Doing research for rankings and SEO for my site and I started searching for hashtags. I searched for Lee Iacocca on my Instagram to see if could find any photos that I took of the 45th anniversary Mustang out there. I found some photos that someone else recently took and the caption mentioned selling it. So I searched online and I see it listed on one site for sale and then I find it at the most recent Leake Auto Auction sold for $43,000. ONLY $43,000!!! My heart sunk for Robert the owner that I shot it for and for my story and my buddy Cesar that hooked me up with the Robert.
My friend Cesar was a car nut. I meet him through Volkswagens as I did with so many of my friends. You couldn’t find a more loving and caring guy in our crowd. And he knew a lot about cars. He texted me one day with some photos of this crazy looking Mustang. And asked if I’d see anything like it. Which I hadn’t. It was really sleek looking and you could see a few things were different on it from a regular 2009 Mustang GT. I asked him if he could get the owners info and I’ll see if I can photograph it. My buddy scores the contact info and I make contact with Robert. Robert and I start talking about doing a shoot and possibly getting it into one of the Mustang magazines. Months pass and Robert and I finally get a date set. While waiting to do the shoot my friend Cesar passes away. So this means even more to me now. I told myself when I get the check from the article I’m going to give it to his family. Robert and I start talking over the details and I start writing the article. I get a lot of info from Robert and I start digging more into this car.
It’s a Lee Iacocca 45th anniversary Mustang GT built by Gaffoglio Family Metalcrafters and designed by Michael Leone. This is a really special car. There are only 45 of them built. But it has a bit of odd past. Robert tells me that he purchased this from someone that bought it from Hardcore Pawn Store show. The shop bought it from a guy that won it at some casino. The Pawn Shop had it listed for $175k and then, $135,000. Robert never said how much he got it for. Now it’s sold at auction for only $43,000?! It’s insane how many Mustang enthusiast are out there and none of them are making these worth more. With less than 300 miles on the clock and maybe 3 owners, I’m so confused. I’m not sure if it’s just this one or if it’s all of them. Trust me I’d steal this thing if I could right now for $43k and make sure my dad enjoyed it when he retires at the end of the year. And where are all the other ones? Are they in hiding? Does anyone have one of these in a museum? Is this really how the Mustang people are going to treat the man that created their beloved car?!
It’s a beautiful ride and I hate to see these cars go down in history as the worst selling custom car ever. The roofline ends and it slopes all the way down to the end of the car. The front lights aren’t covered in plastic but are like a 67s, recessed back into the fenders. The interior styling is a style like you’re seeing in today’s high-end cars.
I never heard back from the editor and so my article never was published. I’ve held on to these photos long enough and I think it was one of my best shoots. I even produced my first published book for the client. So enjoy the images in honor of the Father of the Mustang and my buddy Cesar.
45th Anniversary Password ‘mustang’
ALL PROCEDES OF ANY PHOTOS PURCHASED FROM THIS GALLERY WILL GO TO CESAR’S FAMILY
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