1979

Beginning in 1979, the Mustang II was replaced with a completely new platform and body style known as the ‘Fox Body’.  This third generation of the Mustang would be a new design that would evolve over a 15-year period into a popular high performance car of its era.  Because of the new design and an upsurge in sales of the car it again was chosen to be the Official Pace Car for the ’Great American Race’.


Jack Roush was chosen to prepare the cars used to pace the race, and beginning that year the institution of a Light Bar with yellow lights was used on the vehicle pacing the field during cautions in the race.  Two groups of three Mustang Pace Cars were prepared between the Jack Roush facility and Cars and Concepts that installed the new T-Top design being considered for use in the new Ford Mustang.


Cars and Concepts confirmed to our organization that in the next couple of years after the race numerous private owners of 1979 Pace Car Replicars asked to have the T-Top design installed in their car to mimic the look of those specially prepared cars that paced the race.  All production replicars had the ‘Moon Roof’ incorporated into the standard options list that individuals could order through any dealership in the United States and Canada.  There also were a small number of Pace Cars exported to individuals seeking a uniquely American sports car abound.


Each production Mustang Pace Car produced has the distinctive 48 as the first two digits of the last six digits in the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).  This is the same system used during the production of Shelby Mustangs during 1969 and 1970.  The second digit of the VIN represents the plant of production and should be either ‘F’ for Dearborn manufacture or ‘R’ for San Jose manufacture.  All Pace Cars were given the 03 designation as the third and fourth digits signifying the hatchback even though Ghia items were placed into the cars.

Your Pace Car number is the last four digits of the VIN appearing on the car.  However, this is not the sequence number because the number was assigned during the ordering process and may have been delayed in production until the options requested matched the listing available for the Pace Car package.


The only two engine options available on the cars were the new 2.3L turbo 4 cylinder (‘W’ designation VIN, 132hp) or the 5.0L V8 (‘F’ designation VIN, 140hp).  The 2.3L turbo was equipped exclusively with the four speed manual transmission while the 5.0L was available with either an 3-speed automatic or 4-speed manual (actually a three speed with overdrive) transmissions.  The 5.0L with manual transmission was not emissions certified for sale in California and was therefore not available for sale in that state.


Originally conceived to be a production run of less than 5,000, the accountants within the company saw a chance to sell much more than demand and eventually produced 10,478 before each plant was retooled for the 1980 model year Mustangs.  After the conclusion of the race at the end of May, dealers were limited in their purchase of V8 cars to one for every three Turbo 4 Cylinders through the end of the model year.  After the model year run, the cars that remained with dealers were marked down substantially from the factory in hopes that most would be sold prior to the arrival of the 1980 update.


The color used on the cars was a distinctive Pewter (color code ”1F”) that does not appear in paint books until 1980.  Another feature of the construction was the use of Satin Black on the lower body and hood scoop that is the same used on Boss 302 Mustang hoods in 1969.  Again, a heritage that worked was continued with this new generation of the Mustang brand.


Standard equipment with each of the pace cars was:

  • Special front air dam, horizontal-bar grille and halogen sealed beam headlights
  • Simulated rear-opening hood scoop and a rear aerodynamic spoiler
  • Marchal fog lights with plastic covers
  • TRX Metric wheel and tire combination (measuring 390mm; approximately 15.3-inch diameter rims)
  • A full TRX special-tuned suspension riding on Michelin ultra-low-profile tires
  • Recaro bucket seats with distinctive black and white patterned seat insert cloth (the rear were upholstered to match the front)
  • Ghia sound insulation package which included 18-ounce cut pile carpet
  • Engine-turned instrument panel applique
  • Deluxe seat belts and a console with graphic warning display module and electronic (date/ET) digital clock
  • Power steering, power brakes
  • Light group
  • Dual remote-control mirrors
  • Intermittent windshield wipers
  • Premium sound system, AM/FM stereo radio with either cassette or 8-track tape player
  • Sport tuned exhaust

Optional equipment:

  • Tinted Glass ($59)
  • Power lock group ($99)
  • Four-way manually adjusted driver’s seat ($35)
  • Tilt steering wheel ($81)
  • Speed control ($108)
  • Electric rear defroster ($84)
  • Rear window wiper/washer ($63)
  • Automatic transmission on the 5.0L cars only ($305)
  • Selectair air conditioner ($840)
  • Engine block heater ($13)
  • Heavy-duty battery ($18)
  • California emission system ($76)
  • High-altitude emissions ($33)


If your car has a number of 2,909 or less (look at the last four digits of your VIN), you possibly have a twin running around somewhere made at the plant opposite yours (Dearborn or San Jose).


All Pace Cars should have a tag that is attached by a screw to the radiator support on the driver’s side that was utilized for build purposes at the factory.  It should have corresponding VIN information defining it as a pace car.