Those of you who are diehard Mustang fans have likely already seen the Ford Mustang 1 concept – in photograph at least, if not in person. For those who have not, taking a long, hard look at the prototype might prove an informative and enlightening experience.

The video below offers us just such a look at the groundbreaking Ford Mustang 1 concept car.

Formally entering the design phase in mid-1962, the Ford Mustang 1 was meant to breathe new life into the automaker’s performance image, showing that Ford Motor Company was serious about racing and on-track performance. It looks little like anything else ever to roam the open road – nor like any Mustang to ever arrive at market, as the entire character of the Ford Mustang 1 concept was more or less gone by the time the Mustang had first made it to production in 1964.

All that truly remained, in fact, were the name, the badge, and the sprightly racing pedigree.

Ford recently celebrated the 50 year anniversary of the Mustang, making this nostalgic look back at its early gestation all the more relevant a piece of the automotive puzzle. Watch the full video to take a guided tour of the Ford Mustang 1 concept, guided by the Henry Ford Museum’s Matt Anderson.