SuddenDeath
Forum Member
Engine assembly completed. Planning engine/trans installation next weekend.
Joe Ruggirello, Gapp and Roush Mustang II
- Thread starter SuddenDeath
- Start date
Instigator
POHO's finest Redneck!
Great job ! BBF in a II is just plain awesome
SuddenDeath
Forum Member
Engine installed! Doing transmission today. Also got the rear windshield in, moldings on, dash cleaned up, pedals in. Starting to come together.
black88coupe
Club Member
Looks awesome!
2fastforU92
Club Member
Looks awesome!
SuddenDeath
Forum Member
Another view of the engine install.
ersatzknarf
New member
Absolutely beautiful workmanship ! ! !
SuddenDeath
Forum Member
Transmission installed, 4 C/E shocks, doors latched, drivers side rear head bolt clearance made (long story). Really starting to come together. Yesterday spent creating/duplicating the original wiring harness/mods using an NOS one.
Those who have read the Sudden Death article in the April 1977 issue of Hot Rod, the license plate will look familiar! Plate frame is from Fred Grande Ford, where the car was about new (Thanks Terry Z!).
Those who have read the Sudden Death article in the April 1977 issue of Hot Rod, the license plate will look familiar! Plate frame is from Fred Grande Ford, where the car was about new (Thanks Terry Z!).
SuddenDeath
Forum Member
Actually, the rears are Appliance brand wheels and original to the car. The fronts are ET 14x6. I do have the original 13x6 ET slots, but could not get tires to fit them.
sardeanie
Club Member
Well that makes it even cooler! I'm a big fan of this car. I have a nice stock 1971 Pinto this thread makes me think of cutting it up. LOL The power to weight ratio in this type of car is crazy!
Your little Mustang is a real gem and rolling history. Can wait to see it run!
Ghoul_Power
New member
Tom,
First let me say congratulations on acquiring the coolest/baddest sleeper street race car ever. I like sleepers….all my fast cars were sleepers…..I like the surprised look on drivers faces when they realize they underestimated their opponent.
Your restoration is absolutely amazing. Top notch! The only change I’d make to your plans is to paint the bumpers body color. I’m guessing Joe didn’t because they were close enough at the time….but I’d guess he’d have liked them matching.
Let me tell you a little about my experience with Joe’s Mustang. I lived a little less than a mile and a half from the Nugget restaurant. In 1976 I was 17 years old and remember seeing Joe’s Mustang II on the streets. I always felt the Mustang II was the worst of all the Mustangs yet Joe’s Mustang II is my all time favorite Mustang….sounds kinda weird doesn’t it? I remember the first time I pulled up behind it and thinking…..holy cow look at the slicks and the narrowed rear end! Back in 1976 what he did was certainly not the norm. I had a ton of respect for his subtle sleeper.
My memories are only during the time it had the 460 in it. I went out onto I-696 and watched him race it from a standing start against an early model Barracuda. The start was great, Joe’s Mustang was not that loud back then (another reason I liked it….more sleeper-like) and the Barracuda made all sorts of noise. When the flashlight lit the Cuda roared like mad and Joe’s car just launched like it was on the deck of an Aircraft Carrier. No muss, no fuss , minimum wheel spin and just the most awesome launch I ever saw. He was gone in seconds….the Cuda never knew what hit him. That was the moment I became deeply infatuated with that Mustang II.
I wasn’t part of the regular scene at the Nugget (I was still in High school after all) but did spend a lot of time in the area, and a few nights up at the Nugget. I don’t remember how many times I saw Joe’s car (it was many) but I remember hearing about the 500 incher he was having built for it. And until he lost (if he did) to Steve Lisk’s Challenger he owned the title ”King of the Road”. There were many a night he would drive up to the Nugget and Lisk would tow his car up to show it off but not run it. More of why I liked Joe…..he backed his word….he drove it regular. Steve Lisk’s car was no street sleeper….it looked like it didn’t belong on the road….tunnel ram hood scoop, wheelie bars, Centerline spun aluminum racing wheels…..the only thing missing was a ‘chute on the back (ha ha). And do you really drive a Lenko shifter on the road regularly?
Is that a real license plate you have there?
Keep up the great work,
Brian B.
First let me say congratulations on acquiring the coolest/baddest sleeper street race car ever. I like sleepers….all my fast cars were sleepers…..I like the surprised look on drivers faces when they realize they underestimated their opponent.
Your restoration is absolutely amazing. Top notch! The only change I’d make to your plans is to paint the bumpers body color. I’m guessing Joe didn’t because they were close enough at the time….but I’d guess he’d have liked them matching.
Let me tell you a little about my experience with Joe’s Mustang. I lived a little less than a mile and a half from the Nugget restaurant. In 1976 I was 17 years old and remember seeing Joe’s Mustang II on the streets. I always felt the Mustang II was the worst of all the Mustangs yet Joe’s Mustang II is my all time favorite Mustang….sounds kinda weird doesn’t it? I remember the first time I pulled up behind it and thinking…..holy cow look at the slicks and the narrowed rear end! Back in 1976 what he did was certainly not the norm. I had a ton of respect for his subtle sleeper.
My memories are only during the time it had the 460 in it. I went out onto I-696 and watched him race it from a standing start against an early model Barracuda. The start was great, Joe’s Mustang was not that loud back then (another reason I liked it….more sleeper-like) and the Barracuda made all sorts of noise. When the flashlight lit the Cuda roared like mad and Joe’s car just launched like it was on the deck of an Aircraft Carrier. No muss, no fuss , minimum wheel spin and just the most awesome launch I ever saw. He was gone in seconds….the Cuda never knew what hit him. That was the moment I became deeply infatuated with that Mustang II.
I wasn’t part of the regular scene at the Nugget (I was still in High school after all) but did spend a lot of time in the area, and a few nights up at the Nugget. I don’t remember how many times I saw Joe’s car (it was many) but I remember hearing about the 500 incher he was having built for it. And until he lost (if he did) to Steve Lisk’s Challenger he owned the title ”King of the Road”. There were many a night he would drive up to the Nugget and Lisk would tow his car up to show it off but not run it. More of why I liked Joe…..he backed his word….he drove it regular. Steve Lisk’s car was no street sleeper….it looked like it didn’t belong on the road….tunnel ram hood scoop, wheelie bars, Centerline spun aluminum racing wheels…..the only thing missing was a ‘chute on the back (ha ha). And do you really drive a Lenko shifter on the road regularly?
Is that a real license plate you have there?
Keep up the great work,
Brian B.
SuddenDeath
Forum Member
Brian, I sent you a PM!
Thank you SO MUCH for your memories of the car!! It means so much to me to have that to keep with the car. I'm saving the memories of those who knew the car when new.
Awesome stuff!!
BTW...the plates are reproductions of the ones in the sudden death article. I thought it would be cool to add that touch to it, so when photographed, it would appear as it did.
You're right on the Lenco. In no way is it a streetable trans without modifications, which it didn't have.
Thank you SO MUCH for your memories of the car!! It means so much to me to have that to keep with the car. I'm saving the memories of those who knew the car when new.
Awesome stuff!!
BTW...the plates are reproductions of the ones in the sudden death article. I thought it would be cool to add that touch to it, so when photographed, it would appear as it did.
You're right on the Lenco. In no way is it a streetable trans without modifications, which it didn't have.
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gdwrench
Forum Member
Man I tell ya, your doing a very nice job with this project.....coming together nicely:nod:
Hope you have something lined up after this is finished since your so used too staying busy and focused on this... I've found that I need too start another project, or I'll get somewhat depressed if I'm not being creative with my time.Paying so much attention to detail is quite an.......obsession ??lol
Once again, nice work
Hope you have something lined up after this is finished since your so used too staying busy and focused on this... I've found that I need too start another project, or I'll get somewhat depressed if I'm not being creative with my time.Paying so much attention to detail is quite an.......obsession ??lol
Once again, nice work
Ghoul_Power
New member
Tom,
You're welcome....sometimes I wish I could download memories and save videos of them.....unfortunately back in those days not many people carried cameras nor did they use the ones they did have as it was expensive to buy and develop film. You're actually lucky to have several articles with pictures about your car. I'd pursue finding the people that took the pictures for those articles as I'd guess they took more pictures than what got published....if they are still around.
Here's a little surprize for you that I had made several months ago when I found your thread here about SD.
Brian B.
You're welcome....sometimes I wish I could download memories and save videos of them.....unfortunately back in those days not many people carried cameras nor did they use the ones they did have as it was expensive to buy and develop film. You're actually lucky to have several articles with pictures about your car. I'd pursue finding the people that took the pictures for those articles as I'd guess they took more pictures than what got published....if they are still around.
Here's a little surprize for you that I had made several months ago when I found your thread here about SD.
Brian B.
