If you've read the Mustang Production Guide, Volume 1, you know about the three '6411/42 Mustang convertibles specially prepared by Holman & Moody to pace the Greatest Spectacle In Racing-the Indianapolis 500. To refresh your memory, Ford produced three consecutively numbered Wimbledon White (not Pace Car White) Mustang convertibles for this purpose-5F08F100240, 5F08F100241, and 5F08F100242. Only one of them is known to have survived, 5F08F100241, belonging to Bruce Weiss of Florida. It is a beautifully restored showpiece with all of the original appointments, including the two-way radio and chrome hand holds. Bruce showed this car quite a bit during the '90s. It hasn't been seen much since.
Bruce's Mustang, like the other two, was shipped to Holman & Moody in March 1964 for special prep work for the Indy 500. Holman & Moody beefed up the suspension, hand-built the 289ci engines, and did a host of other things to make these Mustangs reliable and powerful pace cars. Why Ford built three of them is unknown. Which of them actually paced the race is unknown too. But we can tell you what happened to these cars after Indy.
After the race, 5F08F100240 was shipped to Watkins Glen, New York, for official use. No one knows where this car is today. The other missing pace car, 5F08F100242, was shipped to Firestone. It is unclear why Firestone took possession.
There has been considerable dispute about the proper color of these decidedly rare pace car units. The promotional Indy 500 Pace Car coupes were Pace Car White. None of the white convertibles present for the Indy 500 Festival Parade were Pace Car White. All were Wimbledon White production models with no special appointments. All were V-8-equipped. Some were 289-4V. Some were 260-2V. All had a variety of transmission types. They were a random sampling of early Mustang production because Ford snapped them up.
Popular folklore suggests A.J. Foyt received one of the three pace cars. Recently unearthed Ford paperwork confirms Foyt received a Mustang convertible-just not one of the pace car convertibles. The Mustang Foyt received from Ford was 5F08D173253 and he allegedly gave it to his maid. Word on the street is-the car was totaled in an accident long ago. No one knows for sure. Check your warranty plate.
We would like to hear about your interesting Mustang finds. Write to us at In Search of Mustangs, Dept. MM, P.O. Box 883, Annandale, VA 22003. Or you may e-mail us at Jim.Smart@primedia.com.