Jim Lamb owns a muscle car that has defined American ingenuity on the road throughout its history: the Ford Mustang. He’s also working in Baghdad as an employee of American Equipment Company. What’s more, Lamb’s 2007 Shelby GT500 is the winner of the Ultimate Stang Challenge I: Stang Fury.
Currently in Baghdad, he has been supplying and maintaining equipment and vehicles for the US military since January 2004. “I manage 3 different shops: Heavy Equipment, Non-Tactical Vehicles/Heavy Armored Vehicles and a body shop,” says Lamb. “I work 7 to 12 hour days for 56 to 72 days and get two weeks off.”
Unfortunately, Lamb doesn’t get much free time. He has the luxury of contacting his family every day, but not his Mustang. Not a problem. “I get my Mustang fix through them,” he says. “My wife will take my car to town once in awhile and tell me about the reactions of people and their comments. Everywhere the car goes, it gets a lot of attention. As my wife says, ‘That car makes little boys go crazy, grown men turn into little boys and the women—well, use your imagination!”
But where’s the name come from? “I got the name for it from the Greatest Race Horse that ever lived: Man O' War,” says Lamb, adding, “well, that and the other Manowar, the ships that puts fear into every sailor. The name “Manowar” seems to have a history of putting fear into its opponent—kinda fitting I think!!
While he owns the “ultimate” Stang in his house, his wife’s 2005 GT comes in close second making 361rwhp. Even his oldest daughter drives a 2006 V6. His youngest daughter isn’t even old enough to start driving until January, but already has her eyes on a 1996 Mystic Cobra. “If dad has a say in it,” says Lamb, “she will get it. We are huge fans of the Mustangs.”
Lamb’s beginnings in the Mustang world resemble many classic stories. He purchased his first in high school, a ’69 coupe. But his appreciation extends to everything under the blue oval’s reign. “I’ve always been a Ford guy but am very partial to the Mopars,” says Lamb. “There is something about big blocks and high horsepower that gets my blood pumping and I think my wife and girls have the bug also.”
The blue oval bug victims will certainly appreciate his $2,500 in Saleen gear from the Ultimate Stang Challenge. “I’d like to put the Saleen Suspension and maybe some other little things on my wife’s car,” says Lamb. “With the rest, I will donate it to my car club, Modern Mustangs of Jacksonville.”
The donation will go towards the MMJ’s charity, the Jacksonville Humane Society, who helps build burnt down earlier in the year. “The club has supported them for years,” says Lamb. “They are a great bunch of people and I’m honored to be apart of it.”
For more photos of Lamb’s Manowar, visit his
personal USC forum. Congrats!
USC I Winner: Jim Lamb
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