Rare Mustang Python Was Supposed to Replace the AC Cobra

By Brett Foote - February 7, 2023

Only 12 of these Ford Mustang Python models were built, and this might be the nicest of that dozen.

Throughout the course of history, there have been many Mustang-based vehicles, and for good reason – the iconic pony car makes a great base for all kinds of builds, with solid underpinnings and powerplants already in place. Simply whip up a custom body for that rolling chassis, and you’ve got a ready-made sports car. That was the case with the Ford Mustang Python, which began life as a project in the 1960s with the intentions of replacing the AC Cobra. Of course, that never happened, but this rare example up for grabs on Facebook Marketplace is a great reminder of what could have been.

During its development phase in the 1960s, the Ford Mustang Python was mocked up in both coupe and convertible form, but ultimately, the project was scrapped. However, in the 1980s, a man named Alvin Kelly found an original prototype Python body, and with the help of the original designer, McKinley Thompson, built a grand total of 12 of these cars at his own Colorado-based shop. This particular example is one of those special dozen, too.

This Python was built using components from a 1991 Mustang, including its 5.0-liter V8 and manual gearbox. However, you’d never know what lurks underneath the skin by looking at it from the outside, because the Python looks nothing like the pony car that it borrows so heavily from. Rather, its slim, sharper lines scream “exotic sports car,” with pop-up headlights and multi-spoke wire wheels, it looks distinctively like something from the 1980s, though it isn’t immediately clear what it might be.

The seller purchased his Python from the original owner around 15 years ago, and has driven it sparingly over that time span – in fact, this car has a mere 37k original miles on the clock at the moment. As a result, it remains in fantastic condition, and it might just be the nicest Ford Mustang Python left in existence – though it’s hard to say, given how infrequently we see these rare machines pop up for sale. Given the steep asking price of $45,000, no one has jumped at the chance to own this unique piece of Blue Oval history yet, however.