Pilot: 1998 Mazda 626 Manual, 1965 Mustang Convertible & Backdraft Shelby Cobra 🐍🏁

Welcome to the pilot episode that started it all! 🎙️ In our very first recording, we sit down with Devin to discuss the car that launched his automotive life: a Hunter Green 1998 Mazda 626.

Devin shares the story of buying this manual transmission sedan without knowing how to drive stick, learning in the dealership parking lot, and then driving it for over a decade. We laugh about the six months he spent parking on hills to "pop the clutch" because the starter was broken, and how he eventually racked up an impressive 286,000 miles on the odometer.

We also fast-forward to his current garage, which features some serious heavy hitters: a classic 1965 Ford Mustang Convertible and his ultimate dream car, a Backdraft Shelby Cobra replica with a Roush 427 V8.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• 🚗 The First Car: Why a 1998 Mazda 626 with oscillating air vents was the perfect vessel for a young enthusiast.
• ⛰️ The Hill Start Strategy: How Devin avoided fixing his starter for six months by strategically parking on inclines to push-start the car.
• 🐍 The Dream Build: Moving from a humble commuter to a 550-horsepower Shelby Cobra (Backdraft Racing replica).
• 🐎 Mustang Memories: Balancing the garage with a classic 1965 Ford Mustang 4-speed convertible.
• 🔧 High Mileage Hero: The maintenance and care required to keep a daily driver running for nearly 300,000 miles.

Don't forget to listen to Devin's favorite episode was "SpeedyCop – Junkyard Engineering, Auto Adventures & Automotive Nostalgia" https://buzzsprout.com/2316026/episodes/17193033

Whether you're here to see where the podcast began or just love a story about a car that refuses to die, this pilot episode sets the tone for everything to come.

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• Visit our Linktree to find all of our content: 🔗🌲https://linktr.ee/carsloved
• Check out our Guest-inspired Road Trip Playlist on Spotify: 🎧🚗 https://carsloved.com/playlist

📢 Join the Conversation: Did you have a "method" to keep your beater running like Devin? Let us know on Instagram @toallthecarsivelovedbefore

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Transcript

00:00.00
Christian
Hey welcome to the pilot episode of to all the cars I've loved before this is the conversation where american history and automotive history meet your history Thanks for joining. Make sure to check us out online at carslove.com again, carslove.com check out the intake form join the conversation join the millions of americans who've never heard of us in the dozens of americans who might want to be involved on potential guests guest lists moving forward. My name is Chris this is. And welcome into the pilot episode we we've invited a great personal friend and ally of the show Devin to chat with us a bit about meaningful cars in his life. A lot of times this might be the the first few cars you've had in your world.

00:36.73 Doug Doug.

00:55.64
Christian
Again, sort of open to the level of engagement. So Devin welcome good afternoon. How are you hey thanks for thanks for being here. But so so um, Doug by way of introduction. Did you want to to.

01:02.44
Devin Henderson
I'm doing great. Thanks for inviting me.

01:13.38
Christian
To bring Devin into what we're trying to do here in this initial episode.

01:17.43
Doug
Sure, yeah Devin just as ah Chris said we're looking to hear about significant cars in your life really three. It could be 2 it could be 1 how you came to acquire them what what like blew you away about them what you hated. What you could change if you could go back and get that car again. Would you knowing what you know now. Do you miss the car how you came to fire it probably repeat. Was it a hand me down so this wouldn't really count as your parents loaning you a car but your first car.

01:42.13
Christian
Um, yeah, yeah, it may it if if it meant something to him. It may like yeah yeah, yeah.

01:54.20

Doug
Hope you're you're right? You're right? It might be it could be your dad had a 1959 ultropi and so you always wanted you loved that car. You wish he had never sold. It. You were a little kid when he got rid of it and you went and bought one yourself. Late years later but I know you're a bit of a car connoisseur. So maybe you just do an introduction your name where you grew up where you live now and we'll go from there if you think about your we know this is unscripted but you're.

02:19.70
Devin Henderson Sure.

02:28.32
Doug
Start with a car that was significant to you first car is easy.

02:32.67
Devin Henderson
Um, all right that I can definitely do all right? Well my name is Devin Henderson I am originally from Effingham Illinois small town in Rural Illinois population twelve thousand there was like nothing there. So ah. Currently live in Aldie Virginia and I absolutely love it so talking about cars. The first thing that came to mind my first car. Ah my parents did not believe in handouts so I had to work and save up and buy this car and i.

02:58.92 Christian She.

03:04.92 Christian
Of it. Love that.

03:08.95
Devin Henderson
Yeah, so it it meant a lot to me I had a 98 Mazda 6 2 6 and I love that thing it was a 5 speed and when I bought it I had no idea how to drive a stick at all growing up.

03:13.50 Christian Um, yes.

03:25.34 Christian

Um, no a no.

03:27.10
Devin Henderson
Yeah, it it was it was ah it was an adventure. My father actually taught me how to drive the stick in the dealership's parking lot and I.

03:35.98
Christian
Yeah, so you didn't you didn't learn on his car that was a stick. This was totally the um the Maiden voice Gen pet. Okay, fantastic.

03:38.75
Devin Henderson
Um, yeah, yep, yep, yep, it was. It was fun I had that car for like 12 years and I mean I have so many great memories in that thing. You know it had a little 4 cylinder 2.0. But yeah, but it I mean I when I got rid of that car had two hundred and eighty six thousand miles on it. I mean I rode that thing everywhere I commuted to college the first couple of years and

03:54.78 Christian 12 years

04:12.51
Devin Henderson
So I've got a lot of stick time literally stick time on my car so it was very sporty.

04:17.58
Christian
How did? yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, how how did the car age I be 2 two hundred eighty six thousand miles is ah is a kind of an astounding amount of miles.

04:17.81 Doug Um, 9

04:29.25
Christian
To put on the car. How did you achieve that did you baby the car did you take care of it. Did you do the work yourself.

04:34.26
Devin Henderson

Um, um I did some of the work myself but like I I put full synthetic oil in it. You know I you know I went to Auto shop and I learned a lot about cars and I was like all right I'm going to do this right.

04:42.53 Christian God.

04:49.75
Devin Henderson
I got the recommended maintenance done on it. The timing chain replaced it one hundred thousand miles and you know a few things but you know with it mean a stick shift. It was interesting. The starter went out on it I think around one hundred and thirty thousand miles and

04:57.27 Christian
Um, yeah, yeah.

05:08.29
Devin Henderson
My parents' house used to be kind of on top of a hill and so I would park it just a little over the edge of the hill and I'd get in the car and then write it down and pop the clutch and I did that for about six months until one day it didn't start at the bottom of the hill and the next day I got the starter replaced.

05:10.30 Christian Um, yeah.

05:16.35 Christian Um.

05:23.92 Christian
Um I Love that.

05:25.55
Doug
Well that that ah that required some field thinking about your destination right? And how you were going to get back right? Did you park at a hill at you at your destination.

05:35.85
Devin Henderson

Yep, exactly? Well if if you're in a parking lot and it was flat. You could just put it neutral and push it with your foot a little bit and then get in the car real quick and put it in second and pop the clutch. So.

05:43.82 Christian
To the final point.

05:48.38
Doug
Um, did yep Yep no been that been been there. Been there done that.

05:49.88
Christian
Are so are you an engineer by Trade devin.

05:53.83
Devin Henderson
Um, yeah I am I am that's how I met Doug.

05:59.37
Christian
Excellent, Wonderful! What color was the car. What color was the interior was there a trim package.

06:12.43
Devin Henderson
So I had the Lx which just meant it had I think a remote keylet well remote Keyless entry and it had a spoiler but um, you know it it. It had hub caps instead of rims but they were nice hub caps I mean it was.

06:23.59 Doug
I want.

06:23.82 Christian Um, ah.

06:30.29
Devin Henderson
Ah, wouldn't say it was in no frills but somewhere in between no frills and you know something but but um, yeah, it had a kind of ah it was Hunter Green and had this like cream color interior.

And yeah I mean I I would totally buy like if they made the equivalent of that car today.

06:32.43
Christian
God It got it not think.

06:35.46 Doug
Um, Miss may.

06:40.52
Christian
Love that color. Love that color.

06:46.90 Doug Nope.

06:49.64
Devin Henderson
I would totally buy it I mean that that thing is awesome.

06:52.75
Doug
Um, well I think there is ah there is a maz to 6 which would probably be as close as you can get. Yeah yeah, well that that that is true. So.

06:53.21 Christian And.

06:57.95
Devin Henderson
Um, yeah, but I don't know if they're making that I actually looked and they don't the problem is they don't make it a stick anymore either that was part of the fun.

07:09.46
Doug
So I take it you got the car used.

07:12.90
Devin Henderson
Um I did I got it like ah I think eighteen months used or 2 years had like thirty four thousand

miles on it when I bought it and yes, no, it was thirty four thousand miles over how many on it when I bought it.

07:18.64
Doug
Um, okay, um, how many um, how many bibles were I.

07:23.53
Christian
Couldn't have been that many.

07:31.17
Doug
Um, nice, nice. So yeah, you put about a few hundred and fifty thousand miles on it.

07:32.54
Christian
That's up. That's a long time to have a first car so curious as to what what was your next your next car after that and if you what what did you think you learned from the first car.

07:37.57
Devin Henderson
Um, yeah, well let's in pair of it.

07:45.48 Doug
Um, and um.

07:49.35
Christian
When you when you're moving into the second. Maybe even into the third.

07:54.47
Devin Henderson
Well so my second car. Ah I got married and we moved out into the Dc area and I was commuting on the the metro every day. So unfortunately that meant that I didn't need it and I actually didn't have a car for 2 years

08:06.80 Christian
Um, yeah, um.

08:10.74

Devin Henderson
And my wife and I shared a car. It was a Toyota Corolla which meant she drove it and I took the metro which was fine. It was a very practical thing but the next car I had was a Audi a 4 which was also fun.

08:26.18
Christian
Um, sporting yeah.

08:27.43
Devin Henderson
Yeah, it had a turbo in it I Love that that was awesome.

08:30.49
Doug
Um, nice to so would um, what led to you moving from the from the Mazda to the next car.

08:40.56
Devin Henderson
Um, ah well so driving on the metro with the stick shift. They are not driving on the beltway with a stick shift every day It was a little hard on the knees that was that was part of it and it was I mean it was getting to the end of its life I mean I.

08:48.85 Doug Um I.

08:54.41
Devin Henderson
I Did all the things I could to keep that thing going and it was starting to turn into a little bit of a might need to get the engine rebuilt and you know the car wasn't worth that much at that point So I ended up donating it to a charity who auctioned it and made.

09:08.63 Doug Um, was.

09:09.89
Devin Henderson
Actually decent a lot of money on it and I did find out that the new owner fixed it and was driving it for several years. The guy reached out to me a question about something how he got my info I have no idea.

09:25.85
Doug
Yeah, that's a that's a that's a great story. So I I think I heard you mention spoiler but were there any features on either of these cars or any other car that just like blew you away right? We talked about the stick shit like.

09:27.21 Christian
Um, the excellent.

09:39.94
Devin Henderson
Um, well the Mazda yeah, the stick shift was nice but the Mazda had a unique thing that the vents in the middle like the the front vents you know so there's one on the driver's side on the left kind of near where the mirror is and 1 on the right on the passenger side but the.

09:45.31 Doug But that.

09:58.77
Devin Henderson
The mirror the ah, the vents, the air vents in the middle actually oscillated like there was a push button that you could turn it off but you could leave it on it would oscillate left to right? Yeah, it was cool.

10:07.82
Doug
Um, oh I think I remember that I remember that future. Yeah that that's ah, that's cool. Did it have any was it digital. Did I have a digital dash like I know that was more of an eating thing. Yeah.

10:22.77
Devin Henderson
Um, ah no, it was analog no it was an analog dash.

10:27.21
Doug
nice nice now did you did you know your wife when you had that car. Okay, aoka. Nice nice. So lots of significant times. Did you have your your first.

10:30.91
Devin Henderson

Um I did I did we went to high school together. Yeah.

10:42.80
Doug
Did your first child ride in that car or was it dawn then got you.

10:45.15
Devin Henderson
Um, no, no, it was gone by then.

10:47.86
Christian
Did your family tend to keep cars for a long time. What what? what did cars family.

10:53.94
Devin Henderson
Um, yeah yeah I mean my my family usually hangs on to them until they're kind of done I would say in the last couple years I've gone through cars like Skittles. So we'll not use that as a proper barometer. But.

11:06.80 Christian
Um, ah love that.

11:09.17
Devin Henderson Yeah.

11:10.14
Doug
Yeah, so what? what is your? Um, what's your daily driver these days Devin I know you said going through cars like Skittles.

11:15.48
Devin Henderson
Um, I am currently driving a 2003 Cadillac escalade v series. Yeah I love it. It's it's nice. It's it's a nice family car I'm sorry say that again.

11:23.66
Christian
Goodness How did you live on that How how did you land on that car. Yeah yep.

11:33.11

Devin Henderson
I needed a bigger vehicle because if we you know if we drive back to Illinois which is like 13 hour drive if my kids are touching each other in any way shape or form you like it's like the end of the world.

11:39.81 Christian Yep.

11:47.60
Devin Henderson
And it has captain's chairs and it's got lots of room on the inside of it and so it prevents me from wanting to murder my adorable children.

11:55.99 Christian Myself.

11:59.74
Doug
So you have ah and you have 3 kids so you got them spread out so is that the yeah.

12:00.54
Devin Henderson
I Do I have three kids so that's part of it.

12:06.43
Christian
Yeah I've got three kids also and that that breaks the symmetry in so many ways you know, big and small. So it's it's interesting. How ah you know I'm shopping for car right now when you look and think about a sedan but it's that it's that last.

12:10.50
Devin Henderson
Um, it does it does? um.

12:11.92
Doug
Um, two 2 is much doing.

12:22.45
Christian
Dimension of height through the back of the vehicle that makes it so much more versatile and

even as my kids are sort of phasing out and moving into the world I'm a little bit older than you the the ability to haul things around really does become ah a great proxy for where you even start looking at cars. So.

12:23.69
Devin Henderson Um, yep, yep.

12:41.26
Devin Henderson
Um, yeah, no, you're go ahead.

12:41.63
Christian
Anyway, you were going to say something Doug didn't mean to cook.

12:42.80
Doug
Um, yeah, no no worries. So ah, Devin is it a is it one of the extended length. Yesv.

12:50.57
Devin Henderson
Um, no I didn't I didn't do the extended but I did get the full v series. It has the supercharged v 8 in it.

12:56.20
Doug
Yeah I um I saw I saw I saw a video of that on Doug Demiro's Doug Demiro's Youtube page the other day. Yeah, pretty pretty impressive car.

12:57.56 Christian Holy Map it.

13:10.11
Devin Henderson Yeah, it really is.

13:12.70
Doug
So what? What? besides the Captain's chairs in the space is there any like knockout feature I watched the video. There's some cool cool things that that car can do.

13:25.28
Devin Henderson
Yeah, well I mean this one does have a refrigerator in it which is kind of cool so I can pull out ah a bottle of refrigerated ice water right here but other than that it does have this cool button That's like you turn the V series on and when you do it makes the engine like crazy aggressive.

13:31.51 Christian Um, love it.

13:34.68 Doug Um, my.

13:43.60
Devin Henderson
Even if you're slowing down at the stoplight and you turn it on the engine will like you'll hear the ah the overblow of the supercharger you know spinning down and so it'll make it like I don't know Bark I don't know what the right word would be but I mean it just sounds aggressive as can be and.

13:58.16
Doug
Um, yeah, yep, yeah.

14:00.79
Devin Henderson
If you go to start it up with the remote start and you're in a parking garage as one would do in this area like it will make the whole parking garage just like get really loud set off alarms and stuff. So I just started the car I wasn't thinking anything of it I was with my family.

14:06.63 Doug
In.

14:14.70 Doug Um, nice.

14:17.82
Devin Henderson
And there was a woman getting in her car like twenty feet away and I was ah I was a good hundred feet away or so and I pushed the remote start and it caused this lady to jump like 2 or

three feet and I forgot that it's so loud when you do that. But I mean it is very loud when you remote started. It is. It's it's kind of fun.

14:30.49 Christian Um, love it.

14:37.77
Christian
Fantastic hey we're at we're at ride under 15 minutes here so in in in our closing moments. Um, ah, any any aspirations for next cars. Big thoughts on next cars. Devin what's what's your next venture or are you pleased with what you have you seem to be a guy that that hangs on the cars for a bit What's what's the next move. What do you think.

14:54.60
Devin Henderson
Um, sure, um, well so so I just bought a 1965 Shelby Cobra I bought a backd draft so it has like you know the minimum amount of miles on it. But it's basically a 1965 ah replica and this thing is absolutely gorgeous. It's a 5 speed with a 4 27 roush. It's got 550 worst power I am.

15:16.51 Christian Wow.

15:25.50
Devin Henderson
So excited to get this thing. It's coming next week I've wanted this car for as long as I've ever wanted anything in my life. So I'm very excited to get it. So I also have a 1965 Ford mustang convertible. So I have ah a pretty full garage.

15:42.40
Doug
Um, and both and both of those are stick shifts right? Devin nice.

15:42.68
Devin Henderson
But I'm um, both of those are stick shifts. Yeah, the the mustang is a 4 speed and the cobra is 5 speed.

15:50.65
Doug
Nice, nice. Well I look forward to drivinging those fars I mean not seeing you in them. That's what I meant all right.

15:55.62
Devin Henderson
You can drive it I don't mind.

15:59.40
Christian
Um, like would love to have it was up on the site if he'd be willing I mean that beautiful. Beautiful yeah, even a picture of the garage would be would be fantastic to have well, you've been a great guest Devin thank you for making the time.

16:01.76
Devin Henderson
Um, yeah, yeah, I've got pictures I could send them to Doug.

16:17.14
Christian
Especially for the for the inaugural first pilot episode. Thank you for the time day all right? So ensure you check us out on ah carslove.comcarslove.com

16:23.39
Devin Henderson
Um, you got it. Thanks guys. You got him in.

16:23.44
Doug
Thanks Buddy appreciate it.

16:35.41
Christian
Fill out the intake form If if you're interested in joining the conversation being a future guest. You don't have to be a car Enthusiast Just um, ah just be willing to tell your story take care. We'll see you around the ethernet soon.

16:46.46
Doug
Yeah yep, and we'll be on your your favorite. Ah, your favorite podcast site. So thank thank you again. Thanks Devin! Much appreciated right? All right drive safely Devin is also driving.

16:54.49
Devin Henderson
Um, you got it? No problem guys all right? Yeah I am That's why I don't have camera all right take care guys. Thanks for the invite bye.

17:02.95
Doug
So we're gonna be let him go Yes Sir Thank you.

17:07.12
Christian
Thanks Pal Be good.