VIDEO: 1963 Prototype Ford Mustang Custom Built for Henry Ford II Is a Rolling Treasure
This prototype Ford Mustang is a priceless piece of Ford history that was purchased for only $500.
Tell your buddies that you own a 1963 Ford Mustang, and they might look at you a little funny. That is because the Ford Mustang was famously launched at the World’s Fair on April 17, 1964. The earliest Mustangs are the 1964 ½ model year cars. So, there is no 1963 model. Except that there is. A 1963 prototype Ford Mustang was custom built for Henry Ford II. It was one of the first Mustangs ever made and it lives on today in a private collection. The car is jammed packed with one-off features that never made it to production. Ford was still inventing the Mustang when this car was built.
Yes, this was a car built for Henry Ford II. But there is a lot more besides the ownership history that makes this car special. At first glance it may look like just another early Mustang. But when you get up close you see the myriad details that set this car apart. Thanks to a video that was recently uploaded to the Hagerty YouTube channel we get that up close look. If you are a Ford history buff this is one video, you must see.
Custom Car
Over ten million Mustangs have been built and none of them are like this. The prototype Ford Mustang was essentially a hand built custom car. Little details such as the fact that there are no visible spot welds show that this car was built like you would expect a high end restomod to be built today. The car has a padded vinyl roof and leather seats. Those items were not on the production Mustang. Speaking of leather, Hank the Deuce must have been a fan of it. The sun visors, headliner, and dash pad are all leather. Even the fuel neck is wrapped in leather. The radio buttons, console and dash are all real teak wood. The steering wheel is all wood and die cast metal. There is almost no plastic on this car. This car was simply built differently.
Ownership History
When Ford II was done with the car, he gave it to his chauffer. The chauffer had the car until 1970. He then sold it to a friend of his. Then in 1975 his friend listed it for sale. By that time the Michigan weather had taken its toll on the car, and it was a total rust bucket. However, the current owner was local, saw the ad and has owned the car ever since. The car is nearly 60 years old, and it has lived within three miles of where it was born the entire time. The current owner didn’t know the full history of the car until at a car show someone offered him $17,000 for it. Which was about five times what he thought it was worth in the late 1970’s. After more research he realized what he had and did a full restoration on the car.
It Cost How Much?!?!
The current owner has a ton of documentation with the car including the original for sale ad. It was listed as a 1965 Ford Mustang that was “special made for Ford family.” The asking price was $525. However, after some negotiating, they agreed on a final price of 500 bucks. Can you believe that? We can’t imagine what this prototype Ford Mustang would be worth today, but we are certain that it is a hell of a lot more than $500. However, after nearly 50 years of ownership it doesn’t seem like the current owner has any interest in selling this piece of Ford history. Nor should he. He is a former Ford employee that understands and respects what he has. He is the perfect custodian for such a historic Ford Mustang.
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