Do you ever wonder what happened to some of the cars that were previously featured in this magazine? You know, the ones that were featured years ago. When we scanned through our older issues a couple of years ago, we wondered the same thing. Where are they now?
What happened to them? In the case of Gary Dempseys 68 fastback, we found out quite by accident. While at the Mustang Club of America National in Augusta, Georgia, about three years ago, we spied this Meadowlark Yellow beauty on the show floor. After eyeing it for several minutes, we approached the owner, Gary Dempsey, of Madison, Alabama, about a photo shoot. As we talked, we asked, Has it ever appeared in Mustang Monthly?
Yes, said Gary, it was in the Feb. 91 issue, I think. He talked about how then editor Tom Corcoran took photos of the car during one of its first outings and how he was happy to have his car featured in the magazine at the time. This was especially true since it was a daily driver that saw all the trouble and joy that goes into a car that sees continual road duty. As a side note, he told us that as a daily driver, the car did very well in the show ranks.
By 1998, when we spied it, the car had changed some. In 1996 Gary had taken a different path with the car, and some of his friends had begun to call it Ol Yeller. At that point, he decided to bring the faithful fastback into the MCA Concours-Driven ranks. Thats when he picked up a spray gun and squirted Sherwin-Williams acrylic enamel on the car to freshen up the finish. He also worked the undercarriage and detailed everything else to make the car competitive. During the restoration, Gary added C-stripes, Styled Steel wheels, and a dual exhaust with the GT valance for a more performance flair. The car still has the power steering, air conditioning, C4 automatic, and black standard interior from its first go-round in 1989. It has also continued its winning ways at the shows; so far, the car has garnered enough Golds to retire from active show participation.
We asked Gary if the faithful, old 68 had been an inspiration to those around him. My 68 has been one of the best things I have ever bought, said Gary. My wife, Charlotte, and I have had a great time in it, and I have made many new friends [because of the car]. It has inspired two of our sons to do the same thing. One son has a 69 Mach 1, and the other son has an 85 sedan. What more could you ask for from what we consider to be mans (and womans) best friend?