DEARBORN, Mich. – Whenever the Ford Mustang reaches a milestone birthday, clubs from all over the world always make plans to come to the United States and celebrate the pony car’s anniversary with the thousands of fans who participate in the hobby here in America. Mustang owner groups from France, Germany, Italy, Australia and even China – just to name a few – have made the pilgrimage from their own country to wherever the most notable Mustang anniversary event is being held in the USA. Some even make arrangements to visit Ford while they are here. And this year’s Mustang 60th Anniversary is no exception.
So when Anderson Chan of Ford Communications called on Ford Performance Club Connect to help the company welcome the São Paulo Mustang Clube of Brazil during a two-day visit to Dearborn, we jumped at the chance to interact with our Brazilian Mustang friends. Of course, there was the requisite day spent at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation at Greenfield Village in Dearborn and the always fascinating Rouge Factory Tour to see new Ford F-150’s being built. But we also wanted them to experience our own Mustang passion firsthand, so later that afternoon we arranged a private tour of the Motorcity Mustangs collection of Ford retiree Mike Berardi.
We’ve covered club visits to Berardi’s personal collection on FordPerformance.com before, but this ever-evolving array of specialty models from every Mustang generation offers more than just a sheet-metal pony car history. It’s Berardi sharing the story of each and every one of his cars that makes a tour there so worthwhile. After some quality time admiring Mike’s cars and unique Mustang memorabilia collection, the group finished off their day by having dinner at – you guessed it – the Ford’s Garage Restaurant in Dearborn.
The next morning, we met up with club president Marcelo Simionato and vice-president Ailton Periati at the Ford Archives, along with the nearly 20 other club members who made the trip. We were surprised to see most of them arrive in new Mustangs – but later found out that after flying in from Brazil to Chicago, they rented every Mustang they could get in The Windy City before making the drive to Detroit for their time with Ford. In the Ford Archives conference room, we gave them a 90-minute presentation on “60 Years of Mustang” before having them check out all of the special Mustang anniversary displays in the Archives’ visitors area.
After that the staff opened the doors to the vault room where hundreds of various Mustang artifacts from all seven generations were laid out on large inspection tables. It was quite the sight for any Mustang fan! But soon they had to regroup and head over to the Ford Design Studio at the Ford Product Development Center for an insider’s tour of the very place where Ford renderings meet clay. What a special treat! After such an overwhelming experience at both venues, they saddled up their Mustangs and drove off to Indianapolis, which was the first stop on their road trip to the Mustang Club of America’s big Mustang 60th event at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
We much enjoyed their visit, just as we do whenever any of the more than 500 clubs registered on www.FordPerformanceClubConnect.com come calling. We thought you might enjoy some of the photos we took during the club’s visit with Ford. They are proof that Mustang ownership opens doors to a whole lifestyle with a social experience that makes you feel part of the Mustang family – no matter where in the world you happen to live.
FORD PERFORMANCE PHOTOS / COURTESY ANDERSON CHAN and JOHN CLOR
