Rusty Rentsch

My passion for playing with old cars came from my father. Growing up, we had many old cars and trucks on our property, and I just absorbed the capability to make them run by watching dad fix them up. This became an obsession and it continues today, as collect, drive and work on vintage cars. Currently, I own 3 Mustangs. The first and favorite is my 1965 Silver Blue convertible, with a 200 ci In-line six engine, a Cruise-o-Matic transmission, power steering, and factory air conditioning. While this car does not have the horsepower the most mustangs are known for, it is the car that my siblings and I drove through high school and college. It has been in my family since 1967 and as the youngest child in my family I was the last child to drive it through our school years, I just kept it and never opened a debate about whom should own it. My second Mustang is a ’66 coupe with a 289-4v, a barn find that I restored for my son; he thinks it is his……we will see. Finally, my last Mustang, is another barn-find a rough 1971 Mach 1.

Apart from mustangs, I also have a 1969 Torino GT Fastback, 1950 Ford Custom Convertible, 1954 Ford Skyliner, a 1930 Model A Phaeton and my wife’s ’56 Lincoln Premiere Convertible. Along with owning these cars I appreciate the benefits of being part of several car clubs. As such, I am a member of the national car clubs for Model A Ford, Mustang, Fairlane/Torino, Early V8 Ford, Lincoln Continental Owners Club (LCOC) and the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA). On the regional club level, I am a member of the local George Washington Chapter Model A Club, Northern Virginia Regional Group eV8 club, LCOC – Philadelphia Region, and the AACA Bull Run Chapter. I am active in most of these regional clubs. Apart from being a Director for NCRMC, I am on the Board of Managers for the LCOC Philadelphia and recently served as their interim Newsletter Editor. For NCRMC, I was Vice-President: 2014-15, and President: 2016-2020.

I recently became a certified auto appraiser, an activity I envisioned I would do during my retirement years, but I had an opportunity and decided to learn and employ the skill. I also enjoy playing tennis scrounging parts and working on several car projects.

I

live in Leesburg, VA with my wife, Anya.