* Update * at the bottom of the post.

The dustbin of automotive history is chock-full of a number of futuristic cars designed and built by forward thinking individuals, some even reached the start-up of the manufacturing process after they were first rolled out to the public. This 1948 Mustang is a perfect example, Roy McCarty of Seattle, Washington, who was a service manager at a Lincoln dealership designed it.

McCarty’s new car was introduced to the marketplace at just right time in the immediate post-war years when the public was hungry for anything new on four wheels. Being a small time manufacturer he utilized as many off-the-shelf mechanical components as possible including Continental and Hercules four-cylinder engines, manual transmissions and a Hotchkiss type rear axle and hydraulic brakes at all four corners.



Chassis body details from a brochure

One unusual feature of his design was the utilization of a rear-mounted unit power plant located in a large “A” frame sprung by cantilever leaf springs. This unique assembly was advertised as only taking nine minutes to remove for service, which may be a bit of a PR exaggeration. It also appears to have taken up about half the interior room making for a somewhat impractical use of that space.



Pacific Car and Foundry built the aluminum body for the first car.

Nevertheless it made for an interesting car that was lightweight, somewhat aerodynamic and featured a look that would appeal to Buck Rodger’s fans. The reality of the story, unfortunately, is what happened to most small time automotive ventures, it failed after only one year. Twelve are reported to have been produced, and one appears to have survived. The story of the Mustang was found via the AACA Library at Bangshift.com.

Read writer-researcher Robert D. Cunningham’s comment below for more background information on the company.