You have to admit, there is a feeling you get when you are driving a Mustang. Even walking into a car show, a sensation comes over you when you spot a Mustang in a sea of classic cars. For some people it is a feeling of youth; for others it reminds us of home or a special person in our lives. No matter what the feeling, even if you can't put your finger on it, we all get it. When we came across Roy and Peggy Newman's '67 GTA hardtop, we knew there was something special about those three, but what was it?
Maybe it was the car. If you look at the '67 Clearwater Aqua GTA hardtop, it really takes your breath away. When Roy and Peggy found this Mustang through the local newspaper, it had just received a fresh paint job and was looking sharp, except for the engine compartment, interior, and trunk. The GTA needed some hard work and tender loving care from its new owners. The 289 4V was removed and rebuilt and the engine bay was resprayed, requiring special care to restore everything back to stock condition. The aqua interior, with its stylish Interior Dcor Group, was revived as well. Outside of the Deluxe Interior, the car has deluxe seatbelts, AM radio, air conditioning, and tinted glass for those hot days. This car has the goodies, from its power steering and power disc brakes to the select shift Cruise-O-Matic C4 transmission, transferring power from the rebuilt 289 4V to the 3.00 rear-gear drive ratio in the 9-inch differential. There is something to envy about the power being pushed out to the Styled Steel wheels cradled on F70-14 wide oval white sidewall nylon tires.
Was the car all that attracted us to these three? No. When we started talking to Roy and Peggy Newman of Vashon Island, Washington, we found out that they are true Mustang fans, owning six Mustangs in their past and even driving their '88 GT convertible all the way to Charlotte, North Carolina, in the "Mustangs in Motion" caravan for Ford's 35th anniversary at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. We walked away from Roy and Peggy knowing we would find a place in the magazine for the GTA. But every time we walked past them, there they were all three, talking to someone who had a question.
Then it hit us: It wasn't only the '67 Clearwater Aqua GTA hardtop, and it wasn't only Roy and Peggy with their friendly nature. It was the whole package. There is nothing better at a car show than people who truly enjoy their cars. Roy and Peggy Newman genuinely do, and you can feel it when you are in the same parking lot with them. That is truly cool.