1970 Mustang "Boss 302" 2000 Saleen Mustang coupe 1969 Shelby GT 500 convertible - 428ci Cobra Jet Ram (air) engine 1966 Mustang fastback with GT option 1968 Shelby G.T. 350 fastback 90s Mustang Cobra convertible with custom mods 1971 Thunderbird 2-door hardtop 1965 Ranchero pick-up 1965 Falcon Futura 2-door hardtop 1966 Shelby GT 350 fastback 1969 Mustang GT convertible 1966 Mustang fastback (note: ‘66 Texas license plate)       Ford Fervour - Mustang Mania by Jerry J. Staley - Texas representative The Mustang Owners Club of Austin recently held their "21st Annual Round Up of Mustangs and Fords" in the huge parking lot of Capital Plaza, one of Austin’s first shopping malls (opened in 1961). If you are a Ford fan, it was a beautiful sight to see. Row after row of classic Mustangs, Shelby Mustangs, a single Mustang II, and many late-model Mustangs including several performance-oriented Saleen Mustangs. Falcons, including Rancheros (pick-up truck version) and a lonely station wagon, were also in abundance. There were even five or six Ford Lightning pick-up trucks with their imposing supercharged, 360 hp (1999) - 380 hp (2001), OHC V-8s. For some reason, there was not a full-sized Ford nor Thunderbird, save for one beak-nosed 1971 Thunderbird, a white Ford XL convertible, and a well-used 1949 Ford Fordor parked amongst the visitors’ cars in the parking lot. During my wanderings, an intimidating all-black, chopped-and-lowered, 1934 three-window coupe rumbled into the show. Needless to say, that one drew a small crowd including me. The early Mustangs brought me back to my high school days and rekindled old memories. They seemed to cover almost every year, from 1964 1/2 (titled as 1965 models) to the present. Even a lonely mid-seventies Mustang II stood proud. The epitome of performance centred on the late-model Saleen versions. Supercharged with some 400-plus horsepower available (at extra cost, of course). A covey of Falcons reminded me of Mom & Dad’s ‘63 Falcon station wagon even though examples of Ford’s first-generation "compact" (1960 through 1963) were completely missing from the show. Stunning examples of the 1964-65 Falcon model line were represented by Futura 2-door hardtops & convertibles, a couple Ranchero pick-ups, and a single ‘64 DeLuxe 4-door wagon. Surprisingly, Shelby Mustangs seemed to dominate the show. They were everywhere! If I knew anything about Shelbys, I am sure that one could discover that many were "cloned" from regular Mustangs; quite common, I hear. I have to admit, if I had a Mustang I would want its engine equipped with those beautiful, black crackle-painted, finned-aluminium valve covers with "COBRA - Powered by Ford" cast into them and its dual-quads topped with a matching air cleaner. Talk about "bee-yoo-tee-full!" Well, enough with the words. The pictures will speak for themselves...