Dad Goes Social to Help Nathaniel Gardner, 5, Restore His '66 Mustang

PITTSBURGH, Penn. – Mustang enthusiasts can often recall their first memories of when they became enthralled with Ford’s famed pony car. For some it may have been a memory distilled since birth, and for others it may have been later in life after their first experience riding or driving one, or simply first seeing their now-favorite car model driving by. But for one 5-year-old boy from Pittsburgh, it was when his father, Rob, purchased a 1966 Mustang coupe from an internet auction, sight-unseen. And before we get too far into the story, Rob makes it very clear on their YouTube channel that the car actually belongs to Nathaniel. “It’s truly his car,” dad says, “I’m just along for the ride.”



Meet Rob and Nathaniel Gardner. Together, they plan to get their ‘66 Mustang back on the road and restored to full operational status. While doing so, they plan to document the entire restoration journey via their social media channels and YouTube. But what made them choose a Mustang, especially one without all the conveniences such as power steering and modern safety features? Well, Rob’s family has a deep-rooted history with the Blue Oval, starting with his grandfather, who worked for Ford in Dearborne, and his mother, who learned to drive in a 1964½ Mustang, which also happened to be her first car.



“Ever since I was a child,” Rob says, “I have been obsessed with classic cars and have always dreamed of restoring one. Every time I brought it up, my mother would always say, ‘You can only make a mess of my garage to fix up one car, and no other: a first-generation Mustang like I had when I was a teenager.’

So this project is a multi-generational dream come true. Given that Nathanial has about 10 years before he is even eligible to get behind the wheel of a vehicle, it’s safe to say that time is on the Gardners’ side. While not a master mechanic, Rob is technically minded despite his careers both an ICU nurse and as a CPA, and says he is able to figure out the basics of car repair quite easily. Since he’s posting all of the progress on their YouTube channel, he’s also looking for insight on the restoration project from his online audience. The Mustang and Ford community on social media these days is widespread, so it’s not likely there will be any shortage of insightful help to support the father-son venture.

 

“The Instagram profile and the YouTube channel were always just meant to be a way for us to tap into the enormous collective community knowledge of this car,” Rob explains. “We just needed help, because I genuinely don't have the knowledge necessary to get this car back on the road. The community has been incredible so far and such a huge help. We never imagined that it would be where it is now, just a few months later, with some 1,300 followers and already a few hundred subscribers to our YouTube channel. We're so unbelievably thankful. Especially for me, as a father, to see my son's face light up every time I tell him about another subscriber, follower, or message that an owner sends with encouragement or advice; it brings tears to my eyes.”

Kicking off a project like this doesn’t just happen overnight. So what made this come to life? It began with Rob being diagnosed with Melanoma, one of the worst types of cancer. After a 6-week hospital stay to remove the cancer, he decided that he would focus more time on his children rather than putting it into a future that was never guaranteed. He then decided it was time to pick up the Mustang project as a way to bond and create memories with Nathaniel. He sees his relationship with his children as his absolute highest priority and to one day watch his son cruising down the street in his very own classic Mustang.

To this point in the restoration, they’ve got quite the head start. All with the help of 5-year-old Nathaniel, they’ve cleaned out the garage and have set up shop to work on the car. They’ve cleaned out the car’s interior and trunk, have begun the restoration of the nearly 55-year-old paint. They are all set up to pull the original 289 V-8, which will be getting a rebuild. If you want to keep up with Rob and Nathaniel and the progress on restoring their 1966 Mustang, be sure to follow their Instagram, YouTube, and new website as they continue to bring this classic Mustang car back to life.



PHOTOS / COURTESY ROB AND NATHANIEL GARDNER