Video: 1964-1/2 Ford Mustang III “Shorty” Factory Prototype
This three-minute video produced by Auctions America describes the history of the 1964 1/2 Ford Mustang III "Shorty" Factory Prototype which was sold on March 28, 2015.
The video features an interview with Bill and Christine Synder, previous owners of the automobile.
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
1964-1/2 Ford Mustang III "Shorty" Factory Prototype
Auctions America
Published on Jan 12, 2015
This one-of-a-kind Ford Mustang Prototype will be offered at Auctions America's Fort Lauderdale Collector Car Auction, March 27-29, 2015.
The Mustang III had been built in the immediate aftermath of finalization of the design for the original Ford Mustang, the famed “1964-1/2" to which no enthusiast needs an introduction. Robert McNamara was gone from Ford, but the former president’s influence of conservatism still hung in the air. Initial intentions to build the new Mustang as a two-seater had been overcome by a desire to make the new car “family-friendly” – i.e. a four-seater – and therefore sellable to a wider market. Time and over a million sales would prove that the decision had been a good one. Nonetheless, dreams of “what might have been” hung thick in the air in Dearborn.
Comments
What a beauty….why don’t the powers that be at Ford, keep making this smaller version for those who would love to have one? You have to wonder, if it was still available, how well would it sell?
This has an interesting history. It was built in Andy Hotton’s shop. He did proto-type work for Ford. In 1957 he built and managed the Battle-Bird Team cars. I saw them run when they were new. Andy lived next door to Les Henry, Ford Museum Curator - what a pair to draw to!
Bill & Christine Snyder are absolutely wonderful people, and very active in the national Classic Car Club of America - Bill is a great enthusiast and owner of Stutz cars, and Christine has a wonderful custom bodied Packard convertible victoria that was just featured in the CCCA magazine. Both of them helped organize and run the CCCA annual meeting that took place in Savannah, Ga. last month.