Is this what became of the Ford Mystere?

[Falcon Ranchero]

There's a chicken wagon that looks suspiciosly like the 1955 Ford Mystere. Is this what became of the concept or is this just some creation inspired by it?

[stitchdup]

i think its just an old ford or merc done up. apart from the window being a different shape, which could plausibly be a change for production testing, the area between the fins and top of the body is a different shape. i think its more likely heavily inspired by it for a tv show, movie or parade. 

[LennyB]

It's a 1958 Ford Thunderbird.

 

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/autos/2010/04/23/done-like-dinner

[Falcon Ranchero]

1 hour ago, LennyB said:

It's a 1958 Ford Thunderbird.

 

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/autos/2010/04/23/done-like-dinner

Mystery solved; just every time I searched up the 1955 Mystere the chicken car came up too. Thanks for finding out about that. I can imagine the actual concept was probably crushed sometime after it’s debut year; an unfortunate common practice for many concept cars back then.

[Bainford]

3 hours ago, Falcon Ranchero said:

I can imagine the actual concept was probably crushed sometime after it’s debut year; an unfortunate common practice for many concept cars back then.

True, a common practice, though to be honest, many of them were not much more than a prettied up lump of clay with some bumpers and grill clagged onto it. The ones that were actual cars (though still, many never actually ran) were considered assets by auditors, but once their job was done, had no actual value to the company. To get them off the books, they go under the torch. However, it is surprising just how many of these show cars, etc that were slated for destruction ended up being squirrelled away by employees with foresight who thought they were too cool to cut up, and in more recent decades are now coming out into the light. Especially true as the caretakers of some of these cars, often private collectors, are dying off and the contents of their hoards are being discovered.

[RSchnell]

There are several pages devoted to the Mystere in this book. I highly recommend it, it covers a lot of cars I never knew existed.

[Falcon Ranchero]

On 3/4/2025 at 9:07 PM, Bainford said:

However, it is surprising just how many of these show cars, etc that were slated for destruction ended up being squirrelled away by employees with foresight who thought they were too cool to cut up, and in more recent decades are now coming out into the light.

The '56 Mercury XM Turnpike cruiser is a pretty good example; it got sold off a couple of times and then got a restoration to as-new condition.