"puppyknuckles" (puppyknuckles)
06/25/2014 at 16:39 • Filed to: None
8
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"puppyknuckles" (puppyknuckles)
06/25/2014 at 16:39 • Filed to: None | 8
| 33 |
This July, I am going to drive from my home in Brooklyn, New York, to Los Angeles and back again. It's just something I've always wanted to do. It's a special for me, not just because I get to see the whole country and spend time with some of my favorite people (including my dad, who will join me for the entire length of Route 66 from Chicago to California), but because the idea of driving a Ford Mustang clear across the USA has been on my mind ever since I was a little kid. It's going to be epic, and I'm truly lucky that I get to do it. But why is the Mustang so special? Why does it matter what kind of car you take on a 6000+ mile trip?
Back in the 1980s in Boise, Idaho, I had three posters on my bedroom wall that I can clearly remember. The first one was the ubiquitouspre-pubescent male car poster: the Lamborghini Countach. A red one, in profile, with the scissor doors wide open. Truly a demonstration of my rare, refined taste, I thought, especially at my age, which I could still represent by holding up enough fingers. Then I also had a movie poster for a completely forgettable film called License To Drive starring both Corey Feldman and Corey Haim. (The late '80s were peak Corey.) And finally, there was this poster, which 30 years later is framed and hanging in my kitchen:
When I look at the Mustang Does It! poster, I see what you see, which is an awkward, weird, and if we're honest, bad-looking poster, but I also see the tangible beginning of my life long love affair with the Ford Mustang. Somehow the Mustang bug bit me early. I had hot wheels, models, that poster, and it must have hit a fever pitch around 1987 when my high school aged brother Jason brought home a 1968 Mustang Coupe.
That's me and Jason (sporting a period correct pair of deck shoes and sweet mullet) washing the '68 in the driveway. Look at the super weird way I'm putting my hand on the door. What the hell am I doing? Also, just to illustrate what a car nerd I was even as a child: I am wearing a sweatshirt with my very own bad drawing of a Countach on it.
Jason's '68 was a 289 V8 car with a dual exhaust (I think it had glass packs) and a three speed on the floor. I remember feeling like a huge bad ass when I got to join him and his friends cruising around Boise on a Saturday night. After Jason went to college, my dad would fire up the Mustang from time to time and say things like "hold on to your butts" and lay some rubber to entertain me and my friends.
As the years went by I grew up and never forgot about my dream of owning my own Mustang. I would rent them at every opportunity, trying to get a vicarious taste of what it would be like to own it, and still dreaming of the ultimate Mustang road trip. In 2012, after years of owning some real New York City beaters, I traded in and bought the first new car I ever owned, a 2012 Mustang GT. Here's me with the car about 20 minutes after purchasing it in Brewster, New York:
It's got a 400+ horsepower V8, a 6-speed manual transmission, and a 3.73 rear end, so it's definitely got the balls to tackle any challenge the USA has to offer, but it also has a premium interior with leather, Bluetooth, and a pretty darn good stereo and will make for a nice highway companion also.
It's hard to own a Mustang and not mod it a little bit. Now my car has some upgrades like SVT Brembo brakes, a Steeda fiberglass vented hood, Eibach springs, brake ducts, and some 19 staggered Forgestar CF5 wheels. I might even throw on the BOSS 302 side exhaust just for maximum eargasms around the country. The second I bought this car, I knew it sealed the deal on the cross country trip. Now's the time. I'll be chronicling the trip here on puppyknuckles.com starting in late July. I can't wait. Stay tuned!
T5Killer
> puppyknuckles
06/25/2014 at 16:42 |
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Awesome Mustang story. Sounds like a great drive in a Great looking Mustang. I cannot wait till you post up your passing through Albuquerque (my home town)
AM3R
> puppyknuckles
06/25/2014 at 16:43 |
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Damn, I was never really a mustang guy but this generation mustang just ticks all the right boxes. A 5.0 is seriously on my radar as a next car. Looooove the sound!
Nibby
> puppyknuckles
06/25/2014 at 16:45 |
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NEED A PASSENGER?
Cherry_man1
> puppyknuckles
06/25/2014 at 16:45 |
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How much of rt66 you taking cause it goes right through a few good spots I know and also near one of the best roads I know
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puppyknuckles
> T5Killer
06/25/2014 at 16:45 |
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I've been there once, but do you have any Albuquerque recommendations? Would be down to have a beer with any fellow Opponaughts!
themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
> puppyknuckles
06/25/2014 at 16:46 |
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I'm there with you. This August. I'm booking it from west michigan to miller motorsports park out in Utah for my ST academy class. Nothing but myself, a little blue Fiesta ST, and over 3200 miles of roads for company. Should be a fun week.
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puppyknuckles
> Cherry_man1
06/25/2014 at 16:47 |
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We are taking as much as is worth taking. Would love suggestions.
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puppyknuckles
> themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
06/25/2014 at 16:48 |
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Sounds sweet. That is supposed to be a fun track.
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T5Killer
> puppyknuckles
06/25/2014 at 16:48 |
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That would be awesome. Depending on how much you like hot food, I always recommend El Modelo for local food. For a beer I will have to ask around on a good spot since my son was born I haven't been out much LOL.
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puppyknuckles
> Nibby
06/25/2014 at 16:49 |
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That seat might be booked already but I'll keep it in mind!
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puppyknuckles
> T5Killer
06/25/2014 at 16:51 |
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I generally like my food hot. I'm weird like that. Cold beer is nice too.
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puppyknuckles
> AM3R
06/25/2014 at 16:51 |
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I love mine. The BOSS side exhaust is not cheap but man I am jonesing for it.
V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me!
> puppyknuckles
06/25/2014 at 16:57 |
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Enjoy the trip! That leadoff picture is fantastic BTW! Great location! Where is that you were parked?
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puppyknuckles
> V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me!
06/25/2014 at 17:05 |
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Thanks - that's at the end of Manhattan avenue in Greenpoint
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AM3R
> puppyknuckles
06/25/2014 at 17:08 |
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do it!!!! I've found that one of the best exhausts for the 328i (what I drive) just so happens to be the OEM performance exhaust... $1100 from a dealer. Might just bite the bullet because it will be SOOOOO worth it.
Battery Tender Unnecessary
> puppyknuckles
06/25/2014 at 17:11 |
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I drove the SLS to Austin and back from Virginia in April. After six hours of driving I stopped noticing the passage of time and the remaining felt like nothing. I had queued up a good number of podcasts and continued Game of Thrones on audible. You'll have a blast.
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puppyknuckles
> AM3R
06/25/2014 at 17:12 |
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I love OEM upgrades. This is ABSURD (skip to :54):
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puppyknuckles
> Battery Tender Unnecessary
06/25/2014 at 17:13 |
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What podcasts are you into?
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Battery Tender Unnecessary
> puppyknuckles
06/25/2014 at 17:15 |
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If you're into games, the best podcast on the planet is Giantbomb's. Hilarious and personal. Then of course, The Smoking Tire, Hooniverse and others.
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Cherry_man1
> puppyknuckles
06/25/2014 at 17:23 |
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well if you do the IL portion take a little time and go to the Great River Road in Alton IL best scenic road I know of I can also whip out my red monster and bring along for a while
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puppyknuckles
> Battery Tender Unnecessary
06/25/2014 at 17:25 |
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nice, thanks. I definitely played my fair share of games over the years!
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puppyknuckles
> Cherry_man1
06/25/2014 at 17:26 |
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I will certainly check that out. We're starting in Chicago. I would love to link up!
RightFootDown
> puppyknuckles
06/25/2014 at 17:34 |
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Great photos of your stang! I'm sure you'll have a blast.
Ferrero1911
> puppyknuckles
06/25/2014 at 17:46 |
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Sounds like you're going to have a great trip. How long are you expecting it to take? I'll be following along.
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AM3R
> puppyknuckles
06/25/2014 at 18:16 |
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WOW! Definitely do that before you start the trip. That's crazy. The want for a mustang is crazy high right now
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puppyknuckles
> Ferrero1911
06/25/2014 at 18:17 |
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I am budgeting around 3 weeks. Depending on what stops are going to be worth spending more time, I'm not afraid of doing some big mile days to even it out.
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Cherry_man1
> puppyknuckles
06/25/2014 at 18:26 |
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sweet I can meet you far north as litchfield il and follow you down to STL and the River Road
JR1
> puppyknuckles
06/25/2014 at 19:36 |
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Good for you man. I have always wanted a cross country road trip across the USA and that's a great way to do it in a Mustang.
wiffleballtony
> puppyknuckles
06/25/2014 at 23:04 |
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My first "new" car was also a 2012 Mustang GT. I also almost went with those Forgestar wheels. Ended up going with CF14s instead. Your car looks great.
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puppyknuckles
> wiffleballtony
06/26/2014 at 03:10 |
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Thanks - got any pics of your '12? How do you like the car?
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puppyknuckles
> Cherry_man1
06/26/2014 at 03:11 |
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I'll send you message when we get close out there
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wiffleballtony
> puppyknuckles
06/26/2014 at 16:22 |
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This is the most recent best I have here on my phone.
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puppyknuckles
> wiffleballtony
06/26/2014 at 19:28 |
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nice. Looks great in Kona Blue. Halogen headlights FTW too