The National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum unveiled a Mustang exhibit that mates half of a 1965 model to a 2015 model in a side-by-side display in Alexandria, Virginia. The Mustangs – both split lengthwise – are part of a new, permanent Intellectual Property display at the museum located on the United States Patent and Trademark Office Campus.
Ironically, when Mustang launched, no specific styling patents were granted. Only after the original pony car proved such a success – more than 1 million sold in the first 18 months – were styling patents even considered and applied for over time.
Current Museum exhibits tell the story of intellectual property and its significance to innovation and culture in America. Naturally trademarks, patents, and other forms of intellectual property are core. The interactive Mustang exhibit highlights the relentless march of technology over the decades. It calls out various patents in the current vehicle, as well as those in the original pony car.
The NIHF said it sought Ford as its partner because the company has played such an important part in the long history of American innovation. Ford and its employee volunteers have also been involved for the past 20 years with Camp Invention, with hands-on activities to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, aka STEM.
In 1965, Mustang used more than 100 of Ford’s existing functional patents. Those patents included a rear-seat speaker and a power convertible top. Normal things we now take for granted were also involved, such as Patent 3,271,540 that was the origin of Ford’s self-canceling turn signal.
Many of these patents are illustrated in the Mustang display, made by Classic Design Concepts. It combines about 60% of the driver’s compartment of the original Mustang and about 60% of the new pony car – both including the console area and technology of their times. The left side consists of a reproduction 1965 left-hand-drive Mustang licensed for modern production by Ford and built to the same specifications as the original. The other side is a right-hand-drive 2015 Mustang that is sold in several of the 150 countries where the car is now available.
Visitors to the museum will be able to sit in either side of the car and directly compare features and styling details; From the AM radio, roll-up window, vent air window, and optional retractable color-keyed seat belts available in 1965, to the working touch screen display in the 2015 model.
Some patents and other intellectual property will be displayed on accompanying monitors and over speakers. Visitors to the display will also be able to hear the sounds of the original 1965 Mustang V8 engine and a 2015 Mustang V8 engine at idle.
