Flashback: When the Mustang Ventured Into the Mid-Engine Realm

The Halls of History

When the mid-engine C8 Corvette debuted, a lot of Mustang fans were vocal about their desires for a pony car with this sort of exotic engine placement. After all, Blue Oval fans in general looking for a mid-engine sports car must spring for a Ford GT if they want one, and that isn't very easy given the car's low production numbers and lofty price tag. But if you look way back in history, you'll find that Ford has indeed built a mid-engine Mustang at least once before.

Mystery Machine

Back in 1966, Ford actually built a mid-engine Mustang concept. But today, no one associated with Ford seems to even remember it. Regardless, we know the car existed at one point, because Dean Weber, who was in charge of Ford's Archives roughly five years ago when he discovered a handful of photos of the car.

Ruled Out

At first, Weber thought that perhaps this car had been transformed into the Mustang Mach 2 concept that Ford showed off at the 1967 Chicago Auto Show. That car also disappeared at some point after 1970. But historian Wayne Ferens ruled out that idea by pointing out a number of variances in the two car's constructions.

One Thing

Weber reached out to just about everyone involved with Mustang projects at the time and other experts, including Mustang historian John Clor and Mustang marketing and PR specialist John Clinard. Neither had ever heard of the car, but Clinard was able to confirm the location the photos were taken at as Ford's International Studio in Dearborn, Michigan.

Possible Clue

Clor believed that the mid-engine Mustang could have been related to one of the concepts developed by Ford designer Eugene Bordinat during the 1960s. He reached out to former Ford designers Hal Sperlich, Gale Halderman, and Jack Telnack to see if one of them could identify the car, but none of them knew for sure. However, Sperlich did suggest that it could have been a driveable version of the 1962 Mustang 1 Concept.

Last Gasp

Halderman eventually ruled out that theory as well, since those concepts were all built in the early '60s. This particular car was based on the production Mustang, so the timelines just don't really add up. His final glimmer of hope was to reach out to Roy Lunn, who was involved with a number of mid-engine Ford projects including the Mustang 1 and the GT40, but he had no clue, either.

Solving the Mystery

And so, the mystery of the mid-engine Mustang concept remains unsolved. Which is hard to believe, honestly. With any luck, however, someone with knowledge of the project will eventually step forward with some information about it. 

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