Mustang Owner's Podcast

Steve Hall, founder of the Mustang Owner's Museum, created National Mustang Day as a celebration of the Ford Mustang's debut on April 17, 1964, which is considered the "birthday" of the iconic car. John and Mike take us on a video tour through some of the larger gatherings held for this year's NMD celebration.

Cristy Lee is a dynamic television host and automotive expert who has successfully transitioned her mechanical skills into the realm of home renovation. She gained prominence through her work on MotorTrend's "All Girls Garage" and "Garage Squad," where she showcased her expertise in fixing cars, trucks, and motorcycles. Beyond television, she owns and operates MotorCity Built, a design firm in Michigan that merges her passions for automotive work, real estate, and home renovation . Cristy's multifaceted career continues to inspire, as she breaks stereotypes and empowers women in both the automotive and home improvement industries

Ponies in the Smokies is an annual car show and gathering that celebrates Ford Mustangs and their enthusiasts, held in the scenic Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. The multi-day event features a wide range of activities, including a large indoor car show, cruise-ins, drag racing, and scenic drives through the mountains. Mustang owners and fans from across the country attend to showcase their vehicles, connect with other enthusiasts, and enjoy the vibrant Mustang culture.

What do you get when you combine a 2017 GT350 with a 1982 Foxbody? You get VooDoo 82! Terry tells us all about the build and why.

The Ford Performance Racing School is a premier driver training program designed to provide enthusiasts and performance vehicle owners with an immersive, high-adrenaline experience behind the wheel of Ford's high-performance cars. The school offers a range of programs tailored to different skill levels—from beginner to seasoned racer. Participants receive professional instruction from experienced racers, combining classroom sessions with extensive on-track driving to develop advanced car control, cornering, and braking techniques.

Lee Holman, son of co-founder John Holman, grew up immersed in the world of high-performance engineering, eventually leading the company through its evolution beyond NASCAR into custom builds and historic racing. His leadership helped preserve and expand the Holman-Moody legacy, bridging its rich past with today's automotive culture.

Duane Carling is a renowned expert on Independent Rear Suspension (IRS) systems for classic Mustangs, particularly known for his deep knowledge and hands-on experience with retrofitting IRS into vintage Ford models. With a background in engineering and a passion for performance driving, Carling has become a go-to authority in the Mustang restoration and modification community. His work combines technical precision with a respect for the original design, offering enthusiasts a way to significantly improve handling and ride quality without compromising the classic character of the vehicle.

Melvin Betacourt is an experienced Design Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the automotive industry. Skilled in Design Management, Alias Automotive, Alias Studio Tools, and Sketching. Strong arts and design professional with a BFA focused in Industrial Design/Automotive Design from Center For Creative Studies.

Held from February 28 to March 2 at Huntington Place, the 72nd Detroit Autorama featured over 800 custom cars, trucks, and motorcycles including the Ridler Award competition. John and Mike show us some of their favorite cars from the show and tell us what made these art pieces resonate with them.

Who is the true father of the Mustang? Is there a new Boss 429 coming out? John and Mike tackle these questions and more on this month's mailbag.

Is your Mustang club failing to attract the younger generation?  Dan and Tyler, Mustang enthusiasts help us understand what the younger generation wants in a car club,and where you can reach out to them.

Capping off the Woodward Dream Cruise Week is our favorite event; Mustang Memories. Join us as we take you along; cruising the event through a slideshow provided by Ford Performance photographer Joe Deladvitch.

Dan Buckley and Freddy Connor of Cinelescence created a tribute to the Mustang's 60th with a special spec commercial. The video is scheduled to be published March 9th and can be viewed on the Cinelescence YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@cinelescence

John talks to Linda Bastow, General Manager, Gateway Classic Cars of Detriot. Gateway Classic Cars is a large consignment-based classic car dealership with multiple showrooms across the United States. Since its founding in 1999, it has specialized in buying, selling, and consigning classic, exotic, and collector cars.Does your car club need a place for monthly meetings? Linda just might have a solution for you.

It's time for another Mustang Owner's Podcast mailbag episode. If you have something you'd like to ask John or Mike, submit your question to cubhub@ford.com

The 2025 Detroit Auto Show, held from January 11 to 20 at Huntington Place, marked a return to its traditional January schedule. Join John and Mike as they take us on a tour of their favorite parts of the show.

Mustang Week is launching their inaugural event from April 24-27 in Galveston, Texas.  A highly anticipated, multi-day event that celebrates Ford Mustang enthusiasts and the legendary muscle car itself.  It features a variety of activities including car shows, drag races, autocross competitions, and cruises, allowing participants to showcase their prized vehicles and compete in different categories. The event also includes meet-and-greets, vendor displays, and networking opportunities for fans and owners to connect. Classic, modern, and customized Mustangs are all on display, and there's often a strong sense of community, with owners sharing their knowledge and passion for the car.

Cari Southworth, a key figure in Kenny Brown Performance, has been instrumental in carrying forward the company's legacy of innovation and excellence in the high-performance automotive industry. As a close collaborator of Kenny Brown, Cari played a significant role in managing operations, fostering client relationships, and promoting the brand's mission of delivering unparalleled performance solutions. Her leadership ensured that the company remained at the forefront of engineering advancements, particularly in Mustang performance and handling. Following Kenny Brown's passing, Cari has been dedicated to preserving his vision and passion, continuing to inspire the automotive community with the same commitment to quality and innovation.

RTR Vehicles, founded by professional drifter and motorsport icon Vaughn Gittin Jr., is a performance-focused automotive brand specializing in creating custom, high-performance versions of Ford vehicles. Known for their aggressive styling, enhanced driving dynamics, and modern technology, RTR (short for "Ready to Rock") offers turnkey packages for models like the Ford Mustang, Bronco, F-150, and Ranger.

John and Mike stop in to birthplace of the podcast and chat with Mischelle Hall. They chat about the creation of the museam and her responsibilities to care for the museum since the passing of its founder and her husband, Steve.

Steve Saleen is a renowned American automotive designer, entrepreneur, and professional race car driver. Best known as the founder of Saleen Automotive, he revolutionized high-performance vehicle customization, creating iconic cars like the Saleen Mustang and the S7 supercar. With a career spanning over four decades, Saleen has combined his passion for engineering and racing, earning accolades in motorsports and the automotive industry. His innovative designs and dedication to performance excellence have solidified his reputation as a leader in automotive innovation and custom vehicle manufacturing.

Hau Thai-Tang is a renowned automotive executive known for his significant contributions to Ford Motor Company. Over a distinguished 34-year career, he held pivotal roles including Chief Product Platform and Operations Officer, where he oversaw global product development of iconic vehicles including the Ford Mustang S197 Program.

Amy has touched many of the iconic Ford brands including Mustang. Her exceptional twenty eight year career at Ford included marketing, engineer, and as president of Lincoln of China. However, it is her time as Product Line Director for Mustang we'll be talking about in this episode.

Join John Clor as he travels down Mustang Alley at this year's Woodward Dream Cruise; you'll never know who'll you bump into.

Eric joins John and Mike to give us some behind the scene stories from the engineering desk at team Mustang.  Eric gives us insight into working to bring about the IRS for Mustang, as well as working with Bob Bondurant and Carroll Shelby.

Michael sheds some light (pun intended) on what it takes to design a lighting system for today's Mustang.

John and Mike discuss the ins and outs of what it takes to get involved in the Mustang hobby.

John and Mike talk with Donald Farr about his new book "Mustang 60 Years" and he gives us a glimpse of what's in the book. Goto www.donaldfarr.com to order yours in time for Christmas.

John and Mike travel to Foxtoberfest 2024. They pick out some interesting rides and interview their owners to get the story behind their Foxbodies.

When Chris and Nancy heard John speak at Carlisle Ford Nationals, it sparked a fire that turned them from Mustang fans into Mustang lovers. On this episode, hear how they embarked on building their current car collection.

With the tragic weather event of the last few weeks, John and Mike discuss the inevitability of flood damage cars making their way into the used car market and what you can do to avoid buying one.

Founder and owner of Mustang Mania IT, and European Pony Wars; Fabrizio, John, and Mike talk about Mustang's influence in the European theater. Frabrizio gives us a glimpse into his latest project bringing the European Mustang Clubs together.

What will you do for your 50th birthday? If you already had it, did it involve a Mustang? In this episode Monica tells us what she did on hers with her '67.

John and Mike dip into the overstuffed mailbag and answer a few questions submitted from our listeners. If you'd like to ask John or Mike a question, submit it to cubhub@ford.com

Did you know that you don't have to be a bidder or seller to attend a Mecum Auction? David joins John and Mike to tell us about the cool things that happens at every Mecum event.

Jenn gives us the back story of the creation of Foxtoberfest and what you can expect at this year's event held on October 22nd -26th. For more information: https://foxy.events/foxtoberfest

Henry joins John and Mike to tell us about his early days at Ford Motor Company where he spent time working in the many divisions of the automobile company.

Jaron tells us how he created the Mustang Fan Club which led him to becoming the brand manager for RTR.

The guys have fun talking music and Mustangs with Nashville recording artist Sydney Lett. Listen to her latest recording "Simple Little Life" here: https://open.spotify.com/track/0nYeSLQXRo5N600FW3k10m?si=c26a6297df8a425c

David tells us of his time at Ford and shares how he created the PDC Car Show and behind the scenes secrets that made the events so memorable.

Mark talks about working for many of the Mustang publications that we love and miss, and who he's writing for today.  Mark also talks about the status of current day “Influencers.”  Do they truly know Mustang history?

Shawn shares some cool stories and experiences at Ford with John and Mike.

Austin shares some stories with John and Mike about his time at Ford and Shelby American.

Rich gives us a glimpse of his time at Ford and his involvment with many of the SVT projects created during the days of John Coletti.

The Woodward Dream Cruise has become so much more than just a Saturday car show. John and Mike go through some of the major events being held at this year's event.

Ryan chats with the guys about the popularity of the Ford display at this year's Chicago Auto Show

Bob, John, and Mike talk all things Holman Moody including the Tour de France (TDF) Mustang.

Mickey pulls back the curtain and tells us some stories from his impressive career at Ford including his time at SVO, SVT, & Ford Performance.

Happening from August 30th -Sept 1st; Lisa's here to tell us what we have to look forward to at this year's Boss Reunion. To register please visit: bossreunion.com

John and Mike dip into the mailbag for June and give us a recap of The Ford Nationals at Carlisle.

Bill clues us in on the history of the event and what's in store for this year; taking place on July 20-21.