Yo Club Winner
Owner: Adam Sanders
Location: Millersville, MD
Vehicle: '67 Mustang fastback
Engine: 306ci V-8
Length of Ownership: 7 years
Primary Use: Weekend driver
Adam has wanted a '67 since he was 7 years old. Watching Steve McQueen tear about San Francisco in Bullitt planted the seed. Although the odds were seemingly stacked against him in terms of finding a suitable car within his budget, Adam finally hit pay dirt in 2001.
Adam had just transferred to a new high school, and one day a girl told him her mother had a Mustang she wanted to sell. It turned out to be a '67 fastback V-8, four-speed, and once Adam laid eyes on it, the rest, as they say, was history.
This particular '67 was originally Raven Black, but by the time Adam acquired it, it had been repainted in Midnight Blue. He went halves on the purchase price of $7,000 with his father and has, quite literally, spent every cent he has to bring it back up to snuff. "My father did pay for a repaint, but other than that, I've pretty much done everything else on my own. When I was 18, I was an apprentice in high school and swapped the engine on my own with a buddy of mine."
Adam has since installed a five-speed trans and a 9-inch rear. He also upgraded the steering and suspension, along with the interior, and added new wheels and tires. "For the first five years I owned it, it was my daily driver until I could afford a beater car," Adam says. "I've put my heart and soul into my '67, and realistically, the car doesn't like to be driven on a daily basis."
Although Adam has been through a lot with his car, including some nightmare scenarios with the paint and transmission, he loves his '67 and will never, ever sell it. He also says it will never be finished. Yes, Adam, we know exactly what you mean. Congratulations on such a fine car.
Way back in 1980, Len Athanasiades wanted to get some parts for his '69 Firebird but wasn't having much luck. In response to this, as well as a desire to preserve classic American cars, he decided to start his own business buying and selling used parts, and thus Year One was born.
The company has grown from humble origins in Len's basement into a multimillion-dollar operation that supports no fewer than 18 separate individual car lines, including classic ('641/2-'73) and late-model ('79-present) Mustangs. The very same work ethic that Len started out with in his basement remains true to this day. YearOne treats every customer as a friend, recognizing that the hard-working hobbyists across the land who spend their free time wrenching in their driveways or garages form the backbone of the hobby.
Thanks to considerable engineering expertise and insight, YearOne has also branched out from the parts business to build specialty limited-production vehicles and bring together enthusiasts from all walks of life during open house events and at the annual YearOne Experience. For more information about YearOne or to request your catalog, contact YearOne at (800) 932-7663 or online at www.yearone.com.