Two seater Mustang coupe in '64

[bitzman]

While it dates me big-time as an old fogy, I have to admit that back in 1964 at the Greenfield Village Museum Sports Car show I saw a two seater Mustang coupe (not the Mustang I) on display. It was candy apple red. I have subsequently discovered it was built by a man named Andy Hotten of Belleville, MI near Ann Arbor. It is a little hazy on it if was built unofficially for a Ford executive or whether it was an official Ford project because a German website on Mustangs says that it was officially part of the Custom Car Caravan sponsored by Ford.
Anyway I am curious if it used the '65 two plus two body and merely shortened the wheelbase or if it presaged the two plus two and the two plus two was inspired by it?
Also does anyone have a glossy print of the rear 3/4 of the car? I know what the front 3/4 looks like but memory dims over the 40 plus years since I saw the real car.
It's too bad Ford never approved this car for production because it would
have probably weighed about 200 lbs. less and made a good candidate to be the Shelby Mustang. Does the car still exist today?

[eljimb0]

bingo!

[bitzman]

That's the car and though I can't see the tiny picture that well, I think it is the same parquet wood floor at the Rotunda (a building that later burned down) so it was shot at the same display I saw it at.
So now the question is: was this some toy built at his own expense for some Ford exec?
On a German site devoted to the Mustang, it shows the same car in a Ford Custom Car Caravan, one which also featured the cars of Larry and Mike Alexander, Detroit customizers.
Does anyone think the car survived? I think my picture is different, the car doesn't look so truncated.
But AMC made the AMX two seater out of a four seater so I think it could have been done...woulda, coulda, shoulda....

[BILL SNYDER]

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.

[2112]

Wow,

Please post pics!

[roddster]

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

[The_Model_Garage]

...That's the car and though I can't see the tiny picture that well....

Just click on the picture.

[Snakepit]

bingo!

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

[TransamEd]

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.

[BILL SNYDER]

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.

[Snakepit]

And another one

[Coralsnake]

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

[BILL SNYDER]

Pictures of the Mustang.

[BILL SNYDER]

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

[TransamEd]

Outstanding! Superrare... Congratulations.

[bitzman]

That is what I wanted to know, if Vince Gardner influenced a
production car, the 2 plus 2. I suspect there's a chance because
it was such an early SN Mustang. However, if there's a clay model
of a Mustang with a fastback roof preceding this project I would have to say Ford was pregnant with the idea of making fastback before Gardner set pen to paper. Also now that I have seen the picture in color of it in brown
I can't remember what color it was when I saw it in person, I thought it was candy apple red. It seems more dramatic from the rear 3/4 than the front.

[TransamEd]

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.

[BILL SNYDER]

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