The ride of his life

Thomas Brumley, a Findlay native, slid into the driver's seat of his new 2022 Ford GT Heritage Alan Mann Model, started it up with the push of a button and revved the engine. The sound filled the showroom floor, to the delight of onlookers in the Reineke Ford Lincoln dealership at 12000 County Road 99. The car, painted red with white and gold trim, was delivered Monday after a six-year process. "What other color is there but scarlet," said Brumley, an Ohio State University graduate. The vehicle comes with a laundry list of special features: gull-wing doors, a tilting spoiler, 660 horsepower, special red paddle shifters on the steering wheel, and a carbon-fiber body, to name a few. It also comes with a mighty high price tag. The car, an homage to a vehicle made by Alan Mann in the 1970s, is a limited edition within a limited run of cars made by Ford. According to the Ford media website, the production of the vehicles is slated to be done this December. Greg Dell, marketing manager with Reineke Family Dealerships, said the limited run totals 1,350 vehicles. The heritage models are a subset within the total; Brumley's specific vehicle is number 53 in that subset. Brumley had originally seen a different version of this vehicle on a lot back in 2006, but the timing was just not right for him to buy it. Back then, it would have been as simple as ordering and paying for the vehicle. Now, the process has evolved into a qualifying application in which Ford checks credentials of prospective owners. "Why should you own it? Why should Ford let you buy their vehicle?" explained Rodger Barton, general manager of the Reineke Ford Lincoln dealership, about the process. For this specific model, Ford is less interested in if a person can afford to own the vehicle, and more interested in people or families enjoying and driving it. "Ford wants these cars to be driven and seen at car shows, not sitting in a showroom waiting to be resold," Dell said. The application process also required a video to be made and submitted. Brumley said he was pleased with the video made by the dealership, noting it was a key reason he is now in possession of the car. In the video, Brumley mentioned his history with the Ford brand: His father taught him to drive in a Ford stick shift, he raced in a Mustang, and he currently owns several Ford vehicles. Brumley said the delivery of the vehicle was a special day. A number of friends and family attended the drop-off, including family from Texas and Florida. "My Chevy buddies showed up. My Mopar buddies showed up. My Porsche buddies showed up. They all got the biggest kick out of seeing this car being delivered," he said.