TAYLOR, Mich. -- Some may describe Mike Berardi’s personal “Motorcity Mustangs” collection as a walk through Mustang history, while others might simply call it Mustang Paradise -- and neither would be wrong. Mike served as Global Director for Ford Service Engineering Operations for a solid 37 years before retiring out of the trade to become a full-time automotive enthusiast based around the much-loved Ford Mustang. In fact, Mike has some 100 examples of the proud pony car in a private warehouse just outside of FoMoCo’s HQ in Dearborn, Michigan. From an original 1964 Mustang Indianapolis 500 Pace car to a 2020 GT500 Carbon Fiber Track Pack car, Berardi has just about every Mustang year -- and model -- you can name.

Mike is not only an avid Mustang collector, but he also restores, races, and rebuilds many types of Ford vehicles. For example, over the summer he and his wife, Sue,  both race S197 Mustangs at Michigan tracks such as Gingerman Raceway. On the resto side, he typically always has something in his collection to tinker with, such as the 1971 Grabber Lime Mach 1 we show here. You might also see the Berardi family out at many Ford and Mustang events throughout the Midwest during the warm-weather months in one of his restored Ford “Good Humor” Ice Cream trucks. Just a few of his favorite events include the Woodward Dream Cruise, MOCSEM’s Mustang Memories All-Ford show at Ford World Headquarters, and the Ford Employee Picnic days.

Want in on seeing Mike’s remarkable collection? If you happen to be a member of the Detroit-area Mustang Owner’s Club of SouthEastern Michigan (MOCSEM), then you’re in luck! Mike grants the club a private tour once a year to all club members. Ask any MOCSEM member why they attend the annual tour, and they’ll tell you it’s not just so see all of the new, added or traded Mustangs in the collection, but also to hear Mike’s own story behind each and every car he owns – which is what makes this tour so very special.

Every one of Mike’s Mustangs has a great story to go along with it, making this an interactive tour to beat all others. Our own Bill Cook, another Ford retiree who has since become our Ford Performance car show and event correspondent, also happens to be a MOCSEM club member, and he attended the 2019 MOCSEM tour of the Berardi Collection with his trusty camera. Bill shares with us this peek inside the Berardi collection with his photo gallery below:

FORD PERFORMANCE PHOTOS / COURTESY BILL COOK