Remember Nino And His Torched 1970 Mustang Mach 1? Here's A Happy Update To A Frustrating Story

Last month, we brought you the story of Nino Welcome, a 7-year old boy whose very special 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 was destroyed by a heartless arsonist. Understandably, there was a huge outcry from the car community. Millions of petrolheads around the world expressed their anger while rallying around little Nino, who is unable to walk due to a genetic disorder.

Naturally, we were touched by this infuriating incident. Like so many others in the car community, it was clear to us that all the memories and sentiments that Nino had with his car (aptly named Pumpkin) could never be replaced. However, I am happy to say that this story does have a happy ending.

After I wrote the initial story, I was able to get a hold of Nino’s father, Brett Welcome. We then arranged for a special care package of goodies from the Car Throttle Shop to be sent as a small gift to Nino. Recently, Brett informed me that not only did they receive our package, but that he was able to find Nino an even more special present.

Car Throttle, Meet "Son of Pumpkin"

Sadly, Pumpkin was essentially a total loss. However, Brett was able to find this 1969 Ford Mustang, which the Welcomes refer to as the Son of Pumpkin. It needs a bit of TLC, but the body appears to be in pretty good shape. What’s more, Nino is going to do what he can to be a part of the restoration project. Nino’s dad hopes that Nino’s involvement in restoring the Son of Pumpkin will make this car even more special to him than the last one.

All of us at Car Throttle wish the Welcomes the best of luck with the “Son of Pumpkin” project!