The Pony Express (many pictures)

[michelle]

Back in the day, my father had a '67 Mustang that he often raced at GLD and of course it saw some street action as well. He was telling me tonight that he won the "Falls National" two years in a row (just a yearly race at Tower with the group he hung out with at the time nothing official - just for fun).

Here are some pictures that I was able to scan in tonight. The car was sold to Jim (Dr. Ford) and now owned by a man named Steve, if I recall correctly.

There's plenty of stories about it. If you see in the pictures, it was hit by a drunk driver when it was in the garage at my Grandma's house, which explains the new rear end. It was repainted blue before it was sold to Jim. There are a few pictures of it at the World of Wheels show.

Well enough typing, here are the pictures.

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/1.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/10.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/11.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/12.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/13.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/14.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/20.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/21.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/22.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/23.jpg

For those that might have known Gary Lemke:
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/2.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/20.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/21.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/22.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/23.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/24.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/25.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/26.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/27.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/28.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/3.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/4.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/5.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/6.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/7.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/8.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/9.jpg

My mother's '73 Mach 1:
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/73mach1-2.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/73mach1.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/73towing1.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/73towing2.jpg

World of Wheels car show:
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/wowshow.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/wowshow2.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/wowshow3.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/wowshow4.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/wowshowsign.jpg

After it was hit:
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/NewRear1.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/NewRear2.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/NewRear3.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/NewRear4.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/NewRear5.jpg

And then it was painted:
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/NewPaint1.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/NewPaint2.jpg


He said he had it in the 10.5x's at GLD.

[SBC-Fox]

bad ass stang and a piece of history

[Reverend Cooper]

lots of mullets even then in those pix

[BOSS LX]

Very cool!

[1320PNY]

I love the whole "Pony Express" idea. I even took my car to NE to take pictures in front of the original MidWest Pony Express station. That was one beautiful car. The real intersting part of your story is the Grandma's garage part. It shows how even back in the day, Mother's would put up with anything as long as they saw the love and passion their Son has for something, even drag racing. Having another Mustang as a tow vehicle is impressive as well. I doubt the S197 would make a good tow vehicle!

[SSDude]

Cool pics Michelle

[juicedimpss]

cool old pics michelle,hard to believe its the same car by looking at it now.

[GRAMPS SS]

Gary Lemke..R.I.P
and his brother Larry (BEAVER)...back in the day he had some sweeeeeet rides...i still remember him street racing his BOSS 302 in the late 70's...last i saw he had a 429 69 mach1..white....
then there was WRENCH..they all hung around with your dad....

[DR.FORD]

The tape of the Mustang when I raced it is found and ready my Dear!!
SSHHHH!!!
Don't tell anyone, but I know where Gary's '70 Mustang is!!
I will pry it from the owner yet!:banana

[michelle]

My dad's super excited about seeing the car run at GLD this year (assuming it runs there, that is). His eyes light up every time he talks about it.

And now you have to tell me where that Mustang is!

[Voodoo Chick]

Now THAT was Mustang.......Holy hell, that car was gorgeous.

[b4mytm]

Great pictures Michelle!!

I have a few pics of the car when Jim owned it. I know I have one from GLD with the front tires off the ground somewhere. It's a far away shot,not very good,but I'll have to look for it.
I'll have to see if I have any once Steve took ownership too.

Have to see if I can get the scanner working then I'll post them.

[JMG853]

That is one sharp car to race

[michelle]

In case anybody is wondering, the other guy in the picture with Gary Lemke is John Varga (I believe). Colleen Cash is next to Gary (on the right) and then my mother is hiding under the blanket. I think it was taken at a drag strip in Indy that they went down to watch, but nobody raced.

We still have this piece from the back hanging in the garage, which is really cool to still have a little piece of the car.
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/8.jpg

[BAD LS1]

Drag racing??? wtf i would have never guessed! hahah cool pics!

[michelle]

Drag racing??? wtf i would have never guessed! hahah cool pics!

Yeah this was before he started racing in SCCA (that was in the late '80s).

[STANMAN]

Yeah this was before he started racing in SCCA (that was in the late '80s).

1/4 mile is in your blood, you know you want to come to the dark side.:thumbsup

[Voodoo Chick]

"Come to the darkside.......we have cookies....."

[michelle]

1/4 mile is in your blood, you know you want to come to the dark side.:thumbsup

I've spent time on a drag strip before, but I just like to go fast for more then a 1/4 mile at a time. Not go fast for 1/4 mile, brake, then wait in line to do it again.

Although I will borrow Patty next season for a few 1/4 mile sprints. (:

[scaleracer]

Cool pics and nice piece of history there! Thanks for sharing!

[Irish]

Cool old pics. It was a different time back then... I miss those days.

[SSmike1]

awesome Michelle!!!!!!!
no wonder why you are so cool, you take after your daddy!

:)

[Car Guy]

I know that car, small world......:)

[Karps TA]

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/reupertm/Pony%20Express/2.jpg

Holy crap I think I saw those exact same people at GLD a couple weeks ago! LMAO

Very cool pics. I wish my dad was into cars.

[michelle]

awesome Michelle!!!!!!!
no wonder why you are so cool, you take after your daddy!

:)

Thanks Mike! (:

He's an amazing guy and I am very lucky to be his daughter. That's one of the reasons I wanted to move back closer to home so that when he retires, we'll hopefully have the chance to do the projects he used to talk to me about when I was a kid. Hopefully find a Mustang and "bring back" the Pony Express in our own way.

[Holeshot]

Being the old fuck I am I recall seeing that car many times as a Kid . Cool Stuff Michelle !

[73MACH]

Sweet pics!! Alot of history here. I can't believe they towed that car with a 73 mach!!!!!!
Where is the mach these days?????