Younger brother for my '65...

[Varilux]

Needed a new car for the kids, and landed on an '03 convertible with <25k on the odometer.

Interesting to get the two side-by-side... its actually amazing to me how BIG the '03 is (they don't look like big cars until you get them beside an early Mustang).

So, now we have two six cylinder Mustangs, and the kids are looking forward to tagging along to Mustang meets in their own version of the Pony car. There's a ton of aftermarket stuff for the '99-04... even more than for the '65-66.

I prefer the Silver Smoke on mine, everyone else in the family seems to like the brighter Silver on the '03 (I think it looks pretty close to the "Silver Frost" that was available on the '66).

[88cougargt]

That's a nice SN95. For years I never liked that body style, but I'm starting to come around. I think the 94-01(?)s had unattractive lights/taillights. That 03 looks immaculate.

PS. Silver is the best color.

[ScottsGT]

Originally Posted by 88cougargt

That's a nice SN95. For years I never liked that body style, but I'm starting to come around. I think the 94-01(?)s had unattractive lights/taillights. That 03 looks immaculate.

PS. Silver is the best color.

SN-95 was '94-'04. In '99 they (enthusiasts) call it the "new edge" body.
'94-'95 had the horizontal tri-bar tail lights. Last of the 5.0 pushrod cars. In '96 they came out with the "three big hole" tail lights for lack of better words. '99 introduced the new, harder lines body all the way up to the redesigned '05 S-197.

For years I disliked the SN-95 body. But something happened along the way and I changed my mind, as one can tell by my signature line. I still don't feel like I'm getting into a Mustang everyday, especially after I spend the weekend working on the '66. But I can see some throwback designs in the dashboard area.

[Varilux]

My younger brother bought a '94 Cobra new off the lot, and I really liked everything about that car except for the tail lights. (He was 19 at the time, and the dealer wouldn't let him take a test drive till he finally went to the bank, got $10k cash and offered to let the dealership "hold" the money. He ended up paying cash for the car.)

When Ford re-skinned the body in '99, I initially hated everything but the tail lights! I was really happy when they came out with the retro '05 look. Over the last few years though, I've come to like the '99-05 styling better than anything that came after 1970.

My son has a lot of friends with Mustangs, and they usually meet up at a nearby Sonics every Wednesday. I make it over there sometimes in the '65, and always get a kick at the level of appreciation the early Mustang gets from the teens. Its like grandpa shows up for some street ball- and can still throw down!

[CobraSix]

We had a 99 Mustang Convertible for quite a while. I like the body style, and the 3.8L V6 is quite peppy. We ended up putting some GT 17" wheels on there and the car was like a slot racer on the curves.

[ScottsGT]

Originally Posted by Varilux

My son has a lot of friends with Mustangs, and they usually meet up at a nearby Sonics every Wednesday. I make it over there sometimes in the '65, and always get a kick at the level of appreciation the early Mustang gets from the teens. Its like grandpa shows up for some street ball- and can still throw down!

Mine too, but they have to come over and see mine since it won't move under it's own power yet.

Looking back on it, it's funny now, but right after I bought my son his '95, the ding dong got pulled for doing over 90 mph. He was lucky and got out of the ticket. That time. A few months later he got busted for 97 on the interstate. Hmmm. This reminds me, he owes me for the insurance increase that started last month.

[Smitten]

I've had at least one Mustang since I was 17 in 1970. I've had some of each generation except for the '05 and newer ones and no 71 -73's. All have had some appeal to me. At first, my '04 irriatated me in a number of ways, but after a few years of owning it, I love it! There is something about Mustangs that just suit me. Even the Fox bodies were okay but I only had one and I found them the least appealing, visually. The Mustang II's were pretty and actually pretty good cars for the time but nothing from the mid 70's held performance cred. I'd love to have all of them again, I just have the two now.

[TheDude]

Silver Smoke is an awesome color, but I don't like newer silver colors. That color just doesn't do anything but sit there and look bland.

[1966notch]

I'm jealous of you guys/gals down south that are able to drive yours or newer ones year round. I wouldn't make it to work about 10-15 days a year driving year round and I couldn't bring myself to get all that salt on them the other days.

[ScottsGT]

Originally Posted by 1966notch

I'm jealous of you guys/gals down south that are able to drive yours or newer ones year round. I wouldn't make it to work about 10-15 days a year driving year round and I couldn't bring myself to get all that salt on them the other days.

Keep in mind that during the summer months, it's just too danged hot to drive around with the top down. Mine's a spring/fall car!

[CobraSix]

Scott is right. I drive mine from May until the first snow or November. Benefit is I get 6 months of time where I don't mind working on the car and improving it. But the summers are so nice up here, I drive with the top down just about every day. So much so that even when I park it in the garage, I'll put the top up but I won't latch it. I only put it up to keep the top from creasing too much, though I don't know why I bother.

But I talk to my friends in the south and it's too hot to drive during the summers unless they've upgraded the AC system.

[Varilux]

That 03 looks immaculate.
I am really picky when it comes to cars, but this one is near perfect- the interior looks absolutely new (and the PO seems to have resisted the urge to put that silly ArmorAll over everything- which I really appreciate).

I like the body style, and the 3.8L V6 is quite peppy. We ended up putting some GT 17" wheels on there and the car was like a slot racer on the curves.
We plan to add a cat-back dual exhaust ($320- I wish it were that easy to put duals on my '65 ), and I was thinking it would be nice to lower the car 1.5". I understand that really improves the handling- and would greatly improve the looks IMO... like you said though- it goes pretty good with the V6 (I may never own another 8 cyl Mustang again).

Keep in mind that during the summer months, it's just too danged hot to drive around with the top down. Mine's a spring/fall car!
Here in Dallas, convertible season is February to May, and September to November. In Summer, it is almost always 100+ and it rarely cools below 90 or so even at night (argh- just thinking about it makes me cringe). No road salt though! My '65 spent its whole life in Ft. Worth and had almost zero rust when I got it.

I've had at least one Mustang since I was 17 in 1970. I've had some of each generation except for the '05 and newer ones and no 71 -73's.
I've had two '65s, a '76, an '80, an '85, and now the '03. I agree- the Mustang II was actually a nice looking car. My least favorite model was the early quad headlight Fox bodies- but I'd still be happy driving one of those. As long as it has that backwards running horse on the front, I'll drive it!

Silver Smoke is an awesome color, but I don't like newer silver colors. That color just doesn't do anything but sit there and look bland.
I definitely like SilverSmoke better- but silver has a lot going for it in general. It hides dirt, scratches, and dings really well- and IMO it tends to show off body features really well. Black is best- for the 5 minutes it stays clean, and maroon is probably the sharpest color... but its hard to knock a silver car.

Now my son wants to "take both Mustangs" to Charlotte for the 50th next year (might be nice to have a chase car on that trip)! Anyone else going to the MCA event in Charlotte?