You've probably seen some of these images before - those '66 Mustang styling prototypes with true three-element taillights and a pop-open gas cap. We did not know how close these taillights came to production until our good friend, Chris Richardson of Detroit, found a pair of them at a garage sale many years ago. These taillights are clearly final prototyping production die-cast pieces ready for mass production late in 1964. We'd also like to know how someone got them into a lunch box for that journey out Ford's back door in 1965.
Hard to know what Chris will do with these taillights, but one thing is certain. If ever they wind up on a '66 Mustang, it will be hard to miss them.
The '66 GT fastback is actually a mass-production, Dearborn-built '65 GT fastback with 289 High Performance V-8 in Caspian Blue. It also has '65 styled steel wheels and a black 289 Hi-Po engine.
Do you have an interesting find like Chris Richardson's stillborn taillights? We'd like to hear from you at www.mustangmonthly.com.