'Tame' pony still pleasing to original owner

By his own admittance, Lou Vassos is a “practical guy.” He is, after all, a lifelong engineer and focuses on what works with the least amount of fuss.

Vassos carried that fastidious mindset into Norwood Motors in Chicago on a February day in 1967 when he ordered his Ford Mustang. His interest in the model was piqued by his brother, who had purchased a '66 burgundy coupe.

“I was graduating college and wanted one for myself,” the Mount Prospect resident said. While Vassos liked his sibling's ride, he sought a completely different personality for his 'Stang.

“His four-speed was too unruly. Mine had to be more civilized.”

Vassos made sure his fastback was equipped with a more straightforward, Cruise-O-Matic automatic transmission. His sensible outlook carried over into his paint choice, too. Foregoing “flashier colors,” he opted for a pedestrian Pebble Beige paint.

“Only 1.7 percent were painted in this color for '67,” Vassos said. The reasoning for his selection? “It didn't show dust.”

While at the dealer, Vassos checked additional boxes for a plethora of options, such as A/C, power brakes and steering, and an AM/FM radio. After several months of waiting, the car was delivered in May.

Most Mustangs bought at that time were ordered for pure driving fun, so Vassos' well-optioned unit stood out. “When it arrived at the dealer, they jokingly called and said, 'Your baby T-Bird is here.' ”

With the Ford in his possession, Vassos immediately put it to use and drove it for years. “I commuted, ran errands and took vacations in it. I just kept driving it and fixing it.”

Reflecting on the past motoring experiences is quite easy for Vassos. The meticulous enthusiast keeps a small black book in the car full of copious, handwritten notes. He's recorded every service and gas fill up dating back to 1967. One especially memorable jaunt occurred in 1969. Vassos and his wife took their classic cruiser on a two-week trip to the East Coast.

They motored to Washington, D.C., rolled along the Blue Ridge Parkway, meandered through Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and carved mountains in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

“It was a wonderful time away and the car performed flawlessly,” he said.

For the next decade, the vehicle continued to pull regular duty. Vassos toyed with an upgrade during the late 1970s but was always drawn to keeping his Mustang.

“Pollution control came into being and the cars got sluggish,” Vassos said, so he deemed it easier to keep the Ford going. “I fell into this pattern of just fixing this and that and replacing parts as I went along.”

Vassos squeaked several more years out of the vehicle until his own “hodgepodge restoration” commenced in 1985. After several rusty parts, corroded by years driving through the Chicago winters, were replaced, the Mustang went right back to the streets. In 1991 the vehicle was fully retired from commuting and used sparingly.

Another driver collided with the Mustang in 1994, spurring a cosmetic overhaul. The 289-cubic-inch V-8 engine received its due refresh in 2010.

“After all these years, I haven't found a good enough reason to get rid of it,” Vassos said. “It keeps running and I keep enjoying it.”