One time Bob had to get a new ignition key made, as it had been so worn down from decades of use that the attendant at the hardware store couldn’t make him a new one from the original. He had to order a new ignition switch with matching new keys. Another time, after 25 years of continuous use, Bob's Mustang just stopped in the road for what he felt was “no reason." Turns out he ran out of gas, even though the gas gauge showed there was fuel in the tank. After being towed to a repair shop, Bob expected to buy a replacement gauge, but it was really the float that went bad inside the tank. It was one of the few times his Mustang needed a tow.
While Bob and his wife were coming back from a trip to Yellowstone National Park during the 1970s, the Mustang began losing coolant, so he pulled into a gas station. Bob discovered that the car’s heater core had sprung a leak. They suggested Bob use the old trick of bypassing the heater, so he just cut the heater hoses and blocked them off using a piece of broomstick and some hose clamps – one of those owner lessons learned after spending years on the road.
By the time Bob’s Mustang finally passed 100,000 miles, he noticed that his original 289 V-8 was burning a little oil and could use and overhaul. To preserve originality, he told the engine rebuilder that he wanted the original block, heads and intake to be kept for the rebuild. “I pulled the motor out myself,” he said proudly, “and after it was rebuilt I put it back in myself.”
Today, Bob Wright is retired and at age 76 is a resident of the East SF Bay Area. He is also part of the Veteran’s Association of Diablo Valley, and a docent at the Veterans Memorial Building of San Ramon Valley, in Danville, California. One of his friends at the Veteran’s Center knew of Bob’s Mustang, and suggested he take it to a local car show. Another friend who is restoring and building a 1952 Peterbilt show truck told Bob, “You really should bring your Mustang to our o the "Danville Hot Summer Sundays" Car Show.” Bob felt his “survivor” Mustang wasn’t show worthy, but his friends won out – and on July 21st of this year, he drove it to the show Danville.
