Eight and a half years ago, way back on October 28th 2012 I wrote my first post on my little ol’ blog. I had nothing planned other than to share with a few friends what I was getting up to and how I was getting along with my Mustang restoration. Ultimately I could look back in a few years time and take a trip down memory lane with the photos I had taken a certain points of the restoration.
Delivery of my project car 17th September 2011, before it went to Mustang Maniac where I had professional help & guidance on my restoration over the years. Those guys have become some of my best mates of mine as a result.
When I attend car shows or via my blog and emails etc. I often get asked how I clean and detail my cars;
Some of the Car Shows and photo opportunities;
I get asked how I fitted things, how I upgraded this or that, I even get asked for advice on their own restoration projects.
That got me to thinking about adding extra sections like the tools (a selection of them here), that I used on project and since use, considering that I’m just a weekend warrior with a spanner.
Products that I used to keep our daily cars clean and the Mustang fully detailed.
My merchandise I bought over the years or have been given since I started my journey with the Mustang.
I even get requests to review items, all of which I buy if I think I could use them myself. As a result of all these things, my blog has evolved into an entity of it’s own.
Fast forward a number of years to 2021 where I my little ol’ blog has reached a massive milestone. This is not intended as some bragging rights by the way, but more like myself being proud of the result. Somebody within the USA this morning 15th May 2021 made my day:
My blog has just passed 1,000,000 hits!
I am absolutely amazed to think this could ever happen, I remember getting excited about getting ten hits in one day!
I value every single one of you that has followed me or just pops in for a quick read, like or even the odd comment. I would like to say a massive “Thank You” from the very bottom of my heart.
I don’t actually get anything from my blog/website on WordPress, other than some add money that goes straight to the hosting and my domain fees. It’s sort of self sufficient in a way. If anything I’m out of pocket, but reading the comments and seeing the views more than make up for it. Hopefully I can help somebody, somewhere with something.
My first follower was Debbie Nuessle (click here for her latest venture), from across the pond. We both started blogs within a few days of each other, both revolving around our love of American Muscle cars, especially Ford Mustangs of course. We keep in touch outside of the Blog circle and have become good friends.
I have a number of followers who ‘like’ the posts I put up after even after all these years, thank you all, it means a lot to me. I have such a range of followers; a very talented and well-known Soprano opera singer; Charlotte Hoather (click here for her blog), mechanics, engineers, oil rig mover, artists, photographers, builders, wildlife photographers, fellow classic car owners, writers, product manufacturers, shops, brands, a few younger bloggers, students, world travellers, petrol heads, gear heads, car clubs, writers, novelists, journalists, teachers, photojournalists, professional bloggers, social influencers, religious followers, the list just goes on. (There is even ‘ahem’ some adult orientated content following me!) The full list makes for some amazing reading.
Just in case anybody is interested in some of the more selective stats;
I have a total of 2,700 followers, of which 871 are on WordPress, 2,300 on social media, just over 2000 on Facebook, which is not my favourite of all the platforms I must admit.
I have been visited by 199 countries and the top ten countries in order are; USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, China, France, Netherlands, Finland and New Zealand.
There are stunning islands that have visited me, Mauritius, Seychelles & Maldives. Some of those Islands are so small they wouldn’t be able to fit a Mustang on them! My bucket list is to spend a few days on these islands to chill and take in some sun.
The more obscure countries with a single visit are: Burkina Faso, Falkland Islands, Kosovo, Tonga, Northern Mariana Islands.
To date I have posted 340 blogs including this one over the eight and half years I have been posting on this blog.
These figures are quite low compared to some of you mega stars out, there with you super popular blogs I know that. But for me, like I said earlier, I’m honestly humbled and grateful to every single one of you who wants to look at a blog all about one man and his Mustang!
A huge “Thank You” to you all.
Here’s to the next one million!
Awesome sauce! You’ve really suped it up good! You have such talent and I especially love the interior! I love those baby blue and white seats! 😍😍😍
Holy smokes! You did an awesome job suping that car up! I love Mustangs and you have a talent at turning old cars into pristine machines! I especially love what you did with the interior! Love those baby blue and white seats! 😍😍😍
Thank you, it was worth the blood (literally cut myself and removed layers of skin no end of times), sweat and tears (literally when you spend all day doing something and it still didn’t work.)
Bravo, Mart! You are one of the hardest working bloggers out there. The success is well-deserved.
Ah thank you very much. I have great followers. 👍👍
Wowza. What a fantastic post, thank you for the shout out. Your car looks amazing and it is brilliant to see it all in one post. I love that little bullet car picture that would be very useful in London, although someone ran up the back of my car last week and I wonder how it would hold up in an incident like that, good thing I had the handbrake on and my little vava voom held up well for a C1.
It takes a lot of commitment, time and inventiveness to blog for so long Mart and I’ve enjoyed meeting you here. Keep on keeping on. 💫🙌
Thank you so much Charlotte, I’m proud to be a blogger friend too.
So sad to hear about your beloved little car. I hope were ok though. It’s gutting when you have even a minor accident.
Thanks for the encouragement too, I will keep going as I still enjoy it.
Take care Charlotte.
Wow! I have to hand it to you; you’ve created a masterpiece. It’s incredible what you’ve accomplished. You can be proud.
I’m fond of Meguiar’s car care products as well. The rack you made to hold the containers is a splendid idea. Now, I’ll make something similar of my own (if you don’t mind).
For some reason, I never received notification of this post. I’m glad I checked in. Great photos, great ideas. You’ve done an outstanding job on your blog as well. Thanks for sharing!
I missed the post because I lost the follow somehow—crazy WordPress.
Thanks for the kind comments Peter. At least you got to see the post in the end. As for the copying of the idea I have no problems with that at all. If it helps out then it’s a good to share. The idea is perfect as it’s customisable for the space you have.. I would love to see your variation on a theme. 👍
Congratulations, Mart. I have no clue how I found you in the first place, but I have vastly enjoyed the insight you provide into your portion of the hobby—and the universal truths for all of us who work on cars. On to the next million hits!
Thank you for the kind comments, at least you found me and I’m pleased you did. Another million I really hope so. But I’m very happy with so far. 👍😃
Congrats on hitting your million milestone, and it’s so amazing how you’ve transformed your Mustang right from the very start. Here’s to a million more views, and beyond!
Vijay
Thank you very much Vijay, a milestone I never expected. On to the million, I can dream on.
Congrats, Mart! Always a pleasure to see your posts. 🍾
Ah thank you Dana. 👍👍👍
I feel privileged to have become friends with both you and Debbie all those years ago. For many if the intervening years I didn’t blog much but this year as you know I am back. I dip into your blog now and again but couldn’t find Debbie when I looked.
I’m no longer with the American muscle car enthusiasts but still find myself fascinated by Mustangs when I see one.
Sadly the husband was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. I’m not getting involved but have sent him a book on Mustangs to keep him entertained.
I was so pleased when I came back to blogging to see that you had got your beloved Mustang running.
Thank you for being one of my most regular readers of my blog that has changed so much since the early days.
Congratulations on your milestone
Thank you so much for your kind comments. I’m saddened to hear about your husband, but made me smile you got him a Mustang book. I too am honoured and touched to have such fab followers who feel comfortable to drop in and out when they please. 👍
Mart, congrats! A great job you’ve done, and your photography in particular continues to inspire me. All the best, Richard
Thank you Richard for the kind words. 👍
Well done Martin, thoroughly deserved for your meticulous attention to detail. I too started my blog in 2012, but in February. 535 posts later, though ‘A Special Builder’s Notes’ hasn’t quite hit the same sort of numbers as ‘One Man and His Mustang’, the fact that a diary of our activities exists – possibly for all time – is a comforting counter to Neitzche’s rather bleak proposals vis-a-vis nihilism.
Hi Nigel, I couldn’t have predicted anything like this when I first meet you at the Birmingham NEC car show. When cars are in history books and people look back to think that we mended our own cars!
Huge and well deserved congratulations Mart. You take such care over your blogs and your car that you deserve all the adulation you receive. You have a amazing eye for detail. I also have found you to be a great encourager, and in amongst all the keyboard warriors out there who are not so helpful (!), your positivity is infectious. Keep up the great work – all the best, Adam
Thank you Adam, I’m looking forward to seeing your little lady on the road. It’s not far away now. 👍
Hey Mart! Thanks so much for the shout out for dustycharmdesigns.com! My above comment comes straight from my heart. Keep up the great blogging. Eight years…can you believe it? Congratulations again from this side of the pond. Mustangs forever!
Thank you Debbie. I linked your latest project on the post, hopefully you will get some pay you a visit too.
Mart, it is with great pride that I’m commenting on this post. What a unique relationship we have had. Not many others can say that they simultaneously became each other’s first followers on a social media platform. Our ‘across the pond’ friendship has been one of genuine admiration of each other and a shared love of Mustangs. Fun fact: In the beginning I had to silence your Tweet alerts as they came in the middle of my USA nights. Husband would wake up, and I’d say, “it’s just Mart”. We’ve emailed, texted, commented and shared bits and pieces of our family lives. Christmas cards have been exchanged. I’ve watched your Mustang transform, both on your driveway, that small garage that needed a bit of cleaning out, and at Mustang Maniac. It has been quite a journey and you have done a marvelous job conveying it through posts of anecdotal recounts of cars shows both glamorous and rainy, product reviews, the use of tools, etc. Let me officially congratulate you on this milestone. In my book…you are my number one! Mustangs forever!!…and as always … Love from across the pond. Debbie
Hi ya Debbie, good to see http://www.hoodscoop03.com back. Yep it’s totally unique that we were the number 1 of each other and Mustangs too. Sorry I woke you up, time difference is pain. I still have all the paperwork for the Missouri Mustang club you joined me up for as a present for getting my car on the road. What a buzz that was for me. Thank you for the kind words as always. You are my number one as well and keep that beer on chill one day I may pull up and sit on your porch drinking beer and talking cars. Take care from this side of the pond too. 🙌👍👍
Wow it’s been that long. I don’t remember when I started following you, but it’s been a long time. I was constantly amazed at all the work and care you put into restoring your Mustang. I saw a red 1965 or 66 Mustang parked facing the road with a For Sale sign on it this morning.
Hi Tim, I know when I started to go back the timelines it has flown by. You are one of my early followers. Thank you for all the likes.
I’ve really enjoyed dropping in whenever I have some reading time! Congrats on a million hits! Keep up the great work!
Thanks Andrew, I’m pleased you drop by.
Wow! One million! That is something. Ride that mustang, cowboy!
Thanks Mich. I intend to to keep riding. As for the 1,000,000 it was beyond my wildest imagination nearly nine years ago.
Righto! Makes my 72,000 look pretty skimpy.
I’m sure you will get there Mich.