Man Finishes Barn Find Restoration Just In Time To Never Drive It

A classic car enthusiast has completed a seven-year, $48,000 frame-off restoration of a 1967 Ford Mustang fastback, only to announce upon turning the key for the first time that the car is now "too nice to drive."

Dave Gearshift, 52, discovered the Mustang in a collapsed barn in rural Pennsylvania in 2019. The car had not run since 1987, was missing its rear axle, and housed a family of raccoons in the back seat. He described it at the time as "the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

Seven years, three engine rebuilds, two repaints, and one divorce later, the Mustang sits in Gearshift's climate-controlled garage on a set of tires he describes as "display only."

"Every nut and bolt on this car is correct for the model year," Gearshift explained, standing beside the vehicle in socks to avoid scuffing the epoxy floor. "The seat upholstery alone cost $3,200. You think I'm going to sit on $3,200 upholstery in jeans? Absolutely not."

Gearshift has installed a dehumidifier, a battery tender, and a camera system that allows him to view the car from his phone. He starts the engine once per month, lets it idle for twelve minutes, and then turns it off.

"People ask me what it's like to drive," Gearshift said. "I don't know. I assume it's wonderful. The chassis is solid, the suspension is new, the engine makes 289 horsepower. But the moment I drive it, it starts depreciating. Stone chips. Road salt. Brake dust. Every mile is a tiny act of destruction."

Gearshift's neighbor, who drives a 2019 Toyota Camry with 140,000 miles on it, has offered to take the Mustang for a drive on Gearshift's behalf. "I offered to put five miles on it so it could feel like a car," the neighbor said. "He looked at me like I'd offered to adopt his children."

Gearshift has entered the Mustang in three concours events. It has won two. He transported it to each event on a covered trailer, reversing carefully into position without starting the engine.