This Mustang Prototype Used to Belong to Henry Ford II

This early Ford Mustang might not look very important from the outside, but it's actually one of the most special and unique examples in existence. Once owned by Henry Ford II himself, it' a 1963 prototype model with a handful of unique design features and parts that's managed to survive the crusher, carrying a ton of history with it.

Hagerty's Tom Cotter went to Detroit to this Mustang and its current owner, Art Cairo, to see exactly how Ford II's Mustang differentiates itself from every other early Mustang on the road. From a distance you wouldn't be able to tell what's been changed from prototype to production model. It's only when you get up close that you can see all of the stand-out mods.

The biggest difference can be seen in the door sills. On normal Mustangs you'd see spot welds holding the metal together, but on this car it's all formed as one piece, held together with lead. Other items, such as the chrome door latches, padded vinyl roof, leather seats, and insulated hood were never available on the production Mustang.

After he was done with it, Ford II gifted this Mustang to his chauffeur, who held onto it until 1970, when he sold it to a friend. Cairo bought the car from that friend in 1975, and set out on a restoration journey once he realized how special it was. Cool stuff.

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