. In the meantime most of these "cheap" jobs have been rectified and replaced with correct and new parts, the list is long !

Lights and horn have relays Good shocks and suspension, thicker front sway bar. And a long list of things since 2000 :-) 

What plans do you have for improvements? Drive and enjoy it. 

Website: My own website since 2000: www.mustangdrivers.be 

Cover Art Credit: Geoffrey De Maesschalck

Ford Mustang The Early Years Podcast (social media)

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An Expert’s Guide to Maintaining Your Classic Mustang www.TheMustangPodcast.com/repair

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Keep it safe, keep it rollin’ and keep it on the road. Until next time!  ~Doug Sandler