Yes, the Stilo has Electric Power Steering (EPS) as does their new Idea. The Megane also has EPS if you fancy their cars.

Thank you Ian for your kind thought: I already have a reprinted original from California Mustang. Ford always printed their manuals on something resembling the unforgiving and merciless Izal loo paper prevalent in RAF barracks when I did my military training. I'm sure DVD would be familiar with the product LOL. For some reason it always had "Government Property" stamped on each leaf. Did they want it back after use?

So thanks bro for the offer. Notjhing I know of happening here on the Mussies' 40th, but there are enough of 'em on the road here from the old US bases days and I'm sure the Angeles City Hot Road Association (mostly retired US military and Nam Vets) will be staging something. The Harley 100 year Anniversary bash here with the American Steel bikers was unforgettable: at least it would have been if I could have remembered it.....

But Catherine aka Miss Philippines is massaging the knots out of my shoulders after nearly 1000 km of HD riding over the holiday weekend as I type this and as ever I digress.

Not sure if the rambling remarks of a serial tax exile (doubtless I will be Moddy-fied if not) has a lot of resonance with a UK based site but here goes on a '69 Bullitt Mustang GT Fastback update. This was the hunk of junk I bought a month ago (see the HJ photo site for the uninitiated or the unbelievably patient with nothing better to do). Actually I was almost seduced by a gorgeous orange Camaro for sale over Easter but that would be akin to automotive adultery, and as Growlette pointed out, a muscle car too far, and that's a sin. You've got enuf cars and bikes already, she remarked primly, for which read "my cellphone is out of date and I like the new Nokia 6280 and Victoria's Secret has a special this month...yadddayaddayadda" ).

We got a front suspension kit Fedexed in from the US. We can now drive in a more or less straight line and retain our dentures in their allotted place without resort to adhesives while traversing the many lumps and bumps of our glorious Republic's "road" system.

The rear lights still don't work and have defied even the efforts of the finest Filipino mechanics, who traditionally are able to achieve automotive resurrection from the dead (apologies for the topicality). I have studied the manual's wiring diagram but for someone who has trouble finding his way round the London Underground map I fear hope is not yet in sight in this regard.

The 351 cu in V-8 is whisper quiet ( and on the third day God created hydraulic lifters) and burns not a drop of oil. Utterly gorgeous. The throaty exhaust note is something to die for. Like that Harley "potato-potato" it seems in some way to connect with your body's natural rhythms. Wait for the green, drop it in D (nice clean red fluid by the way) floor it, let it gather its skirts and anything else behind gets smaller very quickly.

I had to junk the original Bendiz a/c compressor: despite several refills of Freon it was stuffed, so I now have a smart shiny non-standard Nippon Denso job sitting there ($368 ----ouch) which is quiet and gets the job done. Where I live driving without a/c is not an option.. She does get close to boiling in traffic, most Mustangs run hot anyway, and besides it's been well over 32 C lately.

I blew out the Holley 4bbl (I don't know if this is standard, I always thought it was a FoMoCo Autolite) with some carb cleaner but really it didn't seem to need it. The auto choke doesn't appear to work but in this climate not really a problem.

I lashed out out on a decent Yuasa battery. The locally made Motolite was struggling. Been underneath, there is some rust here and there but nothing I would class as structural. The power disc brake setup is good. Normally the Mussies' rear frame rails rot but these seem fine to me. I had the local muffler shop bend up some new tailpipes as the originals were shot. The rear springs do get soft on these cars and I foresee a need for these to be replaced (but Catherine's b'day is coming up so budget frozen).

Several people contacted me with a replacement for the 8-track but they all wanted stupid prices. So those Steppenwolf, Hendrix, Doors and Deep Purple tapes will have to wait a while. Meanwhile I'll live with the hole in the faux wood dash.

There's a guy down the road who does upholstery, I have checked the VIN number against the correct trim and when my next pension cheque shows up I may have him re-do the whole lot. Cost here is peanuts and they do first class work. Did you know by the way you can still pull an original Ford spec sheet and invoice for your car from the Dearborn records if you want to go back to original? Salute IBM.

Oh yes, and to annoy those contributors to previous threads on the subject, I got me some BLACK tint! looks good with the metallic blue paint. Plus traffic enforcers can't see I'm a foreigner, so less chance of getting pulled on some manufactured violation and getting extorted from (sorry for mangled syntax).

I must say Mustang Parts of Oklahoma and California Mustang are tops for service. Really great girls on the line who know their Mustangs and have that US can-do attitude. Give 'em your card details and it shows up via DHL 2 days later at your front door. Given what I hear of UK dealers from you guys maybe Halfords could take some lessons.

Now I've got my eyes on a perfect '66 GT locally from me, but the Filipino owner (ex Phil Airlines Capt) says he'll never part with it, indeed when he goes he wants it buried next to him....such is what Mustangs inspire.

Short of getting him in a poker game or outright robbery what to do...

Thanks again Ian for your kind thought, I'm right for the moment.

...off to Oz in July. Going to book me one of those new Monaros at Darwin airport, 1360 something km of no traffic to The Alice on the Stuart H'way, doesn't get a whole lot better than that.....

gloat mode off /

The car has got 135,000 miles on it. It has been doing this for about 5,000 miles - Is this still likely to be the clutch. The haynes manual says the gearbox has to come out to change the clutch - How much would that cost?

Thanks again

Rang the garage today and was told that it \'must have missed the clip\'.

Does this make sense?

(Thanks for correcting my spelling error board moderator.) {No problemo. DD}