Everybody has had a high school sweetheart at some point in their life, doesn’t matter who you are, or where you live, everyone, has experienced that feeling of unsurpassed joy. That very first love of your life, the undeniable emotion that makes you realize, somehow, you cannot survive without her. Some call it young love, others say it’s puppy love, regardless of how it’s referenced, there’s no love greater than the love we have for our very first car.

“I started working early on.” Albert recalled. “I knew I had to work and save my money if I ever expected to accomplish my goal.” Albert’s goal was simple, he wanted a car to drive to and from school, but not just any car, he wanted a Mustang, and not just any Mustang, he wanted a 5.0.

After striking a deal with his dad to split the cost of his first car, Albert began his search. It took a little over a year; he searched every car lot in Saint Petersburg, Florida, and went through every issue of the local Auto Trader before he stumbled across what he was sure would be his very first car, admittedly, the car would require a bit of work, but it was well within his meager budget, all he had to do was convince his Dad this would make a wise investment.

With his Dad in tow, Albert returned to the small building on the corner of 49^th Street and 62^nd Avenue in north St. Pete. Above the door hung a faded, tattered sign that read “Tubby’s Customs” and there, sitting on the corner of the lot was a somewhat red, 1986 Fox body 5.0 Mustang. Albert was truly in love, Dad, not so much. Although the folks at Tubby’s assured father and son the car ran well, and drove out good, Dad was still a bit skeptical.

The “bit of work” his son had described was to some extent, a bit under estimated. The car needed body work, but nothing that prevented it from being drivable, the windshield was literally smashed to the point that dad was unsure how you could see out of the car, let alone drive it. The shifter was held in place with duct tape and wire ties, the car had four different size tires on it, the stock GT seats were badly faded and worn, the headliner was drooping to the point that it would hit you on the top of the head, and the driver-side seat back needed to be supported with a 4×4 so you could push the clutch in without falling into the back seat. The dash was crumbling from being exposed to the hot Florida sunshine for what must have been conservatively, a year or more. When started, the motor smoked some, not too bad, kind of like a small crop duster.

Albert applies some heat to the rear rubber in preparation of another 7.50 second pass

The 10-inch Mickey Thompson’s supply the needed grip, and the taillight assemblies are original equipment. At 16 years old, Ray Albert was what you would consider a typical adolescent male. He liked hanging out with his best buddies, enjoyed fast food, loved rock and roll, and had an affliction for fast cars. He was atypical in the sense that he attended a co-ed military school and unlike many young men at this age, was working part time after school at his family’s printing business.

Convincing his Dad this car would be a great father-son project, with a few dollars, and some good old fashion elbow grease, he could soon be driving his dream machine to school. Seeing the love for the car in his son’s eyes, dad stroked the check, however, with the condition he would drive the car home. “I was afraid to let him drive it, the car was really rough.” The elder Albert laughed.

The custom racing buckets fit neatly inside the six point bar, and the five point RJS restraints keep Albert securely in place.

Once the car was safely at home, father and son began the task of making the car safe to put back on the road, one of the first parts to be replaced was the stock shifter. Albert’s Dad always wanted a Hurst shifter on his car when he was young, but just never got it done, so, with that in mind he presented his son with a brand new Hurst shifter, that remains in the car today. The windshield was replaced, four new tires, some brake work, a few minor wiring problems with the lights, and some work under the hood made Albert’s dream car a reality. Now all that was lacking was to get the car insured and registered, and Albert would be on the road.

Over the years the car has undergone a number of upgrades and modifications, nothing major, more so to replace worn or broken parts and pieces. The first few years Albert owned the car he used it as a daily driver. Shortly after graduation he was promoted to full time employment at the family’s printing business. It was not uncommon for Albert to work a full day at the print shop, and then spend another four or five hours tinkering with his pride and joy. With full time employment there came a larger pay check and Albert would consistently spend his dollars on the love of his life, his sweetheart from high school, his beloved 5.0 Pony.

One Friday evening Albert and his fellow gear heads were roaming the pit area at Showtime Drag Strip in nearby Pinellas Park, Florida taking in the sights and obsessing over the horsepower that was oozing from the paddock. One of Albert’s buddies suggested he enter his car in one of the stock classes running there that night, under the pretense of just to see what she can do. After a few moments of thoughtful consideration, Albert was in, and later that night made his first ever pass down the eighth-mile strip at Showtime.  “I thought I was flying.” Albert remembers. “But in reality, the car was really slow.” After this first pass down the track the young man was hooked. “Man that was the neatest thing I think I’ve ever done, that was really fun.”

Gone are the days of commuting to and from school

With his new found affliction, Albert sought out to transform his sweet heart from everyday driver, to fire breathing, rubber burning, bracket racing monster, at least as close to monster as his pay checks would allow. The car is still the first priority for Albert, “She’s still my first love, she’s just faster now.” Albert grins.

Today the car sits on the factory uni-body chassis; the factory K member with 90/10 Lakewood shocks and Moroso springs comprise the front suspension, the rear suspension is the factory four link with adjustable 50/50 shocks supporting a Ford 8.8 differential that houses a 4.10 gear. Four wheel single piston discs provide the stopping power.

A 347 CID steel block stroker with Patriot aluminum heads and a Ford racing roller system resides under the hood supplying 367 horsepower to the Mickey Thompson rubber. A nitrous assisted Victor 5.0 EFI provides the go power, and MSD imparts the fire. The interior features custom racing buckets with five point restraints, a six point roll bar, and a complete Auto Meter gauge package gives the vital signs.

The classic lines of the Fox Body Mustang with it’s slightly lower stance make it very pleasing to look at, it’s no wonder Albert still loves her as much as the day he met her.

Although this car may not be the prettiest you will ever see, and granted it doesn’t have ground shaking horsepower, Albert and his red 5.0 are true examples of what grassroots racing is all about. This is what keeps the sport alive, a young man racing for the love of the sport, and nothing else. A young man that turned a proverbial ugly duckling into the swan that it is today. What does the future hold for this duo, nothing new, just more of the same. “I’ll never sell this car.” Albert affirms. She was, and still is my first love, She’s my high school sweet heart, always will be.”  Young love, isn’t it grand?