THERE'S GOLD IN THEM THAR (PARTS DEPARTMENT) ATTICS!

(Reprinted from Mustang Illustrated, August 1991)

It's amazing the kind of stuff Ford enthusiasts will collect, for example: No one ever would have thought Shelby- American's Falcon sedan delivery, their Econoline van, or even their race car transporter was worth anything but scrap.
Nevertheless there are three Ford enthusiasts out there who thought otherwise.
One of these three "museum artifacts" of Shelby-American history has already been restored, and the other two are currently under restoration.

Kevin uses an original Autolite spark plug cleaning machine he bought out of a Ford dealer's back room for $30.00. It's in excellent condition. The pride of Marti's Autolite and Rotunda shop test equipment is this NOS Rotunda alternator and regulator tester. It was bought new in the box for $15.00! Kevin tries out his Autolite distributor curving machine on a 428 distributor. The price of this baby was only $30.00!

LEFT - These excellent to average conditon Rotunda exhaust emission analyzer and battery charging machines were picked up for $20 to $30 each! Hmmm!

Shown is Kevin's Ford/Rotunda Diagnostic System II module! All of these '60s to '70s Ford service department relics now serve their new owner faithfully!

If that isn't enough, who would have ever thought a bunch of old Autolite and Ford Rotunda shop test equipment from the Sixties would be worth anything either? Well, someone out there thinks the stuff is, and he's buying up everything he can find at a fair price!

After we spoke to Cougar restoration specialist Kevin Marti from Phoenix, Arizona, we're even starting to find ourselves combing the back rooms of old Ford dealers!

Kevin has enough Autolite and Ford Rotunda test equipment to start his own dealership, and in effect he has. Over the past couple of years, Marti Restorations has purchased items like an NOS Rotunda alternator-regulator tester ($15.00), a Rotunda Diagnostic System II panel ($100.00), an Autolite distributor recurving machine ($30.00), a Rotunda battery charger ($20.00) and a whole lot more! Is this eccentric behavior? Not really! "This is the same test equipment Ford and Lincoln-Mercury dealers used on the cars I restore, so what could be better?" says Marti.

You've convinced us, Kevin. Those of you out there who are seriously intent in keeping your vintage Ford and Lincoln-Mercury products "all Ford," might well take a cue from Mr. Marti. With the computerized all-electronic automobile forever changing the way cars are serviced and diagnosed, technologically-antiquated test equipment may an albatross to Ford and Lincoln-Mercury Dealers, but they could become the proverbial "gift horse" to any serious classic Mustang restoration enthusiast! Never throw anything away, we always say! MI

Mustang Illustrated is published by McMullen Argus Publishing, Inc., 774 S. Placentia Avenue, Placentia, CA 92870-6847.
Back Issues are now available thru McMullen Argus Publishing, Inc., Back Issues Department, 1015 Placentia Ave, Fullerton, CA 92631. Phone (714) 446-6288 from 8:30AM - 4:30PM Pacific Time.

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Kevin uses an original Autolite spark plug cleaning machine he bought out of a Ford dealer's back room for $30.00. It's in excellent condition.	The pride of Marti's Autolite and Rotunda shop test equipment is this NOS Rotunda alternator and regulator tester. It was bought new in the box for $15.00!	Kevin tries out his Autolite distributor curving machine on a 428 distributor. The price of this baby was only $30.00!