1966 Ford Mustang Convertible

As someone who grew up in the Washington, D.C. area, my eyes and ears perk up whenever I stumble upon a Mustang enthusiast from back home. Today, I make my home in sunny Southern California, about 60 miles north of Los Angeles and 3,000 miles west of where I grew up. But those sweet memories of the Mid-Atlantic region, particularly Virginia, remain. The delicious smell of fresh honeysuckle in the spring. The hum of a bumblebee. Rumbling thunder in the distance. The sound of hundreds of chirping crickets. A deep blue/purple color over the mountains before a storm. Rolling hills. Lush woodlands. The sounds associated with all kinds of songbirds. Surely I left my heart somewhere on the East Coast. I believe it was in Virginia.

My roots lie in Virginia, with relatives of all ages and generations parked between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. For me, Virginia is a refreshing slice of heaven whenever travels, and country roads, take me home to the land closely acquainted with our nation's capitol and the Potomac River.

Jerry Goodman calls Fredericksburg, Virginia, home. Locals might call Fredericksburg precious Earth. Jerry calls this Silver Frost '66 Mustang convertible precious metal. Silver Frost is an unusual Mustang color. We don't see it that often today and that's sad. Merge Silver Frost with red vinyl and you have a striking pose fit for any environment. It's a color to stick with.

This is the Mustang everyone wants. Top down, it's unbeatable. This is about the Virginia driving experience. It's about rolling down the top, turning the key, and listening to the subtle roar of V-8 power. The 289ci two-barrel V-8 yields 200 hp at a moderate rev. This is a good Saturday afternoon drive. And it's good for the soul bent on enjoying simple pleasures.

Around you at the wheel is the Mustang's standard red vinyl interior. For 1966, Ford did away with the Falcon-style cluster with horizontal-sweep speedometer. In its place is a cluster reminiscent of the Mercury Comet's five-style instrument panel with a full complement of gauges. Mid-dash is the decidedly rare AM-eight-track sound system. In AM mode, you can't count on much except the ball game and talk radio. Slip in that dusty, old Bee Gees continuous loop and dance all night to the beat of bias-belted whitewall radials passing time on Virginia's I-95 or I-64. Richmond, next exit.

The striking Silver Frost finish was applied by Gautier's Auto Body. This, coupled with Jerry's gift of workmanship, netted the MCA's Award of Excellence plaque at the 30th Mustang Anniversary Celebration in Charlotte, North Carolina. Eight years later, Jerry takes the wheel knowing he has gone up against the best and taken home the bacon. Not bad when you consider what it takes to get there. For Jerry, it's the result of an ongoing quest for precious metal.