MOTORS & ME: Thomas Cowderoy - 1975 Ford Mustang Mach 1

Thomas Cowderoy shows us around his 1975 Ford Mustang Mach 1.

What are you currently driving?

A 1975 Ford Mustang II Mach 1

Love at first sight, or just a means to get from A to B?

Love at first sight. I wanted a vintage car for ages and when I saw it, I knew this was the one. I drove up to Dublin to see it, but I knew that I would be driving home in it.

What’s under the bonnet?

The car is fitted with the famous 302cu V8 small block engine, a 5.0 ltr engine that was very commonly used by Ford in the US in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. This one was completely rebuilt around 2003 and in a recent test still provided 125 BHP and 295nm Torque.

Petrol head or Sunday driver?

Somewhere in between. It’s been a steep learning curve. I have done a lot of little jobs on it, but I rely on other Gas CC members and friends with more experience for guidance.

What was your first car?

My first car was a 90s Toyota Starlet. I had no credit in Ireland as I had just moved from the UK. I got £800 from the credit union. I learned a lot about maintenance from that car. The first time I drove it, it actually sounded a bit like an American muscle car but would not go any faster than 75 km/h, turned out one of the spark plugs was defective

What else do/did you own?

After that I had an Avensis with a 1.6 petrol, then my favourite ever a Subaru Legacy 3.0R. I loved that car, but when I got a mortgage I had to get sensible with a Volvo V70 2.0 Turbo, most commonly referred to as the hearse due to it’s length. Sensible was pretty boring, hence the Mustang.

Dream drive in dream location?

I drove to my brother’s in the UK. I had the Subaru Legacy, he had an RX7 and we drove down to our mother’s in Strasbourg and on into Germany. His car kept over-heating, we missed our train for the Channel tunnel, the suspension was never the same from the wine, but it was an epic trip. Opening up the Legacy on the Autobahn was something else

Passenger you’d most like on a long journey?

I have to say my partner, even though she keeps jabbing her right foot down doing the ‘fake break’

Passenger you’d least like?

Some days, also my partner

What’s on your playlist?

It’s a bit sad but I made a Mustang playlist - Led Zepplin, AC/DC - 70s rock. There’s nothing like cruising around in the Mustang on a sunny day with ‘Highway to Hell’ blaring. ZZ Top (above) actually invited the club (Gas CC) to their gig at the Marquee last year. All we had to do was park the cars on the way in. It was a great night.