I'll chime in...
I have been very fortunate in many ways...
Like haulin'balz, my parents bought my first car...1991 F-150 with a straight six. It was in great shape except for the paint which was horrible, so we got a good deal on it. I say they bought it, well, they bought most of it. I'd been working summers and saving cash since I was in the 7th grade. That helped some. After I bought it, I used my money to repaint it. Then I drove it into a ditch at 80 mph.
My next car was a 1992 Chevy Lumina (I know, I know...but it was a pretty darn good car). I used the insurance money and some more help from my parents to purchase it.
After I got the Mustang fever, I found a car and was able to take a loan out for my car. I was once again lucky enough to have help from my parents in that they gave me a no-interest loan. At this time I was in college and working 2 part-time jobs (three during the summer). I paid my parents back every penny.
Since then, I've saved money little by little from every paycheck and bought the parts I've put on it.
I've done the vast majority of the work myself with some help from a very few select friends. The only things I've had shops do were the water pump (right after I bought it and didn't know better), the gears, the body and paint work after I was hit (needed fram work), and I worked personally with my engine builder to help short-block the new motor after I'd pulled it. The reason I took it to a mechanic for the motor is because I'd never done anything of the sort and wanted to learn how to do it right.
No one in my family was ever big into cars. All I've done I learned to do from reading, talking to friends, and scouring the pages here at MustangWorks. I take pride in what I've done with this car. It may have taken me all day to put that motor back in...and I may have been sore and bloodied up...and I maybe didn't want to crawl under a car for a long time afterwords, but I did it (with a friend and my father there for extra hands), and I take pride in that.
Anyway...I've got a Neuro test that's calling my name right now...take care and good night.
--nathan
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'91 GT, Built 306, Wolverine 1087 cam, ported Windsor Jr. Irons, and all the goodies...click the link to the left to see a full list of my mods...
Tried and True 302 Being Built to Outrun You!
--Texas Panhandle--
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