How many of us have dreamed of having a parent’s cool old classic car? You know the tale, “Oh man, my Dad had this awesome…” [fill in the blank: muscle car, cruiser, hot rod, rare curiosity, normal-then-but-now-hyper-collectible classic]. “Why couldn’t he have kept it?!?!”

There are probably as many of these wishes as there are car guys and gals. I’ve got one, too. Being a car guy for as long as I can remember, at least partially because of my car buff dad’s pretty sweet daily drivers as I was coming of age.

There were three Trans Ams – one Smokey & The Bandit black with gold firebird and all, one red, and one black Knight Rider Kitt look-alike while the show was the hot ticket in the early ‘80s. There were also several big floaty and cushy Cadillacs and the Lincoln Town Car I learned to parallel park in.

But the one that got away preceded me by a few years. It was a deep purply-red ‘67 Corvette with custom side pipes and big lopey cams according to Dad. He always lamented having to sell it because of his growing family … not to mention the sheaf of speeding tickets for going 1 MPH over the limit. Dang it!

Well, Chris Weatherl, one of our Maple Ridge neighbors, decided to buck this missed opportunity trend and make sure his kids had an amazing family heirloom that also happens to be a piece of gorgeous, rolling, driving, memory-making art.

 “I designed every piece, why spend the time and money if you aren’t going to do it right?” says Chris. “It was built to race, but I want this thing to be around 100 years from now.”

The story begins when Chris was 14 and his dad, Bill, bought him a 1967 Mustang fastback. I know, cool Dad. “I figured he’d give it to me on my 16th birthday,” but that didn’t happen. He didn’t get the car until he was well into his 20s. Although Chris admits this was probably smart in retrospect, given that at least one of his early cars ended up in a wrecking yard.

The original plan for ’67 was to work on it together, a dream father-son bonding project. But life got in the way, and Chris’s burgeoning career, including several years working in South America and the Middle East, prevented any work at home.

“Why store it in a warehouse somewhere while I am overseas?” Chris thought. “Why not have a shop take it, spend their time, and do a little engine and clean-up work while I’m gone?”

By the time any real work was getting done, Chris was reconsidering the theme and scope of

the project and realized he’d like to do it right and make the car a multi-generational family heirloom.

Little did he know his plan would take 5 years, involve legal claims against a bad actor

restoration shop, and consume a ton of treasure. But ultimately, Muscle Car Restoration in

Claremore went above and beyond building the Fastback of Chris’s dreams.

‘Above and beyond’ is quite fitting given the car’s name, P-51W, celebrating one of America’s most storied WWII pursuit planes.

Now with two young children and another due in February, Chris and his wife Jessi (who is also

a car buff) can’t wait to pass along this family heirloom to the next generation…eventually.

Stay tuned for Part 2 next month. We’ll learn about the restoration, customization, and performance details, as well as see a couple more pictures.