Secret Two-Seater Mustang “Shorty” Resurfaces
This year’s 50th Anniversary for the Mustang has turned up some interesting tidbits on the Ford pony car, but the story of the 1964 “Shorty” two-seater might be one of the most intriguing of all.
The car, which is currently making its way around the show circuit, was actually a Mustang that Ford never wanted in the public.
According to Yahoo! Autos, the car was commissioned by Dearborn Steel Tubing, one of Ford’s suppliers. Designer Vince Gardner built the car using fiberglass panels, and the company even managed to enlarge the 260-cubic-inch V8 to 302 cubic inches, which made one of the most powerful Mustangs of its time. When the “Shorty” Mustang started popping up at car shows, Ford immediately sought to have it crushed, prompting Gardner to hide it in a warehouse.
Some time later the car was discovered and turned over to an insurance company that had been searching for it after Ford reported it stolen.
Bill Snyder, an Ohio Businessman, finally bought the “Shorty” concept. Now, it’s back on the circuit some 46 years later, proving that not even Ford can keep a Mustang at bay that’s meant to be out for others to enjoy its beauty.