The Mustang Wagon Could Have Changed History As We Know It

The Original Ford Mustang Wagon

Even after the debut of the Ford Mustang Mach-E, the idea of a Ford Mustang wagon seems strange. But the concept has been around since the first Mustangs were built in early 1964. That's when Barney Clark and Bob Cumberford teamed up to transform a 1964 1/2 coupe into a one-off custom wagon. Inspired by the Chevrolet Nomad, a two-door wagon from the 1950s, both Clark and Cumberford believed the concept should be applied to the Mustang. The result of their work looks like a natural evolution of the pony car.  

Photo: Car and Driver

Hand Crafted by Intermeccanica in Italy

Cumberford had previously worked with Intermeccanica of Turin, Italy, and turned to them to build the Mustang wagon. Intermeccanica took Cumberford's design sketches and fabricated a new roof, rear windows, cargo floor, and folding rear seat. The tailgate retained the signature Mustang taillights and featured a fully disappearing window. Clark and Cumberford also wanted to lower the cargo floor by relocating the gas tank and spare tire but ran out of money. 

Photo: Car and Driver

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Car and Driver Reviews the Ford Mustang Wagon

Car and Driver reviewed the Ford Mustang wagon in October 1966. In the article, David E. Davis said it was "like any well-prepared, properly-suspended Mustang..." and that the "design has lost none of the distinctive Mustang flavor."  Car and Driver were clearly impressed with the car, praising its performance, usefulness of the wagon configuration, and quality craftsmanship. The Mustang wagon looked and drove like a production-ready car, not a one-off custom build.   

Photo: Car and Driver

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Causing a Stir in Detroit

Ford never officially showed any interest in the Mustang wagon concept, but it generated quite a stir with their crosstown rival. One day, a GM employee spotted the Mustang wagon on the expressway. GM was rumored to be exploring the wagon concept for some of their coupes, including the Camaro, Firebird, Buick Riviera, and Oldsmobile Toronado. The appearance of an apparently production-ready Mustang wagon created shockwaves at GM and they wondered how Ford had again got the better of them. 

Photo: Car and Driver

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Not Your Average Grocery Getter

This type of wagon conversion is not unique. The British call it a "shooting brake", their term for a two-door sport wagon.  A number of high-end British cars have been converted to shooting brakes including Aston Martins, Bentleys, Jaguars, and even a few Rolls Royces. With a 260 hp V-8, the Mustang wagon certainly had the looks and performance to run with this distinguished group of cars. It was definitely not your average grocery getter.    

Photo: Car and Driver

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Selling The Mustang Wagon to the Public

Originally Clark and Cumberford wanted to build Mustang wagons as a commercial venture. The car generated a lot of buzz and they believed it could be built and sold for a reasonable price. Sadly it was not to be. Shortly after this car was finished, Clark suffered a serious heart attack and Cumberford moved on to other projects.  

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The Mustang Wagon Could Have Changed History

You have to wonder what would have happened if Clark and Cumberford had been successful at selling their wagon. Like the Mustang it was based on, it still looks good today. The longer roofline and slender pillars really compliment the Mustang's clean lines. Certainly, it would have been popular, and it could have changed history.   

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