In 2009, a press release about performance cars was released to the public. That was quite unremarkable by itself but the fact that it was issued by none other than the US Air Force sent shock waves through the car community and beyond. It just happened that the Air Force had just gotten into the business of making cars – well, kind of.
The story began when the senior military hierarchy decided they had to do something to address a growing reluctance among the youth to enlist in the US Air Force. Discussions led to action and ultimately fed into the commissioning of an auto shop to build a car that would serve as a specialized recruiting tool.
That car came to be known as the Ford Mustang X-1. Its main purpose was to educate its audience on the various technical and mechanical jobs available within the Air Force. It may be hard to accurately measure the success of this venture but there is no denying the fact that the Mustang X-1 did generate a lot of buzz while it was in service.
It now resides in a museum that you can visit for free. Here then, are 15 intriguing facts about the car to keep in mind should you decide to visit.
15 The Mustang X-1 Has A Home
In February 2020, the famous Ford X-1 custom Mustang retired to its new home - the US Air Force National Museum located on the grounds of the Wright-Patterson Air Force base. It is the world’s largest military aviation museum and the best part is the free parking and admission – so when are you going for a visit?
14 Idea Became Reality
Faced with dwindling recruitment numbers, the US Air Force had to come up with a drastic plan to halt the trend and boost popularity, especially among the young population. The Mustang X-1 was a direct result of that brainwave; commissioned by the Air Force Recruiting Service and dedicated solely to its Project Supercar recruitment campaign.
13 The Brains Behind The Brawn
The Ford Mustang X-1 was built primarily by Galpin Auto Sports based in California. However, they also had outside help in the form of active-duty Air Force personnel that included an Aircraft Structural Maintenance engineer from Nellis AFB and Aircraft Maintenance Technician from Ellsworth AFB. Clearly, this was a project the US Government took very seriously.
12 It Wasn’t A Completely New Build
There is no doubt that the matte pearlescent white Mustang is a proper one-off vehicle, with a lot of parts custom-made and designed for it. However, the main body and framework were derived from the fifth-generation Mustang that was the current model in 2009 when the project kicked off.
11 It's Equipped With Some Nifty Features
Step inside the Mustang and you are instantly transported to the jet age, quite literally. The car was equipped with some pretty fancy gadgetry to showcase the capabilities of the Air Force - LCD displays, custom AC unit, functional thermal vision unit, and GPS transponder. There's even a flight helmet thrown in for added effect.
10 It's Not A Prop
You will be forgiven for thinking that the Mustang X-1 is just a prop with all the fancy trimmings and odd-ball gadgetry. Well, the Mustang is as real as it gets and can fully move under its own power thanks to the 500-hp 4.6-liter V8 engine stuffed under the hood.
9 The Interior Consists Of Actual Jet Plane Parts
Any resemblance to the regular Ford Mustang stops the moment you open the car doors and step inside the cabin, or rather, ‘cockpit’. The interior of the car was completely redesigned to give you the feeling that you are seated in an actual airplane. Most of the interior parts were sourced from jets, most notably the switches, LCD displays and telescoping flight yoke steering wheel.
8 It’s Got Only One Seat
Unfortunately, a cruise in the X-1 Mustang is a joyride you will have to enjoy alone. This is because there is no passenger seat. Even the standard driver’s seat has been taken out, replaced by an ejector seat from an aircraft that’s positioned smack in the middle of the ‘cockpit’. The single-seat style probably references the origin of the Mustang’s name. More on that later.
7 Origin Of The Name
The Ford Mustang was named after the Bell X-1 Aircraft. The single-seater rocket-engine plane was secretly developed by the Air force in 1944 and built-in 1945. It was the first manned airplane to exceed the speed of sound in level flight, with supersonic speed of almost 1,000 mph!
6 The Builders Have Worked On Other Popular Projects
Galpin Auto Sports was set up in 1946 and is part of Galpin Autos, an outfit that’s currently the biggest volume Ford dealership in the world. The Air Force selected them for their wealth of technical knowledge and expertise. Apart from the X-1 Mustang, Galpin Auto Sports was also behind the famous TV series, Pimp My Ride and NBC’s show Knight Rider.
5 Mustang On Tour
The Ford X-1 Mustang has been very busy. It was built in 2009 and immediately embarked on a series of tours across most of the United States from that time till February 2020 when it returned to its home at the Air Force National Museum. It dutifully participated in countless car exhibitions and shows - often as the star attraction.
4 The X-1 Mustang Is Fast
When it comes to speed, the X-1 Mustang is no slouch. This is just as well considering the pedigree of the Bell X-1 jet the car was named after. Those 500 horses under the hood will propel the heavy beast to a top speed of 178 mph, good enough to impress the audience at your average race track.
3 The Gear-stick Is From An Actual Airplane
The X-1 Mustang was meant to showcase some of the innovation and technology that drives the US Air Force, and the design team went to great lengths to ensure that the car did just that. For example, they ripped out the traditional gear lever and installed a gear-stick that was taken from an F-16. The coolest part is that the gear-stick is a fully functioning device.
2 Those Cool Doors
The X-1 Mustang would have seemed incomplete without some seriously dope doors, and the custom-scissor doors provide just the required effect when they swing open to allow access. After all, this car was designed to give the impression that you are riding in an airplane and the upward-swinging doors share some similarities with the canopy on certain aircrafts.
1 The Wide Body-Kit Was Non-Negotiable
The wide body-kit on the custom Mustang took the aggressiveness up several notches, though the designers also had little choice in the matter if they were going to be able to fit the wheels on the car. The massive tires had a width of almost 14 inches and were the largest available on the market at that time (for that type of car).