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Mustang Mach 1 “Twister Special” (Test Vehicle).

This is the only “Twister Special” test vehicle Ford ever made, it was developed to test out and showcase the rare Twister Special option package for the 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 that was only available in the Kansas City sales district.

Just 96 examples of the Twister Special Mach 1 would be built, 48 had the R-code 428 Cobra Jet V8 and the other 48 had the four-barrel 351 Cleveland. All were finished in Grabber Orange paintwork with side stripes, and they had special “Twister” decals to help set them apart.

The original plan was to build 5 Mach 1 fastbacks and 5 Mustang convertibles, all with distinctive Grabber Orange paint schemes and black side stripes. They were all to be powered by the hefty 428 Super Cobra Jet V8 mated to a C6 automatic transmission.

An additional 100 Mustangs were going to be built in this specification and sold as ARI pace car replicas – however ARI went bankrupt, leaving Ford holding the ball. Ford was able to sell off the first 10 cars that had been intended for actual pace car duties, but orders had been placed for 100 additional vehicles.Ford put the word out among their dealer network to see who might be amenable to accepting 100 special edition cars and the Kansas City sales district (DSO 53) took up the challenge. The cars were called the “Twister Special” after the frequent twisters or tornadoes seen in the region.

New Twister decals were added to the car and due to a shortage of 428 Super Cobra Jet V8s just half would get them, with the other half getting the 351 Cleveland V8 with a four-barrel carburetor. The cars proved so popular that Ford also released the Torino Cobra Twister Special and the Ranchero Twister Special, both in bright red. They sold 90 Torino Twisters but just two Rancheros.