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The Lynx Project News...
Check here first for late breaking news on the missing L-M Dream Car
The restoration and repair of the four factory Lynx concept cars continues after the discovery of these in a Detroit warehouse and the fourth at a private residence. The owner of the four cars – who has elected to remain out of the limelight until the cars are finished and ready to present to the public – has asked The Lynx Team to create a series of scale vehicles and dioramas to portray the history of the cars and how they have survived since going into hiding in 1965.
The Lynx Project exists to present, in scale model form, one of the most remarkable stories in the history of the American automobile. The purchaser of a number of Lincoln-Mercury Division concept cars – unknown even to the most knowledgeable of auto historians – has asked a group of noted scale miniaturists to create the saga of the Lynx vehicle. This website is devoted to the unfolding story of the real cars and the scale miniature project that will be presented at the Twenty-Third GSL International Scale Vehicle Championship and Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah.
In the meantime, what follows is a brief history of what historic elements in the history of the Lynx are being created by a group of elite scale vehicle hobbyists.
June 2007
FLASH: We have discovered that there were four Lynx prototypes. The first one (the “X-7" model) was built on a ‘64 Comet Caliente convertible, outfitted with a special supercharged 200 cid corporate engine and – get this – tilted to one side so it would fit under the sloping hood. The second model (the “XR” model), also built on a ‘64 Caliente convertible, was outfitted with the Ford corporate 289 “K”- motor and was used in SCCA-demonstration venues. The third Lynx prototype (the “GT-X7" model) was a special convertible again built on a ‘64 Caliente convertible platform (lacking only the fastback roofs of the other three Lynx prototypes) and was powered by the 225 hp 289 engine with an auto transmission installed in the first prototype. Finally, the fourth prototype (built on a ‘64 Cyclone hardtop platform and designated as model “XR-7") – for which we had no information prior to October 16, 2006 – shared many of the same body parts as the other “official” Lynx prototypes, but this one was fitted with an early Sixties Ferrari 250 tri-carb V-12 engine.
This is a quick profile drawing of the fourth Lynx prototype that was discovered at a private residence after sitting unused for several decades.
The Lynx Team continues to run across tantalizing information as it continues its investigation into the history of this most elusive of Ford Motor Company concept cars. This page will update you with the results of our search, and will include details on the Lynx Team as it (necessarily) expands to present this great story to the automotive, and scale model car, hobbies.
October 2006
The automotive enthusiast – who owns the three prototypes, having discovered them in a warehouse in Detroit, and who continues to assist upon anonymity for the time being – continues to cooperate with the Lynx Project Team and has asked us to continue preparing our scale modeling effort to tell the incredible story of the Lynx – the “lost” Lincoln-Mercury concept car program from the Sixties. The present schedule is that the Lynx Project will be presented at the twenty-third GSL International Scale Vehicle Championship and Convention in Salt Lake City.
By relying upon information gleaned from historic records unearthed by the Lynx Team and confirmed by comparing the same to the cars that the owner has purchased, The Lynx Project Headquarters has compiled the Lynx Style Manual which summarizes the construction and assembly characteristics of each vehicle (including color schemes, upholstery patterns, and the like). A few faded photos from 1965, extant technical sheets and partial manuals, and contemporary photos taken from the three cars, as they’re now being restored, have been consulted in preparing this Manual.
This Lynx Style Manual also contains a brief introductory narrative of how and when the Lynx prototypes were constructed, and how Lincoln-Mercury Division chief Benjamin D. Mills worked with Andy Hooton (Dearborn Steel Tubing) to make initial mechanical and unibody changes before those vehicles were shipped to Bertone.
The Lynx Project welcomes more scale modeling experts to our ranks: Jim Devine and David Morton, both noted builders, have joined the team. Jim has an extensive background in full-scale automobile restoration and will be building a scale replica of one of the ‘64 Comet Calientes that was prepared at Dearborn Steel Tubing in anticipation of shipping to Bertone for coachwork. Jim is a great scale builder and regularly competes at the GSL International Scale Vehicle Championship and Convention and presents seminars there with fellow Lynx Team Member Gregg Nichols. Dave is a well known builder of antique vehicles and fire apparatus and is a regular competitor at the GSL Championship, as are Messrs. Devine and Nichols.
The Lynx Project also welcomes noted graphic artist Ed Lence who is working on restoring vintage photographs . Ed will be assisting with photo restoration and related tasks so that the few historic photos we’ve managed to acquire will be presentable in the book on the Lynx project that Mark S. Gustavson is writing. This book will be available from Championship Publishing, LLC, a few years from now. Ed’s electronic-art talents will also be useful helping Roger Yu restore the very few, and certainly rare, adverts that featured both the Lynx program, a Budd “The Kat” Andersen column introducing the model from the model car manufacturer Industro-Motive Corporation (IMC), and a surprising drive test that appeared in Road and Track!
The Lynx Team warmly welcomes these dedicated and talented men, and expresses its gratitude for the number of other highly-capable hobbyists who are working to bring to life the wonderful story of the suppressed L-M concept car, the Lynx!
April 2006
The Project is pleased to announce that noted builder Greg Nichols – a top competitor at the GSL International Scale Vehicle Championship and Convention has enthusiastically accepted the invitation to build the highly detailed third Lynx prototype. Greg joins an illustrious team of some of the hobby’s greatest builders! Welcome aboard, Greg!
Based upon preliminary notes and drawings, team member Bob Wick has prepared some/diagrammatic early profile drawings of the three Lynx prototypes that were located in a dilapidated Detroit warehouse.
January 2006
Work on miniatures of the Super Cyclone, the Bordinat Cobra, the Vivace Mustang, the Super Marauder and the Thunderbird Italien continues apace. Machinist Cody Grayland is now working of creating many parts for these exquisite miniatures.
Three members of our Lynx Team traveled to California in mid-November 2005 to see/measure/take photos of the Thunderbird Italien. While the car really needs a complete restoration, the car is complete! That’s Mark S. Gustavson on the far left, followed by Don Chambers, team member Steve Roullier (who took hundreds of digital photos), and Bob Wick (who produced dimensioned drawings of the car). The Italien was part of the initial Ford Custom Car Caravan, and was built (to Ford Division specifications) by Dearborn Steel Tubing which company did the early conversion work on the three Lynx prototypes. 
June 2005
1). Lynx Project headquarters was recently contacted by Jim Burgy who, after months of hard work and dedication, located the Bordinat Cobra and the Cougar II. After making phone calls all over the country, Jim finally tracked the cars down and found them in Detroit. Jim spent about six months cleaning those two cars up and negotiating with the museum to display them in the summer of 2004 in Ypsilanti Marriot in Ypsilanti, MI, during the Shelby American Automobile Club's National Convention. These two cars are among the most beautiful and remarkable in all of Ford history. Jim also corrected the serial numbers for both of the cars. We quote Mr. Burgy: “The Cougar II is built on a 260 Cobra chassis number CSX2008 (not #2004 as previously believed), and the Bordinat Cobra is built on the first 427 Cobra chassis, CSX3001 (not #2005 as previously believed).”
Mr. Burgy started working as Technical Illustrator at Ford in 1970 and worked at Ford for 33 years before retiring in 2003. Our contributor collects literature on Ford vehicles (with a special emphasis on Ford styling), and has collected model cars since he was a kid, and has a fairly extensive model collection on display in his "trophy room." Mr. Burgy has generously offered his extensive knowledge of the Ford X-Cars and other vehicles for the book on the Lynx prototypes.
The Lynx Project headquarters expresses it special appreciation to Mr. Wolfgang Kohrn from Dusseldorf Germany who is a major historian on Ford Mustang history with a special emphasis on custom and concept car Mustangs. We have made certain changes to the information offered on this Lynx Project web site in response to the information that Jim has passed on to us. Thanks Wolfgang and Jim!
2). As research continues into the Lynx prototype, we have expanded the team to include two, highly-skilled modelers to our team in order to be understand and properly “told” to the public. Because we need to depict more than just the Lynx “discovery-date” scene in the Detroit warehouse, noted builder Bill Geary has joined the team to build scale miniatures of Lynx prototypes One and Two for the diorama of that warehouse. Known for his superb replica-stock miniature auto building Bill will be supplied with all of the extant research to build authentic miniatures of those two prototypes. Lynx headquarters and Steve Roullier will provide the needed information to Bill along with all parts needed. Welcome aboard, Bill!
3). Andy Kellock has also joined the team to depict one step in the creation of a scale miniature of the partially-finished second Lynx prototype while under construction at carrozzeria Bertone.
4). A few years ago, Mark S. Gustavson attended a major vintage auto swap meet and, while there, serendipitously located a crusty old 16mm film, dating from early 1964, that not only showed the 1964 ½ Mustang, but also each of the Ford X-Cars, as well as a few intriguing ‘background’ shots of what appears to be the first Lynx prototype. This is a stunning discovery! But the film needed to be rescued because photochemical deterioration was already well-underway. New team member, Marc Havican, a professional Houston film maker (Space City Films) who has access to the highest level of film-making and restoration equipment, is “cleaning up” the film so that we can plumb all information that might be on that film. Thanks for your generous help, Marc!
5). Recently, Lynx headquarters have located an unbelievably rare Lincoln Mercury Caravan of Stars press release that reveals some key information about the Lynx project. This Press Kit contains 11 pages of typed text and three photo sheets of all first-generation Caravan of Stars custom/concept cars. Check out this image of the envelope of this Press Kit! It seems that the more we dig around for research on this little known Lincoln Mercury concept car project, the more appears!
August 2004
A very interesting fellow – Charlie Henry, who is a professional management consultant -- contacted Mark S. Gustavson in early August 2004. Charlie learned about the Lynx Project and offered historical research to help us with information about the famed fabrication shop, Dearborn Steel Tubing. Charlie has joined the historic research section of our team. Welcome aboard, Charlie!
March 2004:
There is a lot happening with the Lynx Project!
- It turns out that the Bordinat Cobra is alive and well, and fully restored. Most experts thought that the car was destroyed decades ago. However, this contemporary photo shows that the car is in great shape. Needless to say, this photo was a great boon to George Layton who is building a model of that car.
- Steve Roullier dropped by our web site recently and offered to send us a CD full of images of the early Ford 271-horse, 289 “K”-code small block. That information will be invaluable as we replicate those parts in scale when we reproduce in miniature the important cars in the Lynx story. The highly-detailed, scale Ford small block will be included in the models of the three Lynx concept cars we’re building, the Super Cyclone, the Bordinat Cobra, and the Mustang Vivace. Thanks, Steve!
- Our friend, Korkut Varol, who lives in Ankara, Turkey, is building the diorama of the Alitalia aircraft scene when the three Lynx prototypes were offloaded following their trip from the Bertone carrozzeria, where the cars were built.
October 2003:
The Lynx Team has grown recently as we’ve reached out to additional highly-skilled modelers to help the Lynx Headquarters create the various dioramas that will represent the unfolding history of the Lincoln-Mercury Division “lost” dream car. Specifically, Mike Napoleon and Dave Pye are working to create the Bertone carrozzeria where the Lynx was apparently specially-constructed for the L-M Division. Both Dave and Mike as well-known dioramists of the first caliber. Additionally, Korkut Varol, who makes his home in Ankara, Turkey, will be constructing a scene in which the Alitalia cargo plane offloaded the Lynx at the Detroit Metro airport after its long trip from Italy. Mike Smith has joined as our technical consultant (to help in the restoration of the prototypes), and Chad Benton will be assisting us in restoring old film and other multi-media documents. The Lynx Team warmly welcomes these great builders!
July 2003:
The Lynx Team has discovered that Andy Hotton and Vince Gardner, of Dearborn Steel Tubing, became acquainted with the Lynx Project sometime in late 1963. Hotton and his company built many of the Ford corporate concept cars in that era including the Ford Galaxy Starlift, the Thunderbird Italien, the Comet Super Cyclone and the Comet Escapade as well as at least one of the Fairlane Thunderbolts.
Here’s a bit of text from the Lynx book which discusses, generally, the Vivace -- a special Mustang “design concept” concept car designed and built by Andy Hotton -- which ended up greatly influencing one major design element of the Lynx dream car:
The creation of the Vivace was eventful, and was based upon Hotton’s personal interest in the Mustang that developed through his close involvement with the Ford Division. Interested in restyling the car, Hotton asked about the disposition of an early, metal styling study of the forthcoming Mustang convertible he saw sitting in the studio. Surprisingly, the studio head (undoubtedly with the tacit approval of Bordinat) offered the car to Hotton but disclosed to him that the mule was only crudely tacked together and lacked basic structural elements in the body, that the connection between the sheetmetal and the Falcon unibody was tenuous at best and could not be registered for street use. Hotton enthusiastically accepted the offer, and made arrangements to have the vehicle towed to DST. Upon arrival, Hotton examined the car and started to seriously sketch the car that he wanted to build based on the genuinely crude car that sat before him. And the design chief was right: The car needed a lot of work since it was only crudely assembled in the design study to only test out design elements and finishing schemes. As his designs gelled, Hotton sensed an opportunity to fulfill his years-long desire to create a lithe fastback coupe for his personal use that would avoid the production-compromised design elements then emerging from the Ford styling studio. His initial roof design matured as he studied the Ford drawings to the Thunderbird Italien that was under construction in the shop at the same time. Aware of the nascent Ford Custom Car Caravan, Hotton came to the realization that his restyled Mustang might find a place on that most remarkable of Ford promotional campaigns in which Ford-themed, if not explicitly Ford-based, vehicles would be campaigned across the United States as part of the corporate effort to capture the imagination of a young, custom-and-performance minded, audience.
The first thing Hotton did on the Vivace was to weld seams and stabilize the metal body built from Kirksite tooling – low-production metal shaping dies used to create and test out prototype production parts (which were not production quality, but could be used for non-production based concept cars). The body also was also only tenuously attached to the Falcon platform and further work (including completing the inner body structural shapes) was required just to stabilize the basic body structure. The lack of a roof made things unstable, but that problem was resolved when Hotton started on the restyling work. With the basic body integrity achieved, Hotton modified the shock towers to accommodate a Thunderbird 390 tri-power engine (which engineering work would later prove very useful when Ford ordered the construction of the Fairlane Thunderbolt drag cars) that Hotton acquired for a deep discount.
Hotton continued his work and restyled the car to satisfy his own objectives with changes that included the design of a lovely fastback roof (loosely based on very early renderings of the forthcoming Mustang 2+2 roof design), a full-width and integrated front grille-and-headlight set up (where Marchal headlights were placed behind a rotating grille section framed by a front bumper), a wall-to-wall taillight integrated with a dropped rear deck which eliminated the trunk, enlarged and raised wheel wells, restyled doors (entirely different door outline) and other details. Once the bodywork was completed, the Vivace was finished in 1963 Ford Ming Green (spiked with a bit of opalescent powder) with a matching two-bucket seat interior.
Mills really admired the Vivace roof and wanted to import that basic design to his personal version of his basic Lynx prototype design and use the developing production Mustang fastback roof design for prototypes one and two, with modifications. With that in mind, Mills took the Ford Division Styling Studio manager to lunch one day, with Hotton in tow, in early June 1963 to discuss the roof styling that Hotton had developed from the pending Mustang 2+2 roof design after which the Lincoln-Mercury chief acquired a copy of the several preliminary design drawings and layout details for the 2+2 fastback roof. design would be used almost without change, on the first prototype. Mills wanted to use the early Mustang drawings and dimensions for the exterior sheet metal shapes, the window reveals, and supporting structures. Elements of the proposed Mustang fastback roof drawings were quickly incorporated into the Lynx styling by L-M designers (later, the Lincoln-Mercury design prepared roof drawing sets which were sent to Bertone for use in fabricating the roofs for the second prototype, and Mills’ fourth Lynx version).
Noted scale vehicle craftsman and designer -- and Lynx project team member -- Douglas Whyte has undertaken to finish the replica of this little known, but wellstyled, Mustang Vivace. This model will be displayed along with other Lynx project vehicles at GSLXXIII in 2011. Thanks, Doug!
June 2003:
Mark S. Gustavson is writing a book on the Lynx concept car. He has shipped the first DRAFT of the book to Bill Helm for his first edit.
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