Four years and three editors ago, Mustang & Fords magazine got wind of a super-stealth, top-secret project called Mustang In Black, or MIB. First leaked to readers in the Dec. '01 issue, the MIB project goal was to meld late '90s SVT Mustang technology with the styling and classic lines of a '68 Mustang fastback. The anonymous "Ford guys" in charge of the project snuck details to us on a regular basis. Although these details held enough notes and spy photos to create technical articles about the Mustang's conversion progress, the "Ford guys" were careful to protect their identities.
The Aug. '03 issue included information from their last transmission, after which, we heard nothing. We couldn't continue the project without their help and feared the worst had happened.
However, the project was declassified in April 2005 at the Columbus All-Ford Swap Meet, and we learned that the Ford guys were none other than Dave Stribling and his talented crew at DVS Restorations in Crawfordsville, Indiana. As more information became available, we determined that the owners of the project car are Doug and Amy Allen of Crete, Illinois. Now that the MIB project is declassified, we can give our readers the complete details of the MIB project as well as newly released images:
Like many of us, Dave Stribling would dream of his ideal fun car while holding down a day job. It would have the classic good looks of a Mustang, yet all the comforts, features, and performance of a modern sport coupe. Sound familiar? Sure it does. Many of us think about building the same car, but let me tell you, the average builder would be hard pressed to build something that works as well as this fastback.
Although Dave started thinking about such a project 10 years ago, it wasn't until five years later in 2001 that Dave met with Doug Allen to perform a concours restoration of Doug's '6411/42 Indy Pace Car hardtop. Doug is from the Chicago area and owned a Chevelle in school but always wanted a Mustang. When he had the funds, he purchased a '67 fastback, then the pace car.
Dave knew about Doug's '67 fastback, and while on the phone one day discussing the pace-car build, he said, "Too bad that '67 Mustang is so nice. I have a great idea for it." After discussing the idea, Doug went for it hook, line, and sinker, especially since his wife asked, referring to the pace car, "Why would you restore a car to the way it used to ride?"