A fifty year (50 years), belated debut… {Hot August Nights 2015}

Introducing, the “1966 & 1/2, Daytona-Hemi-Stang”

Before you, is the rarest of the rare…

As you are aware, the Ford Mustang celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015

• What the public was NOT aware of, was this prototype 1966.5 mustang, never before seen, and hidden from the public, due to legal battles…
• Daytona style front-end, one of only 50 produced by Fiberfab of California. Fiberfab was well known for the Jamaican kit-car, and others…
• A rear Daytona wing, allegedly stolen from Dodge, by Ford spies in 1966, from the now well known Dodge Daytona that was released in 1969, but being secretly developed in 1966, and it’s equally well known counterpart, the Plymouth Superbird.
• This prototype was stored and hidden for 50 years due to litigation (and a “gag clause”), between Ford and Dodge/Chrysler…
• Hemi powered (Yes..!!) HEMI POWERED..!!
• One of one, truly a rare bird (sorry Dodge / Chrysler, no pun intended…)
• This vehicle is ONLY NOW being displayed (debut at Hot August Nights – 2015) as the result of one mans 37 year legal battle, starting in 1978, to let this prototype finally see the light of day, after a 50 year time-capsule storage…!

Owner:

Daniel L. Dhondt

A 37 year belated debut… {Hot August Nights 2015}

1966 Mustang Fastback (modified…)

Purchased for me (by my “Mom” in 1978), when I was 15 years old… Back then, it was a stock fastback with a straight six… A few days after having it towed home, I worked on the motor and fired up the old 6, and then drove the car all over Torrance and Redondo Beach (where I grew up), and managed to never get a ticket in it, at least while I was 15, that is…

A couple of years later (1980), I got the crazy idea of putting a Chrysler Hemi motor in the car.  I called a number of wrecking yards, and found one in a 1956 Chrysler Imperial from a wrecking yard in Long Beach for $150.00 (delivered to my home in Torrance), and thats when the big changes began… The sheer size of the motor required that I cut-out everything from the firewall forward, including all inner fender wells, shock towers, suspension, etc. I then fabricated a tube -style framework and installed a set of parallel leaf springs and a 6” dropped axle up front. Originally I had a manual 3-speed transmission, but in the early 90’s I went to a 2-speed push-button PowerFlite transmission, out of another late 50’s Chrysler.

At this point I now needed to re-hang the sheet-metal (fenders, hood, etc) for my front end, however I no longer had any inner fender wells, etc. My solution was to look for a one-piece fiberglass front-end, and I subsequently saw an AD in the ‘penny saver’ newspaper. When I arrived in North Hollywood to look at the front end, I recognized it would ‘fit’ but at that time I did not know the factual history behind the front end (note: Fiberfab was not very successful with sales of this front end). Sub-note: For more facts about this front end, look up the name ‘Jeff Speegle’ – anyone associated with the ‘Mustang Club of America’ will be familiar with him… In any event, I purchased the Daytona style front-end (truly, one of only 50 produced by Fiberfab of California), and the rest is history… (BTW, I have 2nd one of these front ends, as I located another one in New York ~ courtesy of Ebay ~ and I am considering what to do with it, and yes, I am open to offers…)

After the big modifications outlined above, life happened…

I got married, had kids, divorced, married again, had kids again, and the car was stored for the better part of my life, only occasionally coming out of the garage (Newberg Oregon), and occasional small car shows and get togethers, but the car was always in a state of partial completion.

Fast forward…

2014 – My wife entered her car in H.A.N. and I realized I needed to do something with my “66 fastback project”…

2015 – Added a rear Daytona wing (purchased – not stolen…) from Ted Janek – www.WingedWarriorBodyParts.com
2015 – final body & paint are still in progress…

Stripping, graphics and reader-board, courtesy of www.PDXWraps.com

This vehicle is finally being displayed as the result of one mans 37 year relationship (*written here in 2015) with what was once a factory Ford…

Credit to my lifelong friend Brian Smith, who came up with the moniker of “HemiStang” back in our youth…

Finally, a special thanks to Mark Otting, who worked tirelessly with me for many years on this car, in our youth…

One of one, truly a rare bird – pun intended  🙂

Owner:

Daniel L. Dhondt

503-476-7303 (cell)