2nd Gen Advocate-turned-Author Robert Kennedy Reveals Updated ‘Mustang Unbridled’ Hardcover
Mustang Owner's Podcast
2nd Gen Advocate-turned-Author Robert Kennedy Reveals Updated ‘Mustang Unbridled’ Hardcover
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Hello Mustang fans and welcome to another episode of the Mustang Owners Podcast.
I'm your host John Clore along with my co-host Mike Ray.
You know, we're the ones that 15, 16, 17 years ago coined that phrase.
Everyone's got a Mustang story.
And Mike, some people that got a lot of Mustang stories, you know what they do?
They write books.
Yeah, some of them guys.
I think two of them are on with us right now.
Well, I was going to be this prolific author, not as crazy as like a Mike Mueller or a Donald Farr.
Like every time they go home and they say, honey, what do you want for dinner?
Not yet, honey.
I'm going to write another book tomorrow.
You know, after my second one, I determined I did the math.
Mike and I don't, I'm not good at math.
I'm a word person.
And the math said that writing books, if you map it all out with the research and the time, it's about 2.5 cents an hour.
Yeah, sounds about right.
So, so my wife doesn't think that's good ROI.
If she, I don't know if she knows what ROI is, but she just said, you know, paint the kitchen.
So I said, okay, I'll start a podcast.
Now there's no ROI on this either.
But that's how we are.
So tonight we're going to talk to somebody that I don't know.
Keep following you, huh?
Tonight, I feel partly responsible for dragging this poor son of a gun into it because he happened to do a YouTube video.
I was there for the initial meeting.
I remember we all met at 4th garage so many 18 years ago.
I want all you people out there to just enjoy tonight's podcast because we have none other than now accomplished author as well as fellow Mustang 2 crazy person.
Robert Kennedy, author Robert Kennedy.
Welcome to the Mustang owners podcast.
Thank you both for having me.
And I do remember that that evening at Ford's garage there, Mike, you brought your beautiful wife with you so to John and and I brought mine and the kids and it was fun to meet the both of you back then.
So, well, we I had to very humbly explain what the heck happened because Mike, you know, a lot of people know I have this affliction for second generation Mustangs.
And it's not that it's my favorite Mustang.
I wish I had a 69 Mach.
That always was the case.
If you read my I think I put it in my second book, how I got cheated out of a Mach one by my father who decided to get me a better car like a Pinto.
So if you you got to go back and read that because that's a true story.
So it was I just decided back then Mike that I was going to after I'd go to some of your shows the early Maxim shows over at the barn.
Remember those?
Yep.
You know, I'd see a lot of first gens and third gens and everybody had a Fox buddy in SN 95s and back then the S197s, even before that came out.
And I said, you know, where are the where the second gen cars?
Well, you had that one guy, Dale Ray me with his.
What was it?
He had a 78 King.
Yeah, and and he would he would bring his he'd be the only second gen I'd see there for a while.
And I decided then after I got Jenny and I met a congressman and don't ask me how we got involved with getting a 66 convertible.
I think I've told us on the air a couple of other times.
But when I took it to a show, Mike, I hated parking it in especially at a Maxim show.
We have a lot of Mustang because there are people and you know this Robert, a lot of people out there who have restored their car better than Ford ever made it.
And every nut and bolt is anodized.
So I used to park this thing and I made fun of myself because I would say, geez, I don't want to park next to a really nice Mustang because I was a 50 footer, you know, not a 40 footer, not a 20 footer.
And then I said, they said, well, what's special about your guy said it's a one of one.
They want that 66 convertible, even though it's rest me read, is the only Mustang in the United States that weighs 6,000 pound.
They go, what?
Oh, yeah, about 2000 and car and 4000 and Bondo.
Sounds about right.
So, so I sold that and that's why I went and I was going to get my to I'm going to get and I was good everything was good.
If you guys went back on the Mustang owners podcast and checked out our 2024 coverage of the Mustang alley where Robert was on.
We talked with Robert this before he got involved with getting into even more books.
And I also had from the Mustang, North Coast Mustang Club of Ohio, Dave Wilson, whose Mustang got me into wanting my second gen car back.
In fact, in fact, I got Dave Wilson's Mustang to picture up on my wall there.
I don't know if you can see it, you guys.
That's his second gen Mustang driving on my.
I mean, I saw that car Mike and I wanted it back and then all of a sudden I go home and a couple years later I'm watching YouTube and I see this video and it was called.
Adapt or die.
And Robert, it was a pretty scary.
It looked like it was a page torn out of history.
And then when I heard your voice, you have a very, very distinct radio voice.
And I thought, here's another guy that's going to talk about the Mustang to shoot me now.
Because if I see one, I just saw one Robert on on YouTube with some guy went to some place in poly up.
Nevada to get a Cobra to didn't know anything about car.
That's a pillow.
You know, here's another one and I start watching Robert's video and Mike.
It scared me.
His videos.
I go, what is this?
The perspective of the Mustang to was actually taken in context with the cars overall history and more importantly, in the context of the time, which made which made it the second best selling Mustang of all time and 74 and.
And here's somebody who was a Porsche mechanic had no business, you know, who drove a Mustang to and understood the car who sees the car correctly and I, you know, I went out of my way to do that in my first Mustang dynasty book and I go, who is this guy?
So what was it?
Robert, did I send you an email?
What did I do?
I can't remember.
No, you called me.
You called me because I was actually sitting right here at this desk doing something and the Michigan area code shows up and I have extended family over there. So I thought it was an answer and uncle calling me.
And then when you said this is John Clure at Ford Performance in Dearborn, I thought you were calling to tell me that I had used copyrighted imagery in that documentary.
And if I didn't take it down immediately, Ford Motor was going to send an entire slew of lawyers after me because I just pulled everything on Google.
Oh, okay.
No, I almost surprised you when you said that out of my mind.
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So what did you think when I said, holy crap, that is the most accurate.
Representation of the second gen car I've seen.
And you and I started talking about what's out there.
Yeah.
It was fun to know that there was a kindred spirit out there.
Yeah.
Well, and then there was these other books that were put together by cut and paste guys and some really, some stuff was awful.
So I don't know what happened to you and why you decided, you know what?
There's a lot about Mustang history that's been written and I've got probably in my bookcase over over 100 Mustang books.
I know most every one of these authors personally and some of them I've helped.
But after a while, you start reading the Mustang books.
There are very few that are distinguished themselves because you can't rewrite history.
But you can find out new things and bring a new perspective to this car that we love.
And I know, Mike, you're a, you know, you're an avid collector to you.
Remember, you told me, oh, I don't have Dave LaRocque's book on the file.
Do you have it, John?
That was the longest one forever.
I couldn't get you that, remember?
And I said, you know, we were mentioning that and I had no idea that Robert Kennedy would say, you know what?
I could apply this theory, this theme I had for the second gen video to all Mustangs because he was in the hobby and write a book.
Whatever made you decide to do that, Robert?
It was you.
You said I should turn that documentary into a video or into a book.
And at first I remember dismissing you because I had two young kids.
It was the middle of COVID at that point with the lockdowns and everything.
And I already own a fitness business that my wife and I were trying to keep from going under.
And I said, there's no way I can't do it.
But then it was kind of just haunting me in the back of my mind is like, it would be cool if somebody needs to stick up for that car for the second gen's.
And I had that mindset because of my time at Porsche.
You mentioned that I worked at Porsche and over there, everybody hates on the 914.
Or at least at the time they did and they've come around a little bit now like they have with the Mustang too.
But I wanted to stick up for the underdog and I thought, well, if I'm going to do it, I have to talk about the first generation to set up why the Mustang to became what it became.
And I have to talk about the Fox body to explain why the Mustang to then after record breaking sales.
So it's popularity.
Yeah, we only got five years and the Fox got 15. So it's still five years of our production.
And so I thought, well, if I'm going to talk about the first and the second and the third, I may as well just talk about them all.
So then I asked you and you said, yeah, and then your 2.5 cents an hour is super optimistic for me.
Maybe 1.5.
Yeah, so for those of you out there who want to say, well, John, why don't you write more books and like Paul knew it tells me I should be writing a book a month.
You know, Robert, when you pulled this thing off and I got one of your first editions of unbridled and my God, I thought I talked a lot.
That's five and a half pounds of history.
This is the unexpected the unauthorized unbridled passion performance politics behind America's favorite pony car.
But you know what, Robert, that inspired me because in my time writing books and with my publishers, you know, you decided you were going to go all out.
You're going to name it yourself. You didn't you didn't go through the Ford legal system, which would have taken, you know, they my Mustang 2015 book.
I believe I lost 15% of the original manuscript through their edits or censorship.
And you didn't want to go that route.
You wanted so I'm glad you said on authorize and Mike, then you know, he did Mike.
He blocked the system.
He if he would have gone with a traditional publisher, they would have forced Robert Kennedy to write unbridled and have it published there in China and sent back and they would share.
But you know what Robert Kennedy did. No, no, I'm going to have this published in the USA.
I'll pay more.
Everybody's going to pay more.
But that's the kind of the American story that you wanted to go with this book and I can tell you Robert that when I did my book and when I went to motor books when they were publishing it overseas.
Oh, I would, you know, you're a big American guy, you gotta get an American Mustang flag over your head.
And your print book was printed in China.
I go, I don't run everything.
I just don't.
I said, Oh, by the way, your watch came from China.
So, so, Robert, I have to commend you for that.
Your book was pricey.
It was awesome. It was like, it went to places of other books have not gone and heavy, right?
It's yeah, it's you can't put it in one of those cheap plastic carry all bags and rip through there.
You got to get a really good like a four lay on your back in bed and read at night because you'll break your nose.
Mike, we, when we got this thing, we go, Oh my God, but what a what a and then and then, you know, I thought, okay, the guy's done, you know, we had a great book that came out and he went around the country and I know how this is because.
Unlike you, Robert, I was on the on the circuit, pushing forward, but I bring along my book would save me, you know, from just trying to myself you and your wife, and sometimes with your kids, going all over the country selling your book.
What, what a passion.
It was to not only write it, but to deliver it. How did you get through that? How did you when you were done with that experience?
He said, I'm finally going to break even what prompted you to say that will never happen again. Why don't you just give up?
You know, I really enjoyed it. It was fun that the long car rides from, you know, because we had to drive, you know, because by the time we dropped shipped books by air or something, I'd be upside down.
So we just drove the pickup, hope for the best on fuel economy.
But it was fun because I got to go to a lot of places that, you know, you get to go all the time with with your association with Ford, but I hadn't been before.
So, you know, I would run into both you and Mike when we were all at Carlisle together.
And I'm sure you guys have seen several times, but it was my first time seeing 3000 plus sports.
I mean, it was as far as you could see. It was incredible. And then they asked me to help push the 1963 Mustang to concept car across the floor because they wanted it moved and they didn't want to start it.
And of course you said no.
Bands on this car. This is history.
So you couldn't stop me at that point. I was willing to go everywhere that would take me, whether it was the Sturgis rally or the MCA anniversary showdown at Barber Motorsports or wherever it was.
It was a ton of fun.
You know, Robert and Mike can verify this, you know, when I traveled after a while and Ford wouldn't send anybody with me and they think I can sling up 10 by 10 and pop up tables and carry heavy stuff.
And I said, wait a minute, where's, don't I have any punks?
In turn somewhere.
So I just said, well, I took I take my wife, you know, she eats at Wendy's and hotels the same price.
So, and then we got to the point where she's saying that we she used to sing the old, so I've been everywhere, man, sometimes you'd wake up and go, what city are we in?
You know, and then Mike and I started going to Carlisle and I'd been to every Carlisle ever since the first one when I was a SVT.
And that that son of a gun, Mike Ray, thinks that you can walk Carlisle the whole at least at least the Mustang portion of 2500 cars.
Yeah, yeah.
And he gave me a and Robert, he gives me a box of postcards for the mocks of memory show.
And I go, what do you want with these?
He goes, follow me.
So as you go on that side, I go, what he was throwing in each car.
I go, look, we got a quarter mile of car.
And so we walked that show.
So we know how that overwhelming part of the whole Carlisle experience is.
But something happened.
And then later on, I got this from from you.
And this is a really cool way for Robert got into the Children's Book era.
And this was called an unauthorized Future Drivers Guide Future Drivers Guide to the Ford Mustang.
And this is a kids book on how you get involved in the Mustang hobby.
And Robert even asked for my little grandbaby who likes my Cobra 2 to be in the book.
And there's a, there's a, Mike, there's a, one of your favorite Monroe Endlers.
I love those.
What a cool book this was.
And I, when I saw this, I thought, you know, all these clubs all over say, how do we get kids involved in Mike?
You've known people, I think, did Ford, when you were on the brand team, offer some kind of download your own three pages of coloring pages or something?
What did they?
Yeah.
There was really no history on it.
It's just, you know, color between the lines.
So this is very educational and a lot more fun and a lot better pictures.
Oh, yeah.
Well, and you got it.
The illustrations are great.
Perfect.
Yeah.
And you know, Robert, you brought Mustang to life for kids.
I'm, I asked those clubs who say there's really nothing out there for young people.
Maybe the roses of a Mustang club of Ohio know about this book.
But if a club wants to invest in their youth, these are still available, aren't they, Robert?
Yes, they are.
They are print on demand through Amazon.
So there's no intention of taking them off the market anytime soon.
So Mike, you'd think that by this time COVID's over, he writes his children's book.
He unbridled this finally out of his garage.
He got air back in his tires and his truck.
Now that Robert would go back into the fitness business, hang out.
He bought himself.
Not only did he get himself another Mustang to get this king is beautiful, but then he
found a super rare one of them.
What?
I think you have one of what?
How many convertibles were out there?
There are 24 convertibles in total and there's only the one in orange.
That's the one that I got.
And of course, Mike, Robert didn't know this, but he was in a bidding war for this car
with one of our friends, Mike Berardi.
Yeah.
That's how Mike and I met.
And then Berardi goes, who's this idiot?
Who's doing this?
Outbidding me on this guy.
He must be some crazy person.
But what happened for everyone out there that really don't pay attention?
And Robert Kennedy after wrote this book, became famous, came an author.
It was heavy in the two community.
What I did is Mike, after starting with you and Mustang memories with the very first
world's first national Mustang to reunion at Maxim's show at World Headquarters.
What is it?
2014 or 15?
15.
I think 16.
16.
And we had damn near a hundred Mustang twos in one show.
Yeah.
Triple what Carl had.
Yeah.
So Mike.
So then the next, because of the people there, this was the greatest thing ever.
And my people at Ford were making fun of me.
Oh, you're not going to have anybody show up.
You better tell Mike Gray.
That banquet was incredible too.
Oh my God.
We had, we brought all the, we had the Motortown people come out.
We had, you know, those guys that did the original Cobra too.
We had the original designer Buck Mook.
Buck Mook was our guy.
Nick Nesbitt called in.
We had Gail Halderman there who approved the cars.
We had, I mean, the engineers, we had our Ezekian who did the billboard car.
I mean, we had, it was great.
So yeah, we had to have another one.
And then another one.
And then Robert Kennedy wanted to, you know, he's such a good guy.
He'd say, John, how can I help Robert?
Don't you know by now you never volunteer.
One day.
It took us about 20 years.
Tell the world what happened after John Claw became totally and completely
mentally exhausted with holding Mustang two reunions.
What did I do?
I blessed you to take, go forward and preach the two gospel.
You turned that over to, to me, which has brought my average ROI down to about
a half a cent per hour at this point.
That sounds right to everybody.
Now they wanted it to go to California and then they go to Denver.
And then, you know, it was one thing to drive my 200 miles or go bring it back
from Halderman's to Detroit, but people are hauling their tools across
country now.
And Robert, you just had a big one last year.
What was it up at three rivers?
Yeah, two or three rivers, whatever it was.
Yeah, up in Wisconsin.
Absolutely gorgeous.
Just the opposite side of Lake Michigan from you guys.
We had a great turnout.
And especially considering that was coming the year after Mike hosted us again
at Ford World headquarters with Moxham and again had almost 100.
Two has turned out there and you had all the SVT folks.
Yeah, but this time, this time, Mike, instead of having John Claw do the Mustang
two presentation, you had a famous, very recent author of a very large book.
Robert Kennedy came out and just dazzled people socks off with all the other
all the peripheries of about Mustang twos are from everything from, I mean,
you guys, you had the super rarities, the convertibles, which I never covered
that stuff.
You even had the Monroe handlers.
So Robert, you really went out there and you brought that all to life.
So we thought, well, now Robert's in the hobby.
He's going to car shows.
He has this beautiful book.
He's got the children's book.
He's now he's just going to enjoy the hobby.
But Robert, you how did you do this again?
You got hooked up with motor books.
I thought you were going to go write Celine's story and make a Brad bowling
feel jealous.
But no, I hear from my old friends, Zach Miller over at that motor books.
No, we got Robert Kennedy is going to bring it.
I said, what?
Robert, what have you done?
So, yeah, Zach was genuinely sad to learn that he couldn't put out the first
version of it.
And he asked if if I'd be willing to write any other books in the future.
And I said, yeah, and he asked if they could do a updated version of
unbridled, which I said, yeah, so the cool thing about Mustang
unbridled now is it's about 80% recycled here, but 20% is especially if
you're considering the earliest first editions of the new one about 20%
all brand new to account for things like the GTD that had not happened yet.
When when that first version came out, we had to cut 840 photos out of the
book to get it down to a manageable size and price.
But they did and it's $32.
So it's 68% off.
It's about a third of the price of what it used to be.
And now now the motor books is handling.
So when is the launch date of this thing?
April 14th, right before Mustang day.
Very strategically.
So Mike Ray, listen to this.
So the guy, you know, he, you know, he starts, he did this wonderful job in
that first book.
He realized that it's completely insane to write books nowadays because
we learned out that people don't read, they do something like this with
do this all day.
So, but so he writes the book, he does the children's book, and then he
goes in the hobby, then he takes over the Mustang to world.
And you'd think that that would be a but no, no, Robert Kennedy goes out
and brings Mustang on bridle now through one of the probably the biggest
automotive book publishers in the world, motor books, international.
And now he's coming out with another version, the latest and greatest
version of Mustang on bridle, Robert.
So that means, and Mike was going to say this, Mike, I'll say it for you.
So you learned nothing from your first time doing a book.
We've been talking about it.
So it's going to be zero instead of five percent.
I'll probably be in the negative.
Yes.
Well, yeah.
So he's wearing the red shirt for a reason because red's coming, right?
The difference is, Mike, this time, motor books will help market it.
Really, Robert, I know exactly what goes into marketing your own book.
When I bought my own manuscript back from Dynasty and then had it
republished the second time through through Marcy's company, which was kind of cool
T five design.
And I had to publish it myself, print it myself and go sell it myself and market
it myself.
That proves, Robert, that you are Mustang crazy.
And a true professional Mustang nut who for the passion for this car had to
tell this story for this car and get this out.
And for that, I mean, the whole hobby owes you at least the chance to go in and buy
this online.
Can you get it now through the motor book site or is it on Amazon yet?
Are preorders available?
Yeah.
Preorders are already open.
It's through Amazon.
It's through Barnes and Noble.
It's through my own website, UnleadedOnlyPublications.com and several others.
I think it's pretty much all your major retailers, brick and mortar.
When it shows up on the 14th online now for preorder.
Yep.
So, Mike, you thought, you know, when we got to the 50th and Robert, you know, I know
Robert wanted to get his book in print.
I had mine done.
And then remember, Don Farr got that big red book, the 50th.
And then we're going to do a 60th.
And then, you know, so we thought, well, this started to slow because the people with the
passion and the drive and the ability to write and research Robert, which I think is the
most important factor in writing a book, your book is only as good as your research.
And people accused me of revisionist history.
And what I was able to do was to talk to people who were actually there.
Mike, what did we learn from talking to Gail Halderman?
From talking stories that were not in these hundred books that I had because they didn't
talk to these guys.
And they were there.
And Robert, what you've done is by doing that work on the research side to bring new perspective
to a car that we love.
And even so, so people out there, if you already own three, six, nine, or a hundred, but the
Mustang books like mine, it's time for unbridled.
And, you know, I have a loving wife as you do, Robert, and as you do, Mike, because I
don't know who can put up with Mike, right?
And she said to me to say this to you, Robert, and let me apologize ahead of time, that one
of the best things about Mustang unbridled is the guy who wrote your forward.
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You could have had anybody, Robert, anybody in the Mustang world.
You met so many people.
Write the forward, but you had me.
Well, it only made sense.
I mean, I don't know.
You, Mike, seriously, how did that, I mean, you could have picked anybody.
Sure, but you were the one that encouraged me to do it in the first place.
You and I do share that, that, that bond over loving the second gens.
I was very honored to have Donald Far write a prelude to accompany your forward.
That was fantastic.
I mean, that's, that's great company.
You know, and even talking with you guys, both right now, because you guys did the whole Ford
collection.
Yeah, you know, your, your big huge box book there.
So you guys both know what, what this is like.
It's, it's a, it's a labor of love and Mike.
Like you said, zero pay.
Yeah.
It's a full collection, Mike.
That's a high low.
You need a high low to get that broken house.
Yes.
What you guys did with, with, you know, the badges and everything.
It's just a really cool presentation.
So in case our people are tuning into the podcast or watching the podcast tonight, don't get
it by now.
When you do these kinds of projects to put Mustang history down into a book or get Ford
history over that perspective that Robert worked so hard on.
And to be the difference maker is perspective.
What can I share about Mustang history that I've learned that has not been shared before
from what, when you put it into context of the time, stories changed.
Like, you know, you see all kinds of YouTube videos and people writing stuff.
Oh, these kids, they used to wear bell bottoms.
Oh, well, well, were you there?
That was cool.
That's the way the world is, right?
You know, most of the people that beat up on the team, they've never driven one.
And here's a Porsche guy drives one and said, man, a Mustang with rack and pinion steering
that feels like a skateboard as opposed to, you know, the big, the big horses on those
big, heavier cars that it was ball steering.
I mean, come on.
So, so Robert, that's, I think, the differentiator.
And I know you worked really hard at it.
So, I mean, the logical question was, I'm sure you're now done completely writing any
book of any other kind that's never going to happen again.
Correct?
No, it's not quite.
You branched off again learner.
So what have you done now?
I'm about 60% of the way through writing a very similarly formatted book with the same
political, social, economic, cultural context around a competitive brand.
That'll be out hopefully late in 27.
And then I even have, and this might actually be news to you, John, I have the concept of
another book after that that expands the scope to the entirety of the American automotive
industry.
Well, someone told me you're also dabbling in military vehicles.
Oh, well, that would be one of the kids books.
An authorized future drivers, sailors and pilots guide to military vehicles.
The kids love army soldiers and tanks and planes and boats and ships.
So, thanks for the memory on this one.
Look at this, Mike.
This is an illustration of my dad when he was actually in the Navy back in 1977, right
there.
So, it's not just your grandkids and my kids right there.
It was actually my cousin standing next to him.
My cousin who just recently retired from the Marines in there too.
So now you've got Robert Kennedy talking about the arsenal democracy.
You should be moving to Detroit soon, even though you're out there in the middle of the
planes doing your thing.
Robert, so what's next for you?
Are you going to be heading up this year's Mustang 2 reunion?
Yeah, we are going to be, we're going to be in Bellevue, Washington, July 18th and 19th
at the 44th annual Mustang roundup in all four picnic hosted by the Mustangs Northwest Club.
Mike, have you ever been out to that incredible show?
I know you wanted to go a couple of times with me.
I went once to, is it Pierre Ford?
Is that the one that's out there, right?
The big deal about that?
This thing's up at the college.
Yeah, I think they're the big sponsor of that one big show that's out there.
I can't remember what month it was, but I did attend that one time.
Yeah, what a phenomenal show.
Robert, I can tell you from being there what met some great two people.
A lot of people up in Vancouver come down to get, it's a beautiful country up in there.
That's the farthest any second gen reunion has been.
I think this, is this going to be the 10th anniversary?
This is the 11th.
11th, yeah.
Last year was the 10th.
Unbelievable show.
I'm so glad you're, I mean, you've taken it to that length.
It's Mike, you know, the Shelby people have done a great job taking the SAC conventions all over the country
from coast to coast.
And who would have ever thunk it that the humble little two owners would take that same concept and go all over the country
parading these unrest, disrespected little mustangs who played such an important role in Ford history and Mustang history.
Robert, again, if there's anything I can do to help that congratulations on taking over that wonderful part of the hobby.
Congratulations on the new Mustang on bridal book.
I can't wait.
The mind comes in the mail.
I'm looking forward to seeing that and reading it again.
Look at that baby.
What a beast.
And before we sign off to the last time that you were both so kind as to have me on to talk about that first version.
I forgot to thank and I want to thank now Edwin Krenz out at Ford.
He had overseen the development of the 650 for 2024 and he after I'd waited about a year and a half to talk to him.
I have your first request to add.
Yeah, yeah, he finally sat down.
I had written all the other chapters all the way through the 550 and the 650 wasn't quite out yet.
And he finally did sit down and he talked with me like this over the computer for an hour and a half.
One on one.
And neither the original version or this version of the book could exist if he hadn't done that.
So, in case everybody watches Mustang owners podcasts.
So if Ed's watching, I'll say it to me.
Facebook. Yeah.
Yeah. So Mike, you said that what brings this hobby back to all of us who are just fans is the interaction between the guys like the engineers like Ed Krenz and the designers who sit down with us and share their insight and stories that we would never get.
If we didn't have that relationship.
Congratulations. That's a real cool Robert.
Well, thank you very much.
So like I told you, this guy is got, you know, the kind of passion that drove you to run Maxim for 20 years and all the starting that Roush road crew and you're doing that all the salines you dragged all over the country your time at the Mustang brand team.
You know, it takes a it takes a mindset of passion to do that.
And I and Robert definitely has it.
Now, whether or not I inspired that, I'm not sure, but I can tell you that I'm just so glad that this is how we keep it going and I can't wait until we can see these guys now carry the ball and we can sit back in our lawn chairs going, Hey, you forgot this next year.
I want to pour the potties over there.
Right, Mike.
That's right.
Robert Kennedy. Congratulations. Great work on the author work as well as your two world. Keep it going, brother.
I appreciate you guys so much. Thank you.
Well, I hope you guys enjoyed this little crazy trip down the Mustang to world and plus the world of writing books about the Ford Mustang. Hope you catch your you great now go on online and order your version of Mustang on bridle.
Make sure you read a book because when people would yell out things or at shows or say something, what would I always say, Mike? What would I say? Hey, read a book.
So, Mike, we're going to I know we're going to incorporate this in the podcast coming up. It's one of the things that people say, well, it must be right because I saw it on the internet.
Yeah, everybody right.
So rather than do that by Robert Kennedy's new book, read a book and enjoy this fabulous history of Mustang. I hope you guys enjoyed that.
So also we need you if you like content like this to get out and beat that YouTube algorithm, make sure you click like and subscribe or close it in 1000.
We know we were really, we're really starting to gain some momentum. We need you to do that just takes a second. I know by the way, it's free.
Not only that, Mike, if you really like to really push the podcast, help us out. You wear some really cool Mustang owners podcast merch like Mike's wearing right there. Go on the SVT store.com order up what you like.
And if we see you at a car show with Mustang owners podcast merch, what happens, Mike, they get a free prize.
Yes.
I want to keep a box of these really cool things in my car just to give it to anybody's wearing our merch. So make sure you keep following us to keep hitting that subscribe button. Until next time, folks, we'll just have to catch you down the road.
About this episode
Robert Kennedy—an advocate-turned-author of second-gen Mustangs—joins John Clor(e) and Mike Ray to discuss how his “Mustang Unbridled” project grew from a COVID-era idea into a landmark, research-heavy book and kids’ guide. They cover why the Mustang II deserves better context, how Kennedy’s Porsche background shaped his perspective, and the grind of selling books on the road. The big news: an updated “Mustang Unbridled” hardcover from Motorbooks launches April 14, with preorder availability and expanded content for newer developments.
Original notes
We discovered Robert Kennedy a few years ago, thanks to his rather unique ability to put the Ford Mustang’s generational history into the context of the times when each version was introduced and sold in the marketplace, rather than the all-too-common apples-to-oranges comparisons of models that came before or after. Kennedy’s self-produced “Adapt Or Die” YouTube video about the significant impact that the 1974-78 Mustang II had on the successful lineage of Mustang’s product history was the kind of perspective put in context that helped the Mustang II shed those “Worst Mustang” and “Pinto Stang” labels that today’s internet wannabe historians incorrectly regurgitate ad nauseum. John reached out to enlist Kennedy in a growing Mustang II movement that John and Mike founded in August of 2016. That’s when Mike’s “MOCSEM Mustang Memories & All Ford Show” at Ford World Headquarters hosted nearly 100 Mustang II’s from across the country for the first-ever national second-gen reunion. In this podcast interview, Kennedy reveals how that involvement had inspired him to pen a massive self-published Mustang history book he called “Unbridled,” whose success has now led to an updated remake published by Motorbooks International alled “Mustang Unbridled” Listen in as Kennedy explains what makes his new hardbound Mustang history book so unique, while John commends him for some other children’s books he’s created and Mike salutes him for taking charge of the Mustang II Reunions that will mark their 10th anniversary event this summer.
Mustang Owner's Podcast
John Clor - Mike Rey - (Steve Hall)
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36:51