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I posted this on our FB page, but will post here too:

When I retired from Ford, we sold our 2nd daily driver.  We've been getting by with our Escape and Natalie, but now that I'm getting regular music gigs, it's become a hassle.

I'm planning on buying a used Focus GT (looking at cars today) and then selling Natalie via consignment at Special Edition.

I've had 9 years of fun, but I'm ready to move on and want to do it under my own terms.

Of course, I'll never get back the money that Iovingly put into it, but that was the price of my fun.

Natalie

Here's some of the customizations that I hope will be of value to a potential buyer:
 
Initial Build - 2010
- Camber Compensator
- Zip out rear window
- Stayfast top
- Battery shutoff 
- Nardi Wheel
- Power Point
- Grab Handle
- Fire Extinguisher
 
2011
- Hydraulic Clutch
- Center stop lamp under grill
- Cocomats
- Racing Lap Belts
- Stayfast Tonneau
 
2012
- CSP Shifter
- Fire Suppression System Rear
 
2013
- LED Tailights
- Center stop lamp flasher
- Custom Sidecurtains
- 4-Wheel Disc Brakes
- Cup Holders
- Heated Seats
- Emergency Rear Decklid release
- Pop up Decklid latch
 
2014
- Authentic Dash Trim
- NOS interior door handles
- Sound Deadener in Doors
- Upgraded Paint
- Braided brake lines
- Braided clutch Line
- Upgraded interior mirror
- Upgraded Battery
 
2015
- Under tank fire suppression
 
2016
- Suby Powertrain
- Shifter improvement
   - Oilite shift bushing
   - Rhino shift coupler
- Signal mirrors
- LED Headlights
 
2017
 
- Brake/Wheel/Tire Upgrade (Gloss black aluminum wide 5, with drum skins and Black Porsche studs and nuts
- New gauges (mph/kph speedo) with green LED backlighting (including existing coolant temp gauge) 
- Louder Hella horns) front mount behind grills
 
2018
 
- Hawk brake pads - Front
- Black Pegusi
 
2019
 
- Hawk brake pads - Rear

 

Tom Blankinship

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WOLFGANG posted:

Cool retirement gig!  We need to get you and Jack C at Tour d/Smo before Natalie finds a new home!  Isn't Ford Focus on way out of production?  That Ford Transit is a could vehicle.  Assume you have good Ford discount to be sticking with Ford.

I do have A-plan, but the Focus is out of production, so I'm looking at used, which doesn't apply.  I still want to have some fun driving.  It's a turbo-charged, 6-speed manual hot hatch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emhHXaRLHYQ 

Bob: IM S6 posted:

The end comes to all of us...

But Stan is right on this one.  I did entertain thoughts of dumping my Speedster, after two solid 8-10 hour days of driving back from the Outer Banks.  However, I came to my senses eventually.

No, @Bob: IM S6-- in your case, selling is the right thing to do. Intermeccanica is not making the kind of cars hopeless relics like me buy any more, so all of the old dino-burners (like my car) are just useless overstock. 6-cyl outliers like your car are even worse-- sort of a white-elephant/orphan gross polluter sure to be worthless soon. 

But I'm a helpful guy, and I could get you out from under it. You'd be way, way upside down in the trade, but I'm sure I can find you a nice used GTI or something and trade you straight across.

You should definitely give me a call.

Last edited by Stan Galat

Well, I found my new daily driver tonight.  A 2017 Focus ST with 12K miles, like new.  It has an aftermarket exhaust and waste gate that supposedly boosts the hp up to 260.

She, who must be obeyed, must sign off on the deal tomorrow (she’s not wild about the white), but I usually get my way :-)

With a little luck, she’ll be in my driveway Friday night and then I’ll need to make plans with @chines1 for the final voyage home.

Hi Tom,  Intermittent lurker and first time poster but had to chime in.  Coming up on 20 years at Ford.  13 of those were spent at SVT/FP and I was the 'north american VI guy' for the focus ST/RS and the fiesta ST (lea was out of eu).  Too bad you can't make both work but you seem at peace with moving on.  I hope the ST treats you well.  It's a shame we're not selling them here anymore.   EU gets the new one in wagon form which would be stellar for gigs.

timo posted:

Hi Tom,  Intermittent lurker and first time poster but had to chime in.  Coming up on 20 years at Ford.  13 of those were spent at SVT/FP and I was the 'north american VI guy' for the focus ST/RS and the fiesta ST (lea was out of eu).  Too bad you can't make both work but you seem at peace with moving on.  I hope the ST treats you well.  It's a shame we're not selling them here anymore.   EU gets the new one in wagon form which would be stellar for gigs.

Was the RS as fun as it appeared to be?

I apologize for pushing off topic more - BUT why is US going to stop making cars when they could take the logical gap between a "small" car and a huge un-needed SUV.  Of course, I mean the estate or shooting brake car or station wagen.  It offers the handling, performance, and economy of a car and space of an CUV.  It is a simple add-on to a car's base structure.  I can't figure it out.  BMW and Mercedes make excellent shooting brakes that are sold in Europe but not the US.  I'm looking at a 2020 MB CLA 250 AMG G35 (302 hp from  turbo 2L four (vs std 188 hp std model).  They should be out in August time frame.   In Europe, it will be available as a Shooting Brake model. I'm hoping to do a European delivery.

Image result for 2020 mercedes cla250 shooting brakeImage result for 2020 mercedes cla250 shooting brake

Bob - I'll keep you IM 6 warm this winter - just send it to me in NW FL for a vacation.  I'll return with a full tank of non-ethanol premium gas.

@WOLFGANG

I would love to see more station wagons/shooting brakes on offer.  We owned Volvo wagons for 40 years - still have an older manual V50 that I am keeping on the road.  They are a good size, and can haul a lot of stuff.

As you say,  not everyone wants a bloody big SUV, or some other vehicle that has an identity problem.

Yes, my car will be on its ways down there, but you'll have to take me along with it.  Winter in Florida sounds good to me.  

@Tom Blankinship

I know you are passionate about your guitar playing and excited about playing the gig circuit around Detroit.

FWIW, since you've spent a lot of time and money on getting Natalie exactly as you desired, it would be a shame to let her go. There may be other more utilitarian vehicles that better suit your current need, faster more comfortable vehicles and more sensible daily drivers. However, NONE of those will provide the gratification you get EVERYTIME you drive Natalie! NONE!! You know this is true.

There will come a point when late night gigs at smoky venues, loud crowds with cackling laughter and talking/shouting distracting from your music will get old. Every weekend or several nights a week sacrificed for playing gigs at various places, giving up family time for the sake of playing a particular gig or trendy venue eventually dims the shine of being in the spotlight.

Then there is the typical dynamic of a music group or combo. The brighter the spotlight the more likely attitudes will change. I'm sure you've experienced this already in the past bands you've played with. As the group's popularity grows, or fades, situations/personalities are sure to change. Ask me how I know. 

That being said, my personal tilt would be to keep Natalie and use a 3rd more utilitarian car (inexpensive) for your music career for a year. If things don't work out as you hoped with the music gig after 1 year, then ditch the 3rd car (unless you've gotten spoiled by its utilitarian availability). In that case, Natalie will still be in your garage to pick up where you left off, driving around sporting a huge SEG throwing out the Speedster vibe! Music is the X factor, Natalie is the constant!

You are my brutha from anutha mutha, I wish you the best in whichever direction you go! 

P.S. - I enjoy following the very talented Telegraph Blues band! 

Thanks Jim. The band isn’t the only reason that I want to move on. I don’t want to go back to having three cars and I’ve had my fun.

I’m not in the habit of making decisions that I later regret. I think I’m ready :-)

Actually, the guitar is the constant and Natalie has been a 9-year love affair :-)

I’ve often found that learning about something is most of the fun.  I have a long list of things I enjoyed learning and then moved on from, e.g. my PADI scuba certification, my black belt in Tae Kwon Do, Tennis, etc. Bowling is currently driving me nuts, but first year and one league championship down.  I’ve avoided golf and learning to fly.  Either would be a rabbit hole I’d never climb out of :-) 

My love of the guitar has never gone away.  I love playing AND learning, and will never master it.

I enjoyed the process of learning about Speedsters and I enjoyed driving, but, in Michigan, factoring in bad weather days, and impractical driving situations, I get an optimistic 5 months of drive time/year.

I recently entered a charity contest for $20 for a 1958 Corvette Fuelie. In the very unlikely event that I win that, I’ll suck it up and keep three cars ;-)

Last edited by Tom Blankinship

"I would look for an older dependable car on the inexpensive and keep the speedster"

Agree - think Tom's issue is car storage of 3 in the nasty winters.  He used to send Natalie to the Beck Spa for improvements during the winter.  I think he ran out of improvements - so someone will get a really nice jump in and drive Speedster now.

But Tom - look how successful Tiny Tim was with is little guitar! It could go anywhere.  Just down size the guitar.

Image result for tiny timRelated image

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Last edited by WOLFGANG
WOLFGANG posted:

"I would look for an older dependable car on the inexpensive and keep the speedster"

Agree - think Tom's issue is car storage of 3 in the nasty winters.  He used to send Natalie to the Beck Spa for improvements during the winter.  I think he ran out of improvements - so someone will get a really nice jump in and drive Speedster now.

But Tom - look how successful Tiny Tim was with is little guitar! It could go anywhere.  Just down size the guitar.

Image result for tiny timRelated image

Imagine how much happier TT would have been if he could say, "I may play a tiny guitar but look at this bada$$ Speedster I'm driving!".

Last edited by Robert M

"Thanks Jim. The band isn’t the only reason that I want to move on. I don’t want to go back to having three cars and I’ve had my fun.

I’m not in the habit of making decisions that I later regret. I think I’m ready :-)

Actually, the guitar is the constant and Natalie has been a 9-year love affair :-)" - Tom

@Tom Blankinship  I know you don't take these decisions lightly! More power to you, my brutha! 

Last edited by MusbJim
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