The Shelby American (Winter 2021)

tepping into this massive WW II era warehouse, one would have trouble believing it to be filled with valuable autos. The building was extremely dark and dusty. And eerie. Sporting an old leather bomber jacket and three-day facial hair, I felt like Harrison Ford, about to uncover a long-lost treasure. Which is exactly what we did. Our quest was to find the car that started the Mustang craze, It was conceived by the Ford Styling De- partment in early 1963 and became known as the Mustang II Prototype. [ Recall, the original Mustang I was the tiny two-seat concept car powered by a mid-engine Cardinal 4-cylinder en- gine .] After being unveiled to the American public later in 1963, it would fall six months later into rela- tive obscurity. Until now. Mustang historian Mark Haas, co- worker Bryan Glidden and I were granted permission to view this rare Mustang historic vehicle housed in Detroit and owned by the Detroit His- torical Museum. The following stories we’ve uncovered tell its amazing his- tory, and the best may be from Haas – discovering a possible 2nd Mustang II Prototype. The Beginning - 1963 Well-known Mustang expert Bob Fria provided much of the early his- tory of our concept car. It all began with Ford Executive Stylist John Naj- jar, who created sketches of the Mus- tang II, with guidance from the Vice President of Styling, Gene Bordinat. The final design was submitted on May 11, 1963, and 5 days later the first completed clay model was viewed, on May 16, with a ‘Torino’ nameplate and a cougar on the front grill. Ford’s upper management obviously didn’t approve of the ‘Torino” nameplate or cougar emblem, because the following day photo evidence shows different hubcaps and a nameplate change - to “Mustang.” Next up was the fabrication. As was the case with many Ford prototypes, Dearborn Steel Tube (DST) in nearby Dearborn, MI, was given the task of building the Mustang II Prototype. The DST team began with a 1963 ½’ Falcon Sprint chassis that had been altered by Ford; an early prototype 1965 Mustang coupe floor pan and sheet metal were added and the roof was cut off. Not everything was perfect. For ex- ample, the front-to-rear console was braced with 2x4s. And, only the oil pressure gauge was hooked up. But when completed, in September 1963 – minus the final topcoat of paint – it met all of Ford’s requirements. On October 6, 1963, the Prototype was unveiled at the U.S. Grand Prix at Watkins Glen Raceway in Watkins Glen, New York – half a year before the first Mustang was sold. There to make the presentation to the press was Lee Iacocca, the man who bet his future at Ford on this car. We know now he was holding a Royal Flush. Immediately after the October 6 debut the Mustang II was put on a whirlwind tour until early 1964. At this point, the mass-produced Mus- The SHELBY AMERICAN Winter 2021 68 S Mustang I concept car, circa 1962. Dan Gurney [ right ] drove the car in demonstration laps at the U.S. Grand Prix at Watkins Glen in October, 1962 where the car was debuted. – Jim Kruez