Joe Ruggirello, Gapp and Roush Mustang II

Guys...thanks for the kind comments too. I'm doing my absolute best to do the car justice. You wouldn't believe how many hours went into just getting that rear suspension setup just right. I spent many hours just studying the old photos/articles alone!
 
SD made it into the latest August issue of Modified Mustangs and Fords Magazine. Couple of details aren't right, but not a bad piece on the car. Photos are a bit dated now, since then I've completed sorting it out with only cosmetics left to do.

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I need more pics ever since I read the articles you posted I've been completly fascinated with this era I've been researching the subject like crazy knowing that all of this happened the same place's I go to cruise me only being 21 I had no idea things went to this extent
 
Quick pic of the car with the rear suspension done. Stance is now back to original. The mufflers/pipes kind of bother me. The new headers are tucked up tighter than the original JR pieces were. I'm planning on modifying the trans crossmember a bit for clearance, so I can change the angle of the mufflers/pipes and they'll be tucked up nice and tight when finished.

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Anyone have any old personal photos of this car? Anyone know who Joe Ruggirello sold the car to in Miami? I'm desperately trying to get some owner history on it, but I haven't been able to find a thing and no one has come forward as having owned the car in the past.

I believe Joe sold the car in 1981, according to Hot Rod Magazine (Gray Baskerville) it was to a guy in Miami. Apparently, it was in Florida until at least 1995 when I saw it at the Fun Ford Weekend in Gainesville, then disappeared again. At some point it was in Indiana for awhile, then off to New Jersey where I found it.

Any chance someone can help with some missing pieces?

Thanks!

Tom
 
Have stripped the car down for paint/body work! I've already taken the hood, fenders, hatch, bumpers, header panel, valence to the media blaster to be picked up this coming Friday. At least its a start at getting the car back to original.

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Bottom end...4 bolt block, XE Can Am oil pump/pick up system, 4.15" stroke crank, Carrillo rods, BRC forged pistons, General Kenetics solid roller

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Still hoping someone can add some owner history for me. Still haven't been able to identify who Joe Ruggirello sold the car to in Miami back in 1981.
 
I take it the DMV for the states this car has been in has come up with no "title or registration" history on file for that vin number?
 
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Hotrodhawk said:
I take it the DMV for the states this car has been in has come up with no "title or registration" history on file for that vin number?
Click to expand...

Florida has nothing, they purge their old records and unfortunately, this car left the state too many years ago to get a hit...I tried. Florida used to keep historical records, but quit doing it several years ago. The car apparently left this state in 1995.

Michigan...I just got the paperwork off in the mail to the state to see if they have anything on record. Not sure if they purge them after a few years like Florida does or not. I'm hoping they'll still have something!

New Jersey...their process doesn't permit citizens to access records. I may pursue using a PI and have them access them for me..for a fee of course. I've tried for over a year to get the guy I got it from to give me the info on who he bought it from, but have had no luck.

Indiana...I think the car was there for a while as well. There is a detail shop decal on the drivers door from Fort Wayne, IN. Haven't tried them yet...
 
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I found/printed out forms for Indiana DMV records, but they only keep them for 10 years and I believe the car left there just about 1999/2000, so not sure if I'll get anything there...I'm going to send it off anyway just in case!

Hard to believe no one knows this car after it left Detroit...its had at least 3 other owners between Joe and I...you'd think one of them would offer up some help. The owner before the guy I got the car from is the one who removed the original rear suspension, which possibly he still has laying around. How I wish I could put the puzzle together!
 
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Got a call today from Michigan DMV....they don't keep records back past 10 years, so no help there.

I keep hoping someone on here might know someone who knows Joe Ruggirello or knows him personally and might ask him for me or put me in touch with him?

Mean time..I'll keep trying other avenues...
 
Got nothing from Indiana as far as title history either, so I'm back to square one.

I've been working on the car as much as time permits lately. Have repaired both sides of the rusted out cowl section. Picking it up from the media blaster today. Had the cowl/firewall/engine compartment blasted to clean it up. Next project is repairing the trimmed out engine compartment apron areas that were cut for the turbos and continuing on with sealing up the cowl section.

Last week got the turbo drain tubes removed/cleaned up on the oil pan, repaired cracks/damage to the original fan shroud, fabricated a new oil pump pick up hose assembly, repaired the front bumper brackets where they had been cut up to install an intercooler and removed/repaired one poorly done fitting on the gas tank.

Moving forward little by little. Goal is still to have the car painted by Christmas!
 
Fabricated a new motor plate for it today from T6 plate. The original was badly corroded. I also left off the turbo mods, so it now appears exactly as originally built.

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