If you build it, they will come. That’s Frogtown, Georgia native Charles Ales’ perspective on the hobby to which he devotes his life. No, it’s not math, a subject he taught for 34 years. This hobby requires blue blood, a garage, and even—er—a church depending on how you look at it.
Ales recently established the Mustang Church of America and Museum in Georgia. StangPlanet is no stranger to
Mustang marriages, but a church?
"There's not another one like it in the world," said Ales to local news affiliate MorningSun.net. "I've been around car nuts all my adult life. You can mess with their wives, you can mess with their dogs, but you can't mess with their cars. It borders on a religion with them, so I built them a church."
Last June, Ales and his adopted son, Robert Brunch, conceived of the idea to build a sort of hybrid church and museum for the pony cars they adore so much. So, they started by building a 100-by-70-foot building from scratch, of which 18 feet will be devoted to his son’s living quarters. Both of the enthusiasts are actually ordained through the Universal Ministry School of Theology.
So what’s going in the ‘house that Charles built?’ You can start with the four Shelby Mustangs Ales purchased brand new in 2007. Also included in his collection are three Boss Mustangs—a 429, 351 and 302.
"I bought the 302 new," Ales told MorningSun.net. "I paid $3,500 for the 429 when I was teaching in Wichita. Those are all hand-built, and they had to do a lot of modifications to get the Nascar Semi Hemi engine to fit in a Mustang body."
His other Mustangs were all charged to his Toys R Us credit card. "I tell everybody I'll be a big kid until the day I die," he told MorningSun.net. "I want to win a drag race on my 100th birthday."
Ales was the subject of a humble upbringing in Frogtown, which is located just west of Franklin. His hobby was born in a house of 12 brothers and sisters, so it’s only fitting that he build his church on the property next door. "We were all born in the front room, because it had heat," he told MorningSun.net.
Ales and Brunch still have big plans for their church-museum. After they finish the landscaping, Ales plans to “open for business.” Due to the fact that he purchased four Shelbys in one year, he hopes Carroll Shelby can make it to the dedication.
To follow the lead of historically iconic churches of the past, Ales wants to focus on aesthetic design. His first project is to install a distinctive mural behind his pulpit.
"It shows Jesus at the wheel of a 1966 Mustang," Ales told MorningSun.net. "It's being done on a metal plate at Patterson's Artworks."
Also included in the mix is a lineup of T-shirts with the same logo, an Ichthus fish encapsulating a Mustang horse.
The Mustang Church of America and Museum will be open daily, with non-denominational Sunday services, hosting shows, swaps and everything Mustang—even two “Mustang blessings" a year.
“I'll preach goodness and helping my fellow humankind. I'll preach what we're supposed to do — make this a better world than we found it," Ales told MorningSun.net. "Somebody asked me if I was worried about people thinking this was sacrilegious. Well, I hope Jesus has a sense of humor."
[Source]MorningSun.net
[Photo Credit]MorningSun.net 
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