It’s Mustang Girl Monday brought to you by Team  Mustang Girls. This week we’re featuring Caralee Starkel, the coolest grandma in Montana!  Caralee started her Mustang story in 1975 with a teal ‘68 coupe.  It was her first car and a stick shift. Unfortunately Caralee couldn’t get used to driving the stick shift and her father sold the car to a local family. She saw the car regularly around town and swore one day she would own another Mustang.

That day came in 2000 when Caralee bought a red ‘78 Mustang with a 302 and T Top. It was a project car chosen for the year she graduated high school, 1978.  The car sat for 11 years and was just recently sold to a new owner with time to restore.  

After realizing all the work needed on the ‘78, Caralee bought her very first brand new car in 2002.  A bright yellow 2002 V6 Mustang.  She fell in love with the car and even had a little detail work done. Caralee still loves her daily driver just as much as the first day she got her!

But the story doesn’t end there. Caralee still had that stick shift haunting her and in 2004 she saw her dream car, a ‘68 coupe with a 302 and stick shift. She bought the car for $1,750 and was determined to not let history repeat itself. The car needed some work so Caralee brought it to her friend Dave Gingras. Cars were not his main job and this was his first total restore of a car from bare bones back to life.  He worked on the car at nights after his real job and 3 years later Caralee had a Plum Crazy Purple ‘68 Mustang! This summer will be Caralee’s third year driving the car with the stick shift!  

Remember earlier when we mentioned Caralee was not your typical grandmother? It’s not just the great taste in cars, currently a local artist in her town is designing a tattoo for her back with her yellow and purple Stangs and a Mustang girl!  To add to the two ponies she already has on her ankle. Team Mustang Girls approves this message! And we can’t wait to see the new art when it’s done!

Each week  Team Mustang Girls features a different woman and her Mustang. If you’d like to see the past featured ladies from Mustang Girl Monday or submit your own Mustang story check out the Team Mustang Girls Facebook page.