Swan relives his glory days with a classic Ford Mustang
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By David Porter
Sometimes the money doesn’t matter. In 1967, Dennis Swan of Villa Grove bought his “first real car” as he was about to begin his junior year in high school. It was a Wimbledon white 19641/2 Ford Mustang — the first year for that model. When he saw a nearly identical car in a museum in Branson, Mo., in 2021 he had to have it.
“I paid too much,” he said. “I won’t even tell you what I paid for it.” It was outside on a rotating platform. “I told my kids I was going to buy that car before I told my wife,” he said. “They said, ‘She knows.’”
The car in Missouri didn’t run, but Dennis didn’t care. With the help of Tony Martin and Traders Auto Parts & More in Villa Grove, he began restoring it. He said the shop is mostly known for mower repairs, but “Tony is also an excellent machinist and is very creative with what he can do.”
His original Mustang was an automatic, but the “new” one has a 3-speed manual transmission. During the first two years that he had it, the suspension was replaced, and the brakes and rear end were rebuilt. During the winter of 2022-23, the engine and transmission were rebuilt. Many other upgrades also were done.
At the Ag Days car show in Villa Grove, Dennis declared that the car is “original enough.” He said he’s trying to keep the car as original as possible using original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts. “I only replace what needs to be replaced to keep it drivable and nice looking. He replaced its 14-inch wheels with “period correct” 15-inch wheels and tires.
Dennis explained that the Ford Mustang was the pet project of Lee Iacocca before he left Ford to manage Chrysler Corp. Ford wanted to present the new Mustang at the World’s Fair, which is why they launched it mid-year, Dennis said.
A little more than 121,500 Mustangs were produced before the official 1965 model year. While the 19641/2 model is not considered rare, it is in high demand as the first of its breed.
He said he plans more modifications to the car, but modern upgrades will be “hidden” so the car maintains its original look. He said he likes to drive it when he needs to take a brake from the world.
Dennis is a member of Sundowners Car Club in Champaign-Urbana, which hosted the show in Villa Grove. He said all of the registration fees for the shows go toward various charities. Sponsorships and donations are acquired to pay for trophies and other expenses. He said this year’s show benefited a food pantry in Champaign.