FORD’S TOP-SECRET MID-ENGINE MUSTANG

While there have always been rumours around a mid-engined Corvette, a solitary mid-engine Mustang was actually produced way back in 1969 — not just a run-of-the-mill-spec car but the holy grail of Mustangs, a Boss 429. The car was built by Ford Motor Company’s Kar Kraft division, and the theory was to build the car as cheaply as possible, with the main aim being to correct the Boss 429’s poor weight distribution. For the build, a standard Boss 429 engine and C6 automatic transmission were turned around backwards and installed in a fabricated rear subframe, with the engine centred directly over the rear axle line. A custom-built V-drive-style transfer case turned the output 180 degrees and fed it to an independent nine-inch diff. Interestingly, the mid-engine Mustang looked like a stock Mach 1 on the outside, complete with hood scoop up front. The rear window louvres hid the fact that the rear glass had been removed, and this allowed for easy access to the engine. The project was a success too, in a way, reversing the 60/40 weight distribution of the Boss 429. However, that didn’t equate to any real-world performance gains, and, as such, the project was cancelled. The car was destined to be crushed but mysteriously vanished before that could happen … so chances are that it may well be out there somewhere!