If you're ever heading to the Barber Motorsport Park just east of Birmingham on interstate I-20, a worthwhile side trip about 18 miles norteast of the track is a little town called Odenville, Alabama. It is home to the Mustang Museum of America. It has over 100 Mustangs in the collection from almost every model year or generation.
The oldest is this 1964 1/2 Indianapolis500 Pace Car replica powered by an early 260 cubic inch V-8.
This a 1965 Ford T-5. T-5 is the modeldesignation assigned to all Ford Mustangs exported to Europe,primarily Germany. The "Mustang" name was copyrighted to a German truck manufacturer named Krupp which produced a large genera lpurpose truck called the Mustang starting in the early 1950's. Rather than simply buying the name from Krupp for a reported $10,000 they chose instead to change the name of all Mustangs exported to Germany to Ford T5s. The T-5 continued through the 1979 model year.
1967 Ford Mustang in "Playboy Pink."
This 1968 1/2 R-Code Mustang Coupe ispowered by the famous 428 Cobra Jet Motor.
This Mustang is a tribute to the 1969 Mustang Nascar Legend Bobby Allison drove in the early 1970’s on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit, winning the race in Winston-Salem, NC.
A 1973 Eleanor Mustang Replaca for themovie, "Gone in 60 Seconds". Two 1971 Mustang Sportsroof cars were bought in 1971 to make the movie. However, it was threeyears before the money could be raised to begin making the movie. Due to the delay in filming, each car had 1973 Mustang grilles retrofitted to give the appearence of a newer Mustang. The original stunt car survives to this day despite two serious accidents during the making of the movie in 1974.
This is a 1974 Ford Mustang II Mach 1. This generation of the Mustang saw a major downsizing as it was powered by a V-6 engine do to environmental concerns with pollution, safety standards, and increased fuel economy.
This is a 1974 Ford Mustang II Mach 1. This generation of the Mustang saw a major downsizing as it was powered by a V-6 engine due to environmental concerns with pollution, safety standards, and increased fuel economy.
1979 saw the introduction of the Fox-Bodied Mustang represented by this 1979 Indianapolis 500 Pace Car.
1979 was also the final year of the FordT-5, this was the name of the Ford Mustangs sold in Europe. This 1979 T-5 is awaiting restoration.
1982 saw the return of the Mustang GT and it's first official use by Law Enforcement Agencies. This is the 1982 California Highway Patrol prototype Mustang.
The museum contains the largest collection of Police, Highway Patrol, and other rare Special Service Package Mustangs in the United States. Special Service Package (SSP) Mustangs were factory-built Mustang sdesigned specifically for law enforcement use with most used by the various states Highway Patrols and some local law enforcement agencies too. Between 1982 and 1993, SSP Fox-Body Mustangs were used by 32 states and other government agencies.
This is a 1988 Mustang 5.0 LX purchased by the U.S Air Force and used to chase Air Force Lockheed U-2 spyplanes. The aircraft were basically jet powered gliders and difficult to land because of the flight characteristics. The 5.0 powered Mustangs would hold on the taxiways until the aircraft passed and accelerate up to 100 mph chasing the aircraft down the active runway talking down the U-2 pilots over a ground-to-air radio in the car as they lowered the aircraft to the runways.
This Mustang started life as an ordinary 1988 Mustang GT in New York City. It was confiscated by the NYPD for excessive street racing and then converted to a NYPD police vehicle.
Even the United States Postal Service was in on the Fox-Bodied Mustang game as this was one of six 1993 Mustang LX 5.0's ordered by the post office for official use.
This 1996 Ford Cobra was one of 1,950 Cobra Mustangs with a special “Mystic” paint color; a special high-tech, color shifting paint developed by BASF.
This a 2008 Saleen Mustang Dan Gurney Signature Edition version like the 1969 Boss 302 Mustang he raced in that year's Trans Am Race Series.
The latest model Mustang in the Museum collection is this 2015 50th Anniversary Model Mustang GT.
