Two seater Mustang coupe in '64

bingo!

 

I just got the comments some years old regarding the two seater mustang prototype chassis 100009 which was designed by vince gardner and built by dearborn steel tube on the shortened chasssis prepared by ford engineering. The motor is probably a highly modified 260 with three dual throat carbs , a generator and a built air cleaner similar to a later shelby. The car was pictured in a motor trend article in early 1965and the story indicated that a limited number of these cars would be built. That got my attention as i was driving a 1954 corvette and by 1965 i was ready to retire that car and get a new fiberglas mustang. Well the limited number was one, the car was toured throughout the country then stolen from the tour base in inkster michigan.
Long story short the car was hidden behind a wall in a nearby warehouse with rent paid for over twelve months. During that time the insurance company paid for the lost car believing that it had been broken up for parts. Eventually the wall was knocked down and the insurance company took possession. Then it was stored outside in connecticut till 1969 when it was advertised in hemmings. I bought it over the phone and it sits in my garage now awaiting restoration. It has few miles but the several years out side in the weather ravaged the candy apple lacquer paint as well as the ss wheels and chrome.

 

Wow,

Please post pics!

 

Larry and Mike Alexander, local customizers: AKA The Alexander Brothers!

 

Just click on the picture.

 

That looks like the Dearborn steel version that travel with the show in 65

 

Great news, thanks to Jeff I noticed this custom car more than 15 or so years ago.
There was a several pages article with color pics a few years ago on Vince Gardner and his designs in a Collectible Automobile issue, featuring this special Mustang (Vivace).
Here is a pic of it at a Ford Custom Car Caravan show

(Picture from Mark Gustavsons archive)

I hope CA doesn't mind one shot, otherwise I delete it on request.

 

I do have some pictures of the car in its present condition . will get them . . and post. I have much correspondence between the various parties involved in the search for the car after it was stolen. I'll try to find time to get pics together tomorrow.

 

And another one

 

Even after many years, you see something new. Amazing! Ford was very busy in the 60s.

 

Pictures of the Mustang.

 

More pictures of the Mustang. These are scanned off of pictures. Will get some nice current photos posted next week.

 

Outstanding! Superrare... Congratulations.

 

According to the CA article from Oct. 2007, this Mustang was designed and built by Vince Gardner (freelancer at DST) actually in December 1963 ..called the Mustang Vivace. Ben Mills (head of Lincoln Mercury then) opted to get this car for his personal use.
Vince Gardner later designed also the 1968 Dodge Charger III while being at DST. DST did work for Ford, AM and Chrysler under Any Hottens leadership.
After 2 earlier attempts of suicide, Vince Gardner ended his life on May 13th, 1976 unfortunately. A true genius, also involved in the Thunderbird Italien and the early 50ies Motor trend competition inspired Vega sportscar, built on an Anglia chassis, featuring a flathead V8.

 

while the color pictures might look like he car was brown it was indeed candy apple red and will be again as itis finally in restoration

 

The two seater Mustang was built by Vince Gardner when he worked at Dearborn Steel Tubing. The car was not designed by Ford styling, nor was it a concept car in any sense -- it was simply Mr. Gardner's attempt to built a restyled Mustang. Andy Hotton (not spelling) was the proprietor of Dearborn Steel Tubing, and he didn't design it though members of his staff did assist Gardner in building the car that was partially fiberglass using a technique learned at DST when the company built the famed Thunderbird Italien.

Gardner's short wellbase Mustang did appear in the second season of Ford's Custom Caravan even though it wasn't styled by, or built at, Ford: the company was "adopting" a number of freelance cars that had to meet the minimum qualification of having a Ford powerplant (for instance, the Bobby Darrin Dream Car and Cushembery's Sillhouette -- both entirely custom built cars that bore NO resemblance to any Ford project -- were part of the Caravan because they both ran FE Ford engines). Cushenbery transplanted in a 427 from Ford when the company approached him about featuring the car in the Caravan. (I'm writing a book on the Ford Custom Car Caravan and the "matching" Lincoln-Mercury Caravan of Stars and I've done extensive research on both Caravans).

The name of this Gardner Mustang was not the Vivace -- that was a different car built by Andy based upon a Kirksite stamping Mustang he received from Ford Styling (Hotton was very close to Ford in those days). After the car was finished, Lincoln-Mercury Chief Benjamin Mills purchased the car from Hotton; the Vivace's swept back roofline (very different from the fastback Mustang) influenced the L-M concept car Lynx series which has been the subject a 15 year research project by me.

I hope this clears up some questions.

Thanks,

Mark S. Gustavson

 

Thanks for your interesting note. I supplied the picture to the Germany Mustang site. May I note that the Gardner-design short wheel base Mustang was NOT called the Vivace -- the Vivace was another restyled Mustang designed by Andy Hotton (Dearborn Steel Tubing) and later sold to Lincoln-Mercury chief Ben Mills. The lovely fastback roof of the Vivace influenced the design of the roof of the Lynx -- a stillborn L-M concept car series from 1964.

I am interested in any additional information and photos of the Gardner Mustang for my pending book on the Ford Custom Car Caravan.

Mark S. Gustavson