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Ford’s new S650 Mustang got us thinking, with the Mach 1 trim level ditched in favor of the new Dark Horse variant, what is a forgotten Mustang lost in the sands of time? The Mustang has gone through a lot of history. In the beginning, it was America’s sweetheart sports carscaressing its way into the heart of every freedom-loving gearhead on both sides of the Mississippi.
From the Ford Mustang Bullitt to the GT350, there have been many notable Mustangs. But here’s an orange twist you never saw coming. Produced exclusively for the 1970 model year, the Mustang ‘Twister Special’ was a special variant of the standard line Mustang that made it stand out among the sporty. classic cars.
Throughout the 1960s, Ford have created special ‘Stangs for different regions of the country in an attempt to gain sales in somewhat exotic areas where Mustang numbers are dwindling: the California Special for dealers in Golden State and the High Country for Colorado dealerships. People in Dearborn thought sales in the Kansas City metro area were going down because the Twister Special was an offering just for the Heart of America.
Loud and Orange… The Twister Special Was Out There
More like an orange crayon than a Mustang the Twister Special is marked by its bold orange paint that covers the entire vehicle. Dubbed Grabber Orange, similar to the Grabber Lime we see today on GT350s, it immediately grabbed the attention of onlookers. Slap-on ‘Twister Special’ decals ensure everyone knows what it is, loud and proud. In case you want them to know you’re a Chiefs fan by default.
With only 97 made, the Twister Special was originally nothing more than an appearance package, built to drum up sales in both East Kansas and West Missouri based on its high-performance (and stagnant sales) Mach 1. With a solid foundation, Ford was eager to make some exterior changes over the striking James and the Giant Peach design. A set of faux air intakes, a recessed fog light design, and twist-style hood pins complete the Twister Special’s menacing look.
Ford originally made big promises with the original engine, it was that all 96 Mach 1s were equipped with the 428ci 7.0-liter Super Cobra Jet drag strip behemoth. Well, that was a bust. With limited time and resources, Ford was only able to come up with a compromise. Ford ended the 428 SCJ in just 48 Twister Specials, while the other 48 received the new four-barrel Cleveland, a 5.8-liter that made 300 hp and 385 lb-ft of torque.
The Special Mustang Twister Is More Than Just An Orange Mustang
To generate sales in one of the most populous metro areas in the Midwest, this isn’t your grandfather’s Mustang that he took on leisure trips to the lake house going five under the speed limit. The fix? Make it fierce, add a shaker hood and a tornado decal on the side. That’ll get ’em, nothing scares the Midwest like a good ol’ Tornado.
Hence, the name Special twister. Performance features such as drag-ready suspension, power steering, and brakes, as well as a Traction-Lok ​​differential, are thrown in to make the Twister Special one of the best vehicles to hit the cornfields. .. and trust us, nothing much.
Ford and the Kansas City sales department returned with another iteration of the Twister Special in 1985 with the Fox Body Mustang named the Twister II. Taxed and suffocated by heavy gas and electricity regulations due to the oil crisis, the ’85 variant never got as much hype as the 1970 version, as well as a botched paint job from Ford, which it was painted red and black instead of the iconic Grabber Orange . Orange returned in 2008 when Ford reinstated the KC metro nameplate to the amazement of many, removing the unscrupulous ’85 incident.
The Vote Is In: We Want to See a Special Modern-Day Twister
Now, the last Twister Special was announced in 2008, almost 14 years ago. With the return of the Mach 1 name, we’d like to see a remake of the Twister Special for the entire country, not just the Kansas City area. Even if it’s just an appearance package, the time is right for Ford to bring back the moniker. Fans have wanted a special edition Mustang for years, and the California Mustang Special has seen a comeback in recent years.
One could argue, however, that these cars would simply be branded beyond recognition, especially if they were only sold in a specific geographic area, underestimating the performance value of said ‘Stang. Since the car is an American favorite, it would be interesting to see a representation based on the location of the Mustang and the unique variants it has. The issue is, the Mustang currently has no sales issue, even though the new S650 was pulled from the classified pile. We’d like to see a new Mustang variant, even if it doesn’t have a performance gain or a horsepower boost… novelty is enough.
Sources: Ford, Mecum Auctions
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