It was in 1976 that country music legend Johnny Cash released one of his bigger hits, “One Piece At A Time,” which told the tale of an automotive assembly line worker in Detroit who spent more than 20 years building a one-of-a-kind Cadillac, “borrowing” parts that he snuck out the factory after each day’s work in his lunch box.
The Cadillac was indeed unique, with two headlights on one side of the front end, and one light on the other, along with just one tail fin.
Now, the National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) Museum and Ford Motor Company have taken a page from Cash’s playbook by building a one-of-a-kind Ford Mustang that is half of a 1965 model and half of a 2015 model – both on the exterior and interior, which features two dashboards and steering wheels (right).
On loan to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the so-called “split-model” 'Stang has been traveling throughout 13 states en route to the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas from Tuesday, January 8 through Friday, January 11. Those attending the show can view the custom-built ride at Booth 51510 in Eureka Park.
The exhibit, which had previously been on display at the NIHF, will showcase the differences in the 50 years between the two models, how car design has evolved and how intellectual property impacts the design of an automobile, according to a NIHF media release.
“As one of our most popular exhibits in the NIHF Museum at the USPTO, we are excited to have it displayed at the largest and most influential marketplace of technological innovation,” NIHF CEO Michael J. Oister said in the release.
The museum already had a strong connection with Ford: company founder Henry Ford was inducted into the NIHF in 1982.
Once its run in Vegas is over, the car is expected to return to the NIHF Museum in Alexandria, Virginia.
For more information, follow the NIHF social media accounts using #FordMustang or visit the museum’s website at Invent.org/museum.