Sonny & Cher Mustangs Find Home in Upcoming Museum
These unique, collectable classic Ford drop-tops have a long, interesting history behind them.
Arguably the most controversial cars in Mustang culture, they have been through quite a few owners. But in January 2018, the Sonny and Cher Mustang convertibles were sold as a unit on the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction block (click either of the names for a look at the individual auction listing from that auction) to automotive collector Ward Morgan for $146,700. They are now part of his sprawling collection that will eventually become a public museum.
At the height of their popularity, Sonny and Cher were on the cutting edge of fashion – from their music to their clothes to their Ford Mustang convertibles. The Mustang was insanely popular in the late 1960s, so plenty of celebrities drove an early pony car, so the married musicians wanted their cars to stand out. According to AutoClassics.com, they turned to friend and legendary Hollywood customizer George Barris and the result was the unique pair of modified Mustangs shown here.
Sonny and Cher Buy Pony Cars
There aren’t many famous couples who are more easily recognized than Sonny and Cher. Even some four decades after the peak of their combined popularity and two decades after Sonny’s untimely death, almost everyone in the U.S. knows who you are talking about when you bring up “Sonny and Cher.”
Back in the 1960s, Sonny and Cher were one of the hottest celebrity couples. They went to the hottest parties, they drove the hippest clothing and when the Ford Mustang became the hottest car on the street, they were quick to grab a pair of convertibles to cruise around Southern California. However, with tens of thousands of Mustangs on the street in California, the high profile couple wanted a pair of pony cars that were as flashy and unique as they were, so they turned to a man who has become one of the best-known builders of movie cars – the legendary George Barris.
Custom Mustangs
Sonny and Cher worked with Barris’ wife Shirley to pick the designs and colors that would be used on their custom Ford Mustang convertibles and the automotive legend got to work. Both cars have the 289-cubic inch V8 with a three-speed automatic transmission, but Sonny’s is a 225-horsepower model while Cher’s packed only 200 horsepower. Both cars had power brakes and power steering, but neither had air conditioning.
The front and rear of each 1966 Ford Mustang owned by the couple feature the same custom changes. Up front, these cars feature a unique split-style grille with rounded rectangular headlights, creating a very different face from what was seen on the rest of the first generation pony cars. Out back, they got wide taillights that were similar in their shape to the rear lights on a Thunderbird, except the Barris taillights weren’t segmented or sequential.
Next, each of the Sonny and Cher Mustang convertibles has metal vents on the hood, non-functional side pipes and aftermarket wheels. Cher’s car was commonly seen with a wire-style wheel while Sonny’s pony wore racing style “mag wheels.”
Of course, in addition to the custom bodywork, the Sonny and Cher Fords were painted in striking colors that were not offered by the automaker. Sonny’s car was Murano Gold with darker insets in the doors while Cher’s car was Hot Candy Pink, again with dark door insets.
Finally, Cher’s Ford Mustang features Ermine fur and black leather seats and thick, hot pink shag carpeting while Sonny’s interior has bobcat fur, saddle leather and suede seats with light brown shag carpeting. Both cars have a unique swiveling driver’s seat and a custom 8-track player mounted below the dash.
Ward plans to open his museum this fall, so we will soon be able to visit these cars in person, but in the meantime, we have the pictures here of the trendy couple and their unique Ford Mustang convertibles.
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