New to the Forum

[dcav]

Hello, my name is Dave Cavanaugh I have three vintage motorcycles, 1961 Mustang Throughbred, 1963 Mustang Bronco, and a 1974 Norton 850 Comando Roadster. My Dad Jim Cavanaugh worked at Mustang for 15 years, started pushing a broom at 19 was promoted to Production Manger after working in every department he left in 1961. He also was involved the development of the two wheel drive Trailbreaker that is still in production today it’s now called a Rokon. I live in Northern CA about 70 miles above SF. Just thought I would introduce myself.

[Moderator Note: Dave asked me to insert some images of his Mustangs and of his father from his Mustang factory days. FYI - I am getting an error message that I have now posted my limit of photos for this post so I cannot add the current photos Dave sent until I figure out if I can get around it. ]

My Dad on his Mustang at my Grandparents ranch in Acton CA. One is Walt Futon the factory rider, and one of Chuck Gardner the chief engineer at Mustang with his custom Mustang.

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Dave

[kurly]

Welcome Dave, sounds like you have excellent breeding stock.

[dcav]

He was a walking talking Mustang Encyclopedia!

[ryan]

Welcome to the club! Those are neat little bikes with a great name.

[exeric]

Welcome, Dave, and thanks for the great back story on your Dad. The deceased, but long time founding member of the Sunshine Chapter, John Bowman was a big fan of the Mustang, and owned 3 of them. He had other big bikes, but he always took the Mustang on road runs, and chapter rides.

[Rubone]

Welcome Dave, glad to see you here. As to John Bowman, he brought his Mustang to Colorado for some Road Runs in the early '90s and rode over lots of crazy terrain, 11000+ ft Red Mountain Pass etc. Pretty impressive. His wife said he always looked like "a Bullfrog on a Lily Pad" riding them.

[ihrescue]

Dave glad to have you on the forum. I think we need to see some pics of the Mustangs for the ooo - ahh effect.

Mike Love

[dcav]

Mike, my Dad was 6’5” imagine what he looked like on a Mustang! I’ll try and figure out how to post pics to the forum.
Dave.

[craig (DE)]

Welcome aboard Dave! Sounds like a nice collection of bikes!

[ihrescue]

Here are four photos I am posting on Dave's behalf. I have seen the image before and its cool that you have associated it with test rider (I assume this is the Walt Futon photo?). Thanks Dave for sharing these photos. I am sure other members of the forum enjoy seeing the factory and the real people behind production like your dad and staff at Mustang. I will reply again to Dave's original post with three current day photos of his Mustangs. Mike Love

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[ihrescue]

Current photos of Dave's Mustang [Moderator uploading on his behalf]

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[ihrescue]

More photos from Dave's thread on the Mustang.

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[Rubone]

In the early '70s working in a custom bike shop I saw several customized Mustangs with other powerplants, one had a 305 Honda in it, and one a Pre-unit 650 Triumph engine!

[dcav]

About the photos, the first one is the dry lakes Mustang being tuned by Howard Forest(Mustang engineer) tuning the bike as my Dad watches, the next one is the assembly crew the tall guy is my Dad, the last one was taken in the late sixties to early seventies with my Dad and Howard they had moved on but stayed in Manufacturing.
Dave

[RichO]

Dave, You should come see us (Fort Sutter Chapter) at the Dixon National meet in June and come ride the Mustang on the Yerba Buena Chapter National road run in September. Both are in NorCal. Eric are remember John well. He came out and rode his Mustang on our first National road run in Lake Tahoe in 1989. He could fly on that thing. I just barely beat a dual engine Mustang at the drags on my bobjob Super X. We both had about 20 horse going down hill with a wind behind us. Welcome Dave.