Paul Stegall’s 1966 Ford Mustang Coupe
1966 Ford Mustang graduation gift from grandfather gives Paul Stegall love for hobby, life lessons.
Paul Stegall’s Mustang Story:
“My 1966 Ford Mustang, better known to Ford as 6R07T201045, was born on May 18, 1966. This car, built in Ford’s San Jose Assembly Plant in California, was released for public purchase through the Los Angeles District Sales Office. Since Ford’s records for first-generation Mustangs were destroyed, there is no info on this car beyond that. The door tag, located on the inside of the driver’s-side door, and the car’s VIN plate, can both be decoded to gain build information. First, here’s what the VIN plate tells me:
6 = 1966
R = San Jose, CA (build plant)
07 = Hardtop (coupe)
T = 200ci Inline 6
201045 = Sequential number
“And now to decode the data on the door tag:
65A = Hardtop, Standard Interior, Bucket Seats
H = Sahara Beige (exterior color)
D9 = Parchment with Palomino interior
18E = May 18, 1966 (build date)
71 = Los Angeles, CA (DSO or District Sales Office)
3 = 3.20 rear end
6 = C4 Automatic transmission
“My family’s personal history with this car traces back to 1985, when my grandfather, Paul R. Stegall, purchased the Mustang pretty much in its current state – in terms of interior and exterior paint at least. The car had been painted red (unsure of what ‘red’ it actually is), and all interior panels were spray painted black, over the original ‘Parchment with Palomino’ interior. The original 200 cubic-inch six was removed at some point between 1976 and 1985, as a 250-cid inline six was installed from a 1976 Ford Maverick. My grandfather bought it somewhat locally, near the Newton Falls, Ohio, area. He lived (and still does) in Cleveland, where the car had been with him for some 30 years. He drove the car for a few years, and then it began overheating and suffering from a variety of mechanical issues, so it was parked.
“As a side note, when I was a kid in grade school, my grandfather always told me I would get the Mustang when I graduated high school, so I had been pestering him about it throughout my high school years. In late 2017, I was beginning my junior year of high school – and had no mechanical knowledge of cars, or anything else mechanical from that point. I had begun ‘excavating’ the car from its resting place in anticipation of finally getting to own it. I had found the car in a dusty state, but it was otherwise quite clean, rust free, and complete. Later that year, we got the car running and driving. The Mustang was eventually driven by my grandfather to my home in Parma, Ohio, where I could begin the process of fixing numerous things and make it safe as a daily driver once I graduated from high school.
“One of the first things I did to the car was to rebuild the original drum brakes – front and back – by utilizing videos I saw on YouTube, and various diagrams I had found. (Remember, I’m just a kid in AV class with no knowledge of automotive repair whatsoever). I was successful, and the car stopped on a dime. The next item on my agenda was overhauling the cooling system, which included my very first mistake on the car. Having no real automotive knowledge, I installed my thermostat backwards, and had no idea why my car was still overheating. It took me two years to realize the mistake I had made – which was a huge learning lesson, and still is today: Always triple-check your work!
“In 2019, I was finally gifted the car in June for my high school graduation, as promised. Even with a backwards thermostat, the car ran great – but I wanted more. I wanted to go back to it being all original – or somewhat original, and my big issue was the taller 250 inline six that had been improperly squeezed into my 1966 Mustang. Today, I know these engines will fit with some slight modifications, but before that I had no idea that I could make it fit better. So, I found an original 200-cid inline six from an early 1967 Mustang, cleaned it up, and swapped it into the car in early 2020. The car was slowly coming together, just the way I had planned – and had wanted. I always said I wanted the setup to be 99 percent original – and that’s because I had a stainless-steel exhaust header for the car – and a dual exhaust system out the back.
“Another mistake I made was that I rushed the engine swap. If I had taken more time to do the engine swap properly, I could’ve rebuilt the motor and had a great cruiser. But instead I rushed it, didn’t rebuild the motor, and it had major issues -- tons of blow-by, a rod knock, it was a mess. So in the winter of 2021, I rebuilt a motor properly. The key lesson here is, take your time!
“In March of 2021, the new engine was in and running great. I installed an original Autolite 2100 carburetor with a Vintage Inlines aluminum adapter, plus my stainless-steel header (but modified by myself to be compatible with aftermarket A/C), and a bigger cam. The car ran great … for 500 miles. In May 2021 it developed a suspected head-gasket leak. Upon further inspection, one of the piston wrist pins had walked, gouging out the cylinder wall and destroying my brand-new engine block. I was devastated.
“With the help of lots of friends, especially Bill Davis and Badman Racing Engines, I was able to rebuild ANOTHER motor in a few weeks, and I was back on the road that June. As of today, with almost 1,000 miles on my engine, the car still runs great -- and my Grandfather who gifted me the Mustang is thrilled as well. The car has had four engines in it over the past two years – I’ve given this car my all, and there’s still a long way to go!
“A few points to take away from this experience include:
Always be willing to learn – I’m 20 years old, and five years ago I couldn’t tell you how an engine worked; but today, thanks to the teachings of others, I can rebuild my engine like the back of my hand.
Always triple-check your work
Don’t get into the car hobby for the money – enjoy it along the way. I couldn’t tell you how many close friends I have made in the last four years who have helped me countless times with my car.
Be willing to help others – you never know the next time you’ll be stuck on the side of the road
You may not succeed the first time – but persevere and you’ll make it. If I can put four engines in my car, you can too – so don’t get discouraged.”
(photo credit: Paul Stegall)
