Anybody remember the FR500 Mustang from 21 years ago? I do. Man I’ve never felt so old...
It was Ford’s skunk works car meant to test out a bunch of new parts for the Ford Racing catalog including a dual-x dynamic exhaust system, magnesium variable runner intake manifold and various other go fast goodies, pushing a bored 4.6l DOHC motor to 5.0 liters and over 400 hp. It had an SLA front suspension that moved the front wheels about 5 (edit: 3.2) inches forward, providing a much improved 50/50 weight distribution, and it graced the cover of just about every mustang magazine in existence with myriad write-ups and full spread stories.
Ford was all set to offer the complete package to build your very own FR500 Mustang and then it just fell off the face of the earth. Only a few pieces from the car ever made it to production. A modified, single throttle body version of the intake manifold and the coveted M58 exhaust were a couple to finally make it into the catalog; the latter of which sits quietly in my shed awaiting installation in my Fox Body.
Anyway, my question is what happened to the original car? Or cars I should say. I believe there were at least two, maybe three test vehicles that Ford built. (edit: one silver show car; one white and one black test mule)
My current obsession is to see the car in person and take measurements of the front suspension design. For reasons.
Anyone know where they ended up?
It was Ford’s skunk works car meant to test out a bunch of new parts for the Ford Racing catalog including a dual-x dynamic exhaust system, magnesium variable runner intake manifold and various other go fast goodies, pushing a bored 4.6l DOHC motor to 5.0 liters and over 400 hp. It had an SLA front suspension that moved the front wheels about 5 (edit: 3.2) inches forward, providing a much improved 50/50 weight distribution, and it graced the cover of just about every mustang magazine in existence with myriad write-ups and full spread stories.
Ford was all set to offer the complete package to build your very own FR500 Mustang and then it just fell off the face of the earth. Only a few pieces from the car ever made it to production. A modified, single throttle body version of the intake manifold and the coveted M58 exhaust were a couple to finally make it into the catalog; the latter of which sits quietly in my shed awaiting installation in my Fox Body.
Anyway, my question is what happened to the original car? Or cars I should say. I believe there were at least two, maybe three test vehicles that Ford built. (edit: one silver show car; one white and one black test mule)
My current obsession is to see the car in person and take measurements of the front suspension design. For reasons.
Anyone know where they ended up?
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