Gale Halderman, Designer of the Ford Mustang (1933-2020)
Preferring to remain in the background, he was the last survivor of the original Ford Mustang team.
Gale Halderman, the original designer of the Ford Mustang, died April 29 near Dayton, Ohio. Halderman has suffered from liver cancer, according to his family. He was 87.
His iconic Mustang design sold more than 8 million units, inspired 6 model generations of design and has been continuously built for more than 50 years.
Jimmy Dinsmore, author of Mustang by Design: Gale Halderman and the Creation of Ford’s Iconic Pony Car, and spokesman for the Halderman family said, “To have lived 87 years and to have designed something that is part of pop culture and automotive history, he had such an impact.”
Most people consider the late Lee Iacocca as “The Father of the Mustang.” However, Iacocca wasn’t the man who put the pencil to the paper. Gale Halderman, however, remained in the background.
Dinsmore added, “He did it in such a humble way that has touched the heart of every Mustang enthusiast out there. As great of a designer as he was, he was an even better human being. The most striking thing about the 40-year Ford employee was Halderman’s humility. For many years, Halderman did not receive much attention for being the Mustang’s original designer, preferring to let others take the credit.”
Halderman was a member of the Mustang Hall of Fame for his design.
