Every car has a story...

[L.C.Gray]

I first saw my car back about 2009 or 2010. It was driven to a party I was at and was the first fat Mustang I'd seen in ages. I'd wanted something classic to tinker with and it stayed in my mind. A couple of years go by and I inquired about the car from the owners son. The story on the car was that the old man had bought it for his son when he graduated college. The car was bought from a dealer in Detroit as a "program car" after it had served duty in the executive pool at Ford Motor Co. headquarters. The son drove the car a few years then returned it to his father. His father kept the car around as an extra vehicle and drove it occasionally, but it spent most of its life in the garage. I talked to the owners son in late 2012 and went over to see the car at his dads house in more detail. We had to clean all the stuff off the top of the car to get a good look at it. It had been parked for some time at that point and the new battery was dead. I told him I'd be interested in buying the car at whatever time they decided to dispose it. I talked with the son occasionally but didn't badger him about it. After a time I decided that maybe they didn't want to part with the car or didn't want me having it for some reason. about 2 more years go by since the car had been mentioned and we were chatting and he asked me to guess what was in his driveway. They had moved the car from his dad's garage to his house about 2 months earlier and was now wanting it out of the way. I guess he had forgot that I wanted it. Anyway, we got the deal made and I didn't let my shirt tail hit my back before I was there to load it up. I had a heck of a battle loading it as the front wheels were slightly turned and the keys wouldn't unlock the steering wheel. I also got quite a stack of papers with the car including the original books and pamplets, service, repair, registration and inspection records and the original warranty plate. There were also the document folders from the dealership that sold it and bank that did the note.

In decoding all the information on the warranty plate it indicates that the car was ordered for "Transportation Services". There is also an original detailed book in the stack covering all things regarding driving Ford Company vehicles, such as where to get repairs or service, record keeping, insurance coverage and what to do if there's an accident. Either one is evidence enough to back up the story of it being used as a Ford company car, but both really cinch it.

The car was built December 21 1972 and the Texas title I got was issued to the man in Dallas in March 1974. It shows the previous owner as Stuart Wilson Inc. in Dearborn Michigan. Stuart Wilson Ford became Village Ford which is still there today. The gap in the story is how the car got from Dearborn to Dallas. I'll have to ask the son, he will know. The car had last been inspected in 2010 and last registered in 2012 and had not left the garage in at least 4 years.

Once I got it home it sat on the trailer for a few weeks because I was busy and still hadn't defeated to ignition lock. The steering column turned into quite an ordeal, but that's covered in another thread. Once I got off the trailer I fixed the ignition, siphoned the old gas out, purged the fuel lines, put a hot battery and fresh gas in, aired up the tires and it was driving again. I got insured last week, got it inspected yesterday and will get it transferred and registered this week. I'd tell what I gave for the car, but if I did y'all'd be out carrying torches and pitch forks searching the countryside for me...

 

[Bill73Ragtop]

Good story!

 

[Flatback72]

The car is gorgeous, well done!

 

[computercarguy]

Welcome. Some things are ment to be and so it seems that would be the case with you and this Mustang at the right time. :bravo:

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Great story for sure. Be sure and look for the build sheet under the carpet or rear seat. I have not been lucky enough to find one not even my one owner I bought new.

David

 

[L.C.Gray]

Great story for sure. Be sure and look for the build sheet under the carpet or rear seat. I have not been lucky enough to find one not even my one owner I bought new.

David

Build sheets were put in the cars? Haven't heard about this yet. I'll be looking when I do interior work.

 

[Mustang Dynasty]

I first saw my car back about 2009 or 2010. It was driven to a party I was at and was the first fat Mustang I'd seen in ages. I'd wanted something classic to tinker with and it stayed in my mind. A couple of years go by and I inquired about the car from the owners son. The story on the car was that the old man had bought it for his son when he graduated college. The car was bought from a dealer in Detroit as a "program car" after it had served duty in the executive pool at Ford Motor Co. headquarters. The son drove the car a few years then returned it to his father. His father kept the car around as an extra vehicle and drove it occasionally, but it spent most of its life in the garage. I talked to the owners son in late 2012 and went over to see the car at his dads house in more detail. We had to clean all the stuff off the top of the car to get a good look at it. It had been parked for some time at that point and the new battery was dead. I told him I'd be interested in buying the car at whatever time they decided to dispose it. I talked with the son occasionally but didn't badger him about it. After a time I decided that maybe they didn't want to part with the car or didn't want me having it for some reason. about 2 more years go by since the car had been mentioned and we were chatting and he asked me to guess what was in his driveway. They had moved the car from his dad's garage to his house about 2 months earlier and was now wanting it out of the way. I guess he had forgot that I wanted it. Anyway, we got the deal made and I didn't let my shirt tail hit my back before I was there to load it up. I had a heck of a battle loading it as the front wheels were slightly turned and the keys wouldn't unlock the steering wheel. I also got quite a stack of papers with the car including the original books and pamplets, service, repair, registration and inspection records and the original warranty plate. There were also the document folders from the dealership that sold it and bank that did the note.

In decoding all the information on the warranty plate it indicates that the car was ordered for "Transportation Services". There is also an original detailed book in the stack covering all things regarding driving Ford Company vehicles, such as where to get repairs or service, record keeping, insurance coverage and what to do if there's an accident. Either one is evidence enough to back up the story of it being used as a Ford company car, but both really cinch it.

The car was built December 21 1972 and the Texas title I got was issued to the man in Dallas in March 1974. It shows the previous owner as Stuart Wilson Inc. in Dearborn Michigan. Stuart Wilson Ford became Village Ford which is still there today. The gap in the story is how the car got from Dearborn to Dallas. I'll have to ask the son, he will know. The car had last been inspected in 2010 and last registered in 2012 and had not left the garage in at least 4 years.

Once I got it home it sat on the trailer for a few weeks because I was busy and still hadn't defeated to ignition lock. The steering column turned into quite an ordeal, but that's covered in another thread. Once I got off the trailer I fixed the ignition, siphoned the old gas out, purged the fuel lines, put a hot battery and fresh gas in, aired up the tires and it was driving again. I got insured last week, got it inspected yesterday and will get it transferred and registered this week. I'd tell what I gave for the car, but if I did y'all'd be out carrying torches and pitch forks searching the countryside for me...

Great Story! Would have been stalked across the countryside to for the 'give away' deal for mine however, when I tore her down, found that everything done to it only cloaked even more problems that even having being paid to take it off his hands would not have been enough. See my photo album of multiple stories for over 300 photos. A great story I n almost every photo. Then other stories equally great however not connected to mine in any way. ;+)> ps-your's sounds more like a prototype.

 

[judge]

If you do find the build sheet. It will most likely be discolored or stuck in place with body sealer. Use oil and grease remover to release it. Afterwards, I use a baking pan with about a 1/2" of "oil and grease remover" to float out the stains. I usually let it soak several days. No need to force it loose, use care.

 

[72MustangSprint]

Sounds like your car was sold off of the Executive lot or "B" lot. That is where Ford stored the company cars when they were done with them. Employees could "tag" them and have them shipped to a dealer to be prepped and deal finalized. My mother worked at World HQ in Dearborn and we bought a few cars that way.

 

[Mustangfeverrr]

What a great story! I wish I knew as much about mine.

 

[OLE PONY]

Great story. I always find it interesting to hear the history of our classic Mustangs.

My 73 convertible had two build sheets, but I found them back in 1974 when I pulled the seats and carpet out to rustproof the floors. Good luck with the search.

Here is what they look like:

 

[basstrix]

Great story, thanks for sharing it. I wish I knew that sort of detail about my car!

 

[L.C.Gray]

I did learn another piece of the story. The son told me his dad did actually buy it in Dearborn, flew to Detroit to take delivery, then drove it back home to Dallas arriving late on a Friday night. The son remembered being up early on Saturday morning driving for the first time before the sun came up.

How he came to buy it in Dearborn rather than Dallas, I'm not sure, but he did work for a major American retail giant and I believe he did travel for them a lot.

 

[72MustangSprint]

I did learn another piece of the story. The son told me his dad did actually buy it in Dearborn, flew to Detroit to take delivery, then drove it back home to Dallas arriving late on a Friday night. The son remembered being up early on Saturday morning driving for the first time before the sun came up.

How he came to buy it in Dearborn rather than Dallas, I'm not sure, but he did work for a major American retail giant and I believe he did travel for them a lot.

The company cars were in the "B" lot in Dearborn, MI. That is why he had to go there and drive it back.