This early Mustang was a DSO 89 ordered pre-series car, not an export car from the factory. Overall about 180 had been made to ease Mustang promotion for various purposes like the NY World fair, international rallys and more.

The History of the Alan Mann Mustang DPG3B

This Mustang was one of the so-called pre-production series. Actually VIN no 5F07D100025 or 5F07D100026. In total 4 Mustangs were shipped for Liege rallye purposes overseas to Alan Mann, as Jaques Passino papers clearly show. However members of the Alan Mann team repeatedly stated over the past decades that they received only 2.

As of October 1964 Jaques Passino still relayed inventory papers to Alan Mann, to confirm he had 4 cars plus 3 for the TDF, while July 64 papers indicate the 4 TDF cars as sold to Alan Mann.
Whatever happened, either the costs of return were too high or the project required more spare parts than thought (taken from the other cars) or financing the project through sales. 

Source: Motorsport Images (with permission 3/2024)

DPG3B had suffered from the beginning of the rallye from electric problems, as Alan Mann stated. During one segment driven at night, Bo Ljungfeldt and Fergus Sager were surprised by a total black out of the headlights. Although Bo was known for flying a car into the Nothing, a total black out caused the car to loose track and roll down the side of the road. The car ended up on its roof with Bo and Fergus fortunately getting out of the car with less injuries than expected.

Next day DPG3B got hooked up with a crane and pulled out. The roof damage and total loss of glass became apparent. The George Merwin papers show the crane action in several shots.

John Grant remembers this car DPG3B as being a total write off, while some other sources may indicate that indeed this car is the "straigthened out" Liege car that received later the DPJ8B licence plate.

A simple reason maybe that the DPG3B plates vanished after the accident. But the lower body of the car pretty much looks fitting to the Brands Hatch car with the DPJ8B plates considering this damage here.

Whatever happened so far we have not been able to find out which car finally received the DPJ8B plates afterwards, as there seem to be still two cars around after the Liege-Sofia rallye, one almost intact and one with a serious roof crash that required replacement of a lot of glass and lead to the plexi side windows. Check out DPJ8B for comments on its appearance as TDF assistance Mustang.

Despite searching we haven't found any other picture of a Mustang with the DPG3B licence plate after 1965. If you know of one, let us know.

Read on - Exclusive on Ponysite:

The History of the '64 TDF winner Mustang DPK7B
The History of the '64 TDF second winner Mustang DPK6B
The History of the '64 TDF DNF Mustang DPK5B
The History of the 1964 Liege car DPG3B DPG3B
The History of the 1964 Liege car DPJ8B DPJ8B
The History of the 1964 Jacky Ickx car ABP325B