- Story by Sean McIntyre Photographs by Don Denton

Colwood香蕉视频直播檚 Shawn Kosmuk never considered himself a Mustang fan, but instinct and circumstance had other plans. For the past seven years, Shawn has been hard at work rebuilding a vintage 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1. With the car nearly restored to its original state, he香蕉视频直播檚 prepared to concede he may have a little Mustang blood in his veins after all.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e been into cars my whole life, but I香蕉视频直播檝e never typically been a Mustang guy. I just like that body style, and everybody says 1969 is the year to have if you香蕉视频直播檙e going to have one,香蕉视频直播� he says. 香蕉视频直播淚 see cars as art and this one looks beautiful to me.香蕉视频直播�

Shawn may not have realized it at the time, but his connection to the classic car started when he was a child, watching 1968香蕉视频直播檚 Oscar-winning Bullitt. The movie features actor Steve McQueen driving a 1968 Mustang in what film critic Emanuel Levy called 香蕉视频直播渙ne of the most exciting car chases in film history, a sequence that revolutionized Hollywood香蕉视频直播檚 standards.香蕉视频直播� The 11-minute ride through the streets of San Fransisco is widely thought to have cemented the film香蕉视频直播檚 status as an instant classic.

Shawn may not be burning rubber and squealing turns amidst local landmarks like Fisherman香蕉视频直播檚 Wharf and the Coit Tower, but he香蕉视频直播檚 having a great time making do with the hills and curves of Southern Vancouver Island.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 an absolute joy to go up around these hills. It smells and feels like you香蕉视频直播檙e getting into a race car, and it香蕉视频直播檚 just so freeing 香蕉视频直播� you just go out for a cruise and listen to the engine,香蕉视频直播� he says. 香蕉视频直播淚 have so much fun driving it that it香蕉视频直播檚 hard to find time to do the work on it.香蕉视频直播�

Shawn figures he香蕉视频直播檚 completed about 98 per cent of his restoration but jokes that work on a classic car is never really finished. He began working on it about seven years ago, when he picked it up near his former home near Caroline, Alberta, about 60 kilometres southwest of Red Deer. The car香蕉视频直播檚 previous owner acquired it from a Seattle resident, but no longer had the time and energy to commit to what promised to be a massive restoration project.

香蕉视频直播淲hen I got it it was half yellow and half black. The original colour was lime green,香蕉视频直播� he says.

Shawn filled garbage bag after garbage bag with peelings from 11 layers of paint as he got down to bare metal. He carved out corrosion and welded in new rear-quarter panels, straightened out what appeared to be some minor collision damage on the front end and completely rebuilt the car香蕉视频直播檚 395-horsepower engine.

When he moved to the coast about two years ago, the Mustang was one of the few personal possessions Shawn brought with him from the prairies. The result is a near-fully-restored classic muscle car that香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈�檚 attracting attention across the West Shore.

香蕉视频直播淎nytime I stop, I香蕉视频直播檓 constantly getting thumbs up and whistled at,香蕉视频直播� he says. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a typical muscle car. It香蕉视频直播檚 a little bit loud, and it likes to go fast.香蕉视频直播�

Since the Mustang has its original suspension and drum brakes, driving it serves up one heck of a workout. And despite the car香蕉视频直播檚 sleek exterior, Shawn says, its handling characteristics require a 香蕉视频直播渟pecial touch香蕉视频直播� behind the wheel 香蕉视频直播� something that香蕉视频直播檚 given Shawn a new appreciation for how far car technology has evolved in the 50 years since this car first hit the road.

香蕉视频直播淚 can香蕉视频直播檛 imagine what things were like before this because they thought this was amazing for its time,香蕉视频直播� he says. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 fun to drive, but it香蕉视频直播檚 also a good reminder of how far we香蕉视频直播檝e come in such little time.香蕉视频直播�