Though the show was spread...
Though the show was spread out and required transport around the big, beautiful Barber facility to see it all, you would be hard pressed to find a more beautiful backdrop for the Mustang's 45th birthday party. There were horses of every year, and nearly every variation to behold. If you love Mustangs, this celebration was a feast for the eyes. Where else would there be a Mustang statue rearing up over the judged show field? Seriously.
Most of us aren't too excited about the idea of blowing out 45 candles on a birthday cake, but when it comes to celebrating 45 years of Mustangs, it's easy to get hyped up. Fortunately the Mustang Club of America provided the perfect venue to bust out that celebratory spirit-a 45th Anniversary show at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. This fittingly gorgeous facility provided a picturesque backdrop that brought Mustang fans from all over the globe together with their favorite cars and the company that produced them.
Some 2,300 Mustangs and 52,000 enthusiasts filled the Barber facility reaching a fitting crescendo on Friday April 17, the day the Mustang debuted 45 years ago. From the touching display of original Mustang owners, to the massive vendor area, to the flowing show fields, the 45th delivered a static show to behold. Moreover, the open-tracking, Mustang Challenge racing, and drifting exhibitions provided a welcome energy.
Overall, it was a Mustang event you'll regret missing. If you were there, you likely had the same trouble we did. Every few steps we had to stop and take a picture because we saw another cool, rare, or unusual Mustang. We can only give you a glimpse of the massive event here, but after you check these highlights, jump over to our website, and check out the hundreds of pictures in our photo gallery.
SVT's Cobra Rs hold a special...
SVT's Cobra Rs hold a special place in our hearts and this display stacked with the number-one editions of the '93, '95, and '00 Cobra Rs struck a chord. Naturally, a pair of '10 Mustangs filled out the middle of the rack, while the legendary Super Stallion concept 'Stang and a wild PPG Pace Car anchored this three-story eye-catcher. Ford really out-did itself with the numerous cool displays around the show. It was great to see the Blue Oval giving back to its faithful.
Twenty years from now all...
Twenty years from now all your Mustang friends will say they were at the 45th show, but these people will be able to prove it. Ford provided red, white, and blue '10 Mustang hoods and some silver Sharpies so enthusiasts could leave a Mustang message for posterity. We never got around to signing it, but we swear we were there.
A concerted effort on the...
A concerted effort on the part of the MCA brought some lively action to the 45th celebration. Not only did the event host the traditional open-tracking fun, but added two Mustang Challenge races and some tire-smoking action from drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr. Seeing Vaughn take his '10 GT sideways through the turns tailed by a plume of white smoke was likely an eye-opener for some of the old-school Mustang fans.
Making a surprise appearance...
Making a surprise appearance for the event's opening ceremonies, Ford Motor Company Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally dropped by to say a few words and soak in the adoration of the Mustang faithful. So inspired by what he saw, Alan said he joined the MCA on the spot, after kicking off the show from a lectern circled by '641/2 Mustangs owned by their original buyers. Later when Mr. Mulally sat down with a small group from the press, we had the chance to ask him what he thought of the event, to which he replied, "It rocks!" We couldn't agree more.
Not only was the show the...
Not only was the show the first time we'd seen real, non-press-car '10 Mustangs roaming the streets, but it served as the spot for aftermarket vendors to show off gear for the latest 'Stangs. The most significant bolt-on part we saw was a new '10 tuner kit from Paxton. This is likely the first centrifugally supercharged S197 on the planet, and it was put together by our old friends at Tulsa Car FX, which provided the tuning necessary to safely supercharge the '10. Main man Will Williams reports that the kit went right on with no issues. It certainly looks right at home.
Clubs and fans from all over...
Clubs and fans from all over the world made the pilgrimage to Birmingham to pay their respects to the Mustang. We saw club shirts from Mexico, Canada, The Netherlands, and France. In fact, the Mustang Club of France drove this fleet of '10 rentals from Atlanta, Georgia, to the 45th.
We have seen our fair share...
We have seen our fair share of Pace Car-edition '79 Mustangs, including several at the 45th celebration. This one is something special, however. Tony Bankston's '79 Pace Car is a slice of history. It's the actual car that paced the Indy 500, replete with lights, flashers, and race flags. This 5.0, five-speed car featured the TRX suspension package and lots of options and had been sitting in storage for 13 years. Tony was looking to sell the car for $6,300. We hope someone took him up on it and is using the car as a cornerstone for a Fox Mustang museum.