1955 Ford Mystere

Does anyone know what happened to this car? I know it was a one off display car built in 1955 for a show... and it had no engine.. but what happened to it? destroyed, or still around in a museum somewhere?

 

I wish I could tell you that it was in my garage.

 

Isn't that the car from toy story? I think it was repainted green.......What? Huh? That wasn't real?

 

One of my personal favorites. Never have seen much info on it.

 

after the show circuit it was sold to George Jetson. Rumor has it that it is still in the back room at Spacely Sprockets.

 

Haha... that's exactly why I love it... it could only belong to George Jetson..

 

Looks like the consulted with the Chryslers designers on that one.

 

The Ford Mystere Show Car

<!-- dtl_id=467540 //-->Ford's 1957 styling originated in the "Mystere" show car, a space-age dreamboat typical of the decade, created by Bill Boyer of the Advanced Styling Studio in the summer of 1954. "The Mystere was a full-size car," Boyer recalls. "It had an operating canopy and a fully trimmed interior, but it was [only] a static fiberglass display model. It was done specifically for the 1955 January Detroit Auto Show. The Mystere influenced the 'swash' [bodyside] molding...of the 1957 Fairlane 500, and also the fin development on the quarter panel and taillights [of all models]. In order not to tip [our] hand, the Mystere didn't go into the 1955 Auto Show. I don't believe it was shown until 1956 or 1957, and then [only] as an idea car preceeding the 1957 Ford.. "

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thats about the only info I can find on it...

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1957-1959-ford-styling1.htm

 

For what it's worth

http://www.chicagoautoshow.com/history/index.asp?y=1956&vid=338

Other Ford Concept cars

http://www.automotivehistoryonline.com/fordconcepts.htm

 

Well that's one more photo for the collection at least.. thanks

 

I know it's not the same car,,but another what ever happened to it car,,

The 1954 concept car,,,Ford FX-Atmos,,HRP

 

I like this one too, but it was only a remote control car, 3/8 size I think.

 

Most of Ford's '50s concepts were scale models.
The pink job above is the '59 La Tosca- definately one of the 3/8th-scale models.
Not sure about the '54 FX-Atmos, but it looks like another scale model to my eye. Sure- there looks like 'real folk' by it, but Ford did the same thing with the '62 Seattle-ite XXI, which most sources say was a 3/8ths scale model.
'56 X-1000, '56 Syrtis Roof-O-Matic & the '58 Nuclean were all scale models.

'56 Mystere and the first Ford concept, the '53 X-100 were full-size, the X-100 was a runner & still exists. I've heard nary a peep about the Mystere surviving, sorry- would have to imagine as a non-runner-- it's long gone.

Mystere was the most cohesive by far, IMO- the best of Ford's '50s dreamboats.

 

This one is pretty cool, Merc XM Turnpike Cruiser. The other thing that I like was the truck used to carry it around in.

Running driving car that still exist. I don't have the cash,...but I'd do some trading!!!

 

Cool, dig the big truck white walls. Don't see those too often.

 

Well after 4 hours of browsing...

A few more pics..



And the rear



Detail..



Side view stolen from another thread..



WQ59B wrote - "I've heard nary a peep about the Mystere surviving, sorry- would have to imagine as a non-runner-- it's long gone."

Dont say that, I`m hoping its packed up in a box somewhere in a HAMBers garage, just waiting to be restored...

 

Of course I am also pulling for it to have survived!

So cool the XM-TC is still around, so is the '54 Mercury XM-800. Insane1- any more info on the '56 TC as it is today ??

 

BUMP.. Video of the Mystere and atmos..

http://www.greatcarstv.com/history/space-age-fantasy-cars-from-the-50s.html

 

The only other pic that I know of and these are from 2001

 

I saw your post after someone posted the following picture on another forum. I looked at the photos of both cars and I think they are both the same car. If it is the same car its nice to know the Mystere survived, but a real shame to think its life has been spent as Chicken Delight's promotional vehicle.
Roof is gone. Front fenders have been altered, but look how the fins start in the doors and the slope of the hood where it meets the fenders.

 

Jim,

I think you're right. I found this other pic of the "chickenmobile"



You can see the bumpers before they were replaced. Sure looks like the concept car formed the basis of the chickenmobile.

http://www.chickendelight.com/Company.htm

I guess it's a better fate than it being scrapped. Maybe the company still has some of the parts that were removed?

 

The photo I posted of the Chickenmobile was taken at a show a couple weeks ago by a member of the Station Wagon Forum. He posted it in a thread titled "you drive what..."

I would guess that if the Mystere didn't have an engine, but the Chickenmobile did, than thats the reason for the extensive mods to the hood. The original hood likely didn't have adequate clearance. If thats the case, it might be a challenge to restore it to its original appearance and still keep the car operational even if all the missing parts could be located or replicated. I also doubt that if the fast food chain still owns the car that there would be much of a chance of getting them to part with a piece of their corporate history.

 

aaaaaaaaaaah.. the mystere is one of my all time favourites.. to see it painted yellow like that makes me ill.. please somebody ...rescue it !

 

Well, maybe I'm wrong. The guy who originally took the Chickenmobile photo a couple weeks ago, found this link to an article quoting the current owner. In the article, it says the Chickenmobile started out as a 58 T'bird convertible, and had a custom built fiberglass body. The custom work being done in California in the late 60's.
http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/winnipeg-free-press/mi_8029/is_20100423/dinner/ai_n53282671/

Still, my guess is that that the non-operational Mystere's body was used but may have been combined with a 58 T-bird to make a complete operational car. I find it hard to believe that in the late 60's, a designer would have copied the styling of a thirteen year old concept car so closely (right down to the front bumper). But, modifying the body to fit on another car's frame and wheelbase would explain the clunky looking front fenders which appear to be longer than the original Mystere's front fenders.
In the vintage photo, the Chickenmobile had a roof. A T-bird's convertible top would probably be the least adaptable roof possible for the Chickenmobile as the T-bird's trunk would have to open to accept the top (not real workable with the huge heavy fiberglass tail feathers).
I think theres gotta be more to the story, but I'm still convinced that the Chickenmobile was the Mystere in a past life.
Heres a picture of the Chickenmobile that I borrowed from Jalopy Journal.
http://www.hubgarage.com/mygarage/gainsborough/blogs/9190

 

Just wondering, weren't TBirds from 58 - 60 more or less unibody cars? Wouldn't work well for a body swap, without a frame.

 

I just don't see any trace of 58 T-bird on this thing. I wonder if its titled as a 58 T-bird.

 

Not the same car. It looks like someone had a picture of it while they were building it though - especially the earlier picture with projecting front bumper guards. Headlights are quite different, wheel openings are different, fins are different, overall proportions are different. And I can believe that was a '58 Tbird, judging by the windshield.

"Damn shame what they did to that dog..."

Compare your pic above with this one...

 

From my research, the Mystere and FX Amos were full sized models and were destroyed. The FX Atmos was made out of some kind of plastic, Cycolac, I believe, and sagged under heat from lighting or sun. It was quickly destroyed.

 

Ford built a T-bird prototype in 1962 called the Cougar. It was used in the movie Under The Yum Yum tree with Jack Lemon. Check the videio link below at the 2:15 mark to see the car. This car is 4 doors from my house...owner will not sell and is getting up in years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ps4eaiG5jc

 

Damn Jim, what a find. firstly thanks for coming and sharing.

Your link to the article on it doesnt work.

At first I thought what most people would , its an ugly mystere rip off. the front is totally wrong. anything forward of the doors is wrong, yet everything at the back, someone has done a hell of a lot of work to make it accurate.
which doesnt make sense.

The other promotional cars for this company are all cheaply done paint yellow stick a chicken on. I dont understand why whoever did the car, put s much effort into getting the back right, to do such a half assed job on the front.

Theres no 58 t-bird in the body of the car. I have some more pics which ill post in a bit, maybe it will reveal more, with seat type, dash or stearing wheel, antena position and window frame.

Its almost like someone got half way through making a mystere and gave up, and it was floating around and got used on the chicken car for something quick and cheap.

........