After I sold my 2005 GT Premium, I was looking for a ’67
or ’68 Mustang (Shelby style in black with
stripes and big wheels, like my ’05.) My dream was to have a fastback,
but they’re too expensive.
(Maybe in my next life!) So I called Mustang dealers from all over Germany
asking for a Coupe. Everybody
said, "Sure, I can order one in the USA. You have to pay half of
the price first, and you pay the
balance when the car arrives in Germany." They showed me pictures
from good looking cars, but you
can’t see under the car in any of these pictures. I told myself
that I can’t buy a car I’ve never seen
before.
So, my wife and I drove to a lot of car shows. Every Sunday we were in
another corner of Germany
looking for Mustangs that were for sale “by owner.” We found
a lot but not one looked like what I was
looking for. So, I finally understood that an original car is the best
that I can buy because no one has “pimped-it-up” before.
After a few months of searching I found an address on the internet. There
is a guy named Matthias
Ohlendorf, and he has been selling American cars for 25 years. I contacted
him and a few days later I
visited him in Braunschweig (which is 480 miles from me.) He showed me
pictures of Mustangs in the
USA (like the other dealers before) BUT he didn’t want any money
before the car arrived Germany -
and before I actually got to see the Mustang. He said, “If you don’t
like the car when you see it, I’ll sell
it to the next guy.” So from that day on, Matthias and I exchanged
250 e-mails within six months and
he showed me hundreds of pictures. You have to know that the pictures
from the Mustangs he sells are
from every corner of the car, so sometimes he sent me over 80 pictures
from ONE car!!!!
In the meantime, one year passed and some days I didn’t believe
that I would ever find the right car
for me. But, Matthias said every time, "Take your time, I swear we
will find YOUR Mustang. The day
will come."
Finally one day he called me and he was very anxious. He said, "One
of my partners in the States found
a coupe, driven 41 years by a lady in Walnut Creek, CA, absolutely original,
in very good condition, only
one owner – and that can be your car!!!" Two hours later I
had the first pictures from this Mustang on
my computer. Damn, that car looked good! I called him and said that he
has to bring the car to Germany, “And then we will see. O.K.?” Three
weeks later, I drove 480 miles again, this time to see that
Mustang! It looked the same as it did in the pictures. I took a test drive
and then we make the
deal! THE MUSTANG WAS MINE - YEAH!
It is a Brittany Blue Coupe, 289, 2 V, C4 automatic and only one owner
in all this years - UNBELIEVABLE!!!
After I got the Mustang home, I opened the trunk
and I found the receipts from every service ( like oil
changes ) that the lady had done in the last ten
years. All the bills are from the same garage - the
Ford dealer in Walnut Creek, CA. The lady who
owned the Mustang before me was named Jane
Seaman. I searched the internet and I found this
Ford dealer. I wrote him a letter and included
pictures from my Mustang. I hoped that he could
remember the car or Mrs. Seaman. He answered me
very quickly. His name is Steve Von Gogh and I am
still in contact with him. He said that he was calling
Mrs. Seaman. She is very old, but he visited her and
showed her the pictures. He said that she has
dementia, BUT she can remember her car, which she
drove all those years. She was very happy to see
that her Mustang is still in good hands.
So that is my story of how I came to own my car. I bought
new Magnum 500 rims, a deluxe center console, a new
steering wheel, deluxe floor mats and stuff like that. I
would like to keep the Mustang as original as I can, and I
think I can do that. One thing I am 100% sure of… I will
never sell this car - it’s my baby!
I hope you like my story. Best wishes from Germany!
Your friend, (and new member) Alex
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