From the 1966 Batmobile to the Munster Koach used in the TV series "The Munsters," George Barris built quite a few outlandish custom cars. The 1965 Mustang Zebra may not be as famous, but it's just as wild.
Created for the 1965 movie "Marriage on the Rocks," the Mustang Zebra is based on a first-gen Ford Mustang but it looks nothing like one. This isn't surprising, really, if we look at most of George Barris' creations.
Overhauled from the ground up, this movie car looks somewhat futuristic for the mid-1960s. The Mustang's familiar fascia was redesigned to include a sloping front end with a protruding center section flanked by stylish openings that "hide" stacked, rectangular headlamps.
The same goes for the rear end, which featured slim, horizontal light bars and sharp fins that extend away from the rear fenders. And unlike the first-gen Mustang, the Zebra sports a targa-style roof. However, the front section is permanently open, with no top to protect the driver.
But the custom bodywork is not the only thing that's wild here. Many of the Zebra's body panels are covered in fur that mimics the color pattern of a... well... zebra. And I'm not only talking about the really obvious inserts on the fenders and doors. There's even more fur on the trunk lid, on the insides of the B-pillars, and on the rear bumper. Yup, this car needs dry cleaning.
The fur treatment continues inside the cabin with matching inserts on the seats and the door panels. And get this: not only this fully customized Mustang has a portable TV under the dashboard, but it also includes a cocktail cabinet and mini tables between the individual rear seats. It's like Barris crammed an entire limo in a compact Mustang body.
On the flip side, the Zebra's wild appearance isn't backed by a custom or high-performance engine. George left the engine bay untouched, so this build relies on factory power, which comes in the form of a 289-cubic-inch (4.7-liter) small-block V8. The mill was rated at 200 horsepower with a two-barrel carburetor and 225 horses with the four-barrel layout.
But that was more than enough for the Zebra to star in "Marriage on the Rocks" alongside big Hollywood actors like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Nancy Sinatra.
It's been 57 years since it made its silver screen debut and the Mustang Zebra is now spending its retirement years in the Petersen Automotive Museum, which purchased it sometime in the early 2000s.
The car was recently included in the museum's "Deep Dive" YouTube series, so make sure you hit the play button below to find out more about one of the most exotic Mustangs-based vehicles ever built.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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