My 4 parade so far 🇺🇸

My 68 coupe has beautiful Wimbledon White paint that has held up for 20 years. There is a split/crack in the centre of the hood - I bought it like this 6 years ago. Looking for advice to fill it and paint patch for now…as I’m not yet ready to repaint the entire hood or car.

Image Source: Hagerty

When Ford introduced the Mustang in April 1964, it became an overnight sales success and cultural phenomenon in North America. Eager to capitalize on this success globally, Ford looked toward Europe—specifically West Germany. The country was home to a massive population of U.S. military personnel stationed at various bases, representing a hungry market of young American buyers with disposable income. Ford also saw strong potential among German civilian enthusiasts who favored sporty, compact coupes.

However, Ford’s global expansion plans hit an immediate brick wall at the West German patent office.

The Trademark Roadblock: Krupp and Kreidler

Ford discovered that the name "Mustang" was legally locked down in West Germany by two different entities:

1. Krupp: The massive industrial conglomerate held the trademark for the name "Mustang," which they used on a line of heavy-duty commercial trucks and dump trucks.
2. Kreidler: A well-known German manufacturer of small-displacement motorcycles and mopeds, which also utilized the "Mustang" moniker for a popular lightweight bike.

Ford attempted to negotiate a buyout. Krupp reportedly offered to sell the rights to the name for approximately $10,000 USD at the time (equivalent to roughly $95,000 today). In an era where Ford was spending millions on marketing, this was a relatively minor sum. However, Ford executives—legendarily stubborn on principle—flatly refused to pay a competitor for a name they believed they owned.

Enter the T-5 Project

Refusing to yield to Krupp, Ford looked inward for a solution. They decided to rename the vehicle specifically for the West German market.

They turned to the car's original internal development shorthand. In the early 1960s, the experimental program that eventually birthed the pony car was known internally at Dearborn as the "T-5 Project".

Because vehicles exported to West Germany could not bear the "Mustang" name anywhere on their bodywork, interior, or documentation, Ford had to initiate a meticulous "sterilization" and re-badging process.

Anatomy of a T-5: What Changed?

Transforming a Mustang into a T-5 required extensive alterations at the assembly plants (primarily Dearborn and Metuchen) before the cars were shipped across the Atlantic.

• Exterior Badging: The running-horse-and-tribar chrome emblems on the front fenders were deleted. In their place, Ford installed unique, elongated chrome scripts reading "T-5".
• The Grille: The iconic center grille ornament featuring the running horse inside a corral remained, but the horizontal chrome "bars" extending from the corral were omitted or altered in certain early variations.
• Rear Gas Cap: The standard rear gas cap with the "Mustang" text and pony logo was replaced with a plain, sterile chrome cap, or later, a cap featuring a unique T-5 emblem.
• Interior Details: The steering wheel horn button, which normally featured the Mustang text, was swapped for a clean version bearing the T-5 logo. On the passenger side dash, the "Mustang" script emblem was deleted entirely.
• Documentation: All owner’s manuals, warranty booklets, invoices, and service literature were printed with the "T-5" designation. Mechanically, however, the cars were identical to their domestic siblings, sharing the same engines (200 ci inline-6, 289 ci V8s), transmissions, and suspension setups.

Sources and additional resources:

http://www.ponysite.de/fmcog/t5/t5-2.htm

https://www.hagerty.com/media/car-profiles/german-for-mustang/

https://fordt5registry.com/community/

https://www.gazettextra.com/archives/edgerton-man-owns-rare-german-marketed-mustang/article_7d2b279c-d4bf-5736-8d55-d2a371b66934.html

You are looking at a 1967 Shelby Mustang GT 500 Convertible which happens to be the only factory produced Shelby Mustang with a convertible top.

More photos of Maria on a short drive

And yet again, from the asphalt pastures of England.

Won venue choice

So I’ve recently started trying to get my radio (i believe it’s factory) in my 67 Mustang and this is all I get. It only produces sound on this one channel so I don’t know if it’s an issue of a blown speaker, bad radio or both.