Save Carol's 850,000 Mile Mustang

   Hi, friends, family and others. I have a friend named Carol.  Please help in any way you can to help her restore her demolished 850,000 mile 1968 Mustang, affectionately known as the "Blue Beast." even if it is only sharing her story with others. Any help would be greatly appreciated.   Below is her story.


   Some people have their kids.  Others have their pets.  Then there are those who are devoted to their cars, a different breed altogether.

   Take Carol Marini of Fairfield, CA and her l968 V-8 Ford Mustang 2-door hardtop.  She is the original owner and her beloved "Blue Beast" is the ONLY car that she has owned and driven for 50 years.

   What makes her story so unique and special is that the odometer has over 850,000 accumulative miles on it.  850,729 miles to be exact until her car was involved in a recent horrific accident and is now totaled.





   Furthermore, it has had 3 engine overhauls and the current engine and transmission have 342,193 miles, virtually unheard of as Ford engines were not designed to reach such high mileage.

   Carol is heartbroken and devastated as this car was the most important thing in her life.  She is without any family for support and help, and wants to save it to continue its legacy in hopes that it will reach 1,000,000 miles.

   It has not gone unnoticed and has received considerable media attention with t.v., internet, and newspaper coverage.  She even has a letter of commendation from William Ford, Jr., when the odometer rolled over 800,000 miles in March 2011.


   "I love the style of the car, and that it has a personality and makes a statement unlike most cars on the road today," Carol states.  "It has character and is a large part of my identity.  But equally important, my car has played an important role in my life, especially during the last decade after I lost my home, income, and life savings as a victim of a Ponzi scheme."

   The Mustang, she states, "has been my salvation, sanctuary, and means of escape.  It has given me freedom and peace.  It has been vital to my sanity and survival and I am certain I would not have prevailed without it.  It has meant much more to me than just a form of transportation.  It has been my best friend."

   Carol walked away from the accident with only minor injuries.  She believes that the sturdy construction of the Mustang is what saved her life as the interior of the car protected her inside as her car went airborne.  She states,
Although the car is gone, if has repaid me for the care and attention I have given it all these years by saving my life."

HOW YOU CAN HELP

   Carol has very limited financial resoures due to the personal losses in her life.  To restore Carol's Mustang will require at least $45,000 to make it whole again.  The frame of the car has been destroyed in the accident and cannot be reused.  It will be necessary to obtain a shell from another '68 Mustang and then transfer parts of the original car, including the odemeter, to that car.  The interior and engine compartment are the only parts of the car that are reuable.

   "Unfortunately, the work required to make Carol's Mustang is very extensive.  If we can only find a usable shell, it will need almost every exterior component.  If we were to find a complete car and transfer whatever we can, we will diminish the nostalgia and feel of her almost one million mile Mustang.  On paper, and in the insurance companies' eyes, the Mustang was not considered a specialty car, which will drastically decrease its value.  
However, to Carol there has never been anything more special.  She is a very sweet lady, and this is everything important to her.  I have had the pleasure of working with her several times, and she has always meticulously maintained both the mechanical and outward appearance of her car.  If there were even the slightest damage, she would scrape together anything she could to get it looking pristine again.  It truly is a tragedy, and she doesn't feel like she has her other half anymore.  As life goes, when losing a loved one, you can never replace them; but in this situation, we can come as close as possible to give her what she loves most, a vintage Mustang that she has been united with for almost 50 years."
Cory F, Auto Body Specialist

   There are very few cars on the road today of any make or model that have 850,000 accumulative miles.  Even if one could be found, it is doubtful that it has been as meticulously maintained and as striking in appearance as Carol's beloved Mustang.  If there is any car that has been a walking advertisement and testament to the longevity and durability of  the Mustang for the last 50 years, it is hers.

   Any donations to help preserve Carol's Mustang and to continue its unique history will be greatly appreciated.