The Ford Mustang is a famous car from America that many people love because it looks cool and goes fast. It's popular in many countries, including Germany, and is known for being fun to drive.
Assembly lubes are special oils used when putting together engine parts to keep them from rubbing and getting damaged before the engine oil starts working.
The Essen Motor Show is a big car event in Germany where people show off cool cars and new car ideas. Lots of car fans go there to see exciting vehicles.
The Chrysler Grand Voyager is a big car that can carry many people and lots of stuff, making it good for families. It’s not made to go fast but to be comfortable and useful.
The Dodge Challenger is a big, fast American car that looks like older muscle cars from the past. People like it because it is strong and cool-looking.
An engine cover is a part that goes on top of the engine to make it look nicer and keep it clean. People sometimes change it to make their car look different.
The Mustang California Special is a version of the Mustang that looks different and has special features to make it stand out, inspired by California style.
TÜV is a checkup for cars in Germany that happens every two years. It makes sure the car is safe and follows the rules so it can be driven on the road.
The Shelby GT350 is a special, faster version of the Mustang made to be really good at racing and driving fast. Some versions, like the Hertz Edition, are very rare and special.
The Chevrolet Corvette is a fast and stylish car from America that many people think is really cool. It’s known for being very powerful and fun to drive.
The Ford Mustang GTD is a Mustang that uses diesel fuel, which helps it save gas. It looks like a Mustang but is better for driving longer distances without using too much fuel.
The Golf is a small, popular car from Germany that many people like because it’s easy to drive and good for everyday use. Some versions are faster and sportier.
The Mustang GT350 is a special version of the Mustang that is made to go fast and handle well on race tracks. It has a strong engine and is popular with car fans.
The Shelby GT500 is a very fast and strong version of the Mustang that is built to go really fast and handle well. It’s like the Mustang’s most powerful version.
LIVE
Hi, this is Mustang Claus from Germany.
I'm the biggest Mustang thing in the world,
and you listen to the JP Emerson show.
It's my pleasure to be a proud today on your show.
["JP Emerson Show"]
Welcome to the JP Emerson show,
where we ride shotgun as you tell your story.
Here's your host, JP Emerson.
Welcome back to the JP Emerson show,
provided by Redline Synthetic Oil,
offering technical support and more than 100 quality products,
including motor oils, gear oils, assembly lubes,
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from entry-level to investment grade, classic to modern,
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Meekum has it all for every budget
and every individual taste.
Visit them at meekum.com.
Today's guest is a man whose life runs
on high-octane passion.
Born in Essen, Germany, and raised with gasoline
in its veins, he's known worldwide as Mustang Claus.
He's built the largest private Mustang community
on the planet with over 650,000 followers
on Facebook, and millions more reached every month
across social media.
He's an automotive mechanic, turns engineer,
a creator of some of the wildest, most powerful Mustangs
in Europe, and a fixture at the legendary Essen Motor Show,
where he showcases his custom builds
at his own booth every year.
He's an author, a traveler, a self-described,
crazy speed junkie who turns his childhood passion
into a global community and career.
It's my pleasure to welcome Mustang Claus himself,
Claus Stadler, how you doing, Claus?
Hi, I'm fine, thank you very much
that I can be a part of your show, it's my pleasure.
Oh, you are very welcome, very welcome.
I wanna start off by saying, first of all,
Mustang Claus, you have to have a huge passion
for the Mustang, as of course there is a large contingent
of Mustang enthusiasts who do enjoy our show.
How did you get the moniker Mustang Claus?
You have to explain that.
Oh, it starts in 1985, my first visit in the United States.
Some friends of my parents invite us to travel
to the United States in California, in Long Beach.
And I saw all the Mustangs, all the American muscle cars,
so the fever runs in my body.
And some days, Claus Stadler is my real name,
one of my community followers say to me,
how would I call Mustang Claus?
I said, crazy, crazy.
So this name is special, and right now
when you Google my name, it runs up high.
It is so cool, the name.
So I have it over 10 years, and I love it.
It's my, that's me, Mustang Claus, it's me.
So my book, I wrote a book for two years,
it called Mustang Claus.
It's crazy.
Nice, nice.
You describe yourself as having a gasoline in your blood.
What memory did you have, or what can you point to
as a child that would shape your entire career
with your love for the Mustang?
Where does that come from?
It come from, I saw all the American films
in the television, like Rockford, like the A-Team.
So in every movie, I saw a Mustang.
So I saw the horses in front.
And someday, as we visit United States and Florida,
I saw so many Mustangs.
See, in Germany, you can't see many Mustangs.
Here in Germany, you see Volkswagen, you see Toyota,
you see Mercedes-Benz, BMW.
But a Ford Mustang is very, very rare.
So my first opinion is someday when I grow up,
my first car will be a Ford Mustang.
And what was that first car?
Was it a Ford Mustang?
No, it was not a Ford.
It was a Volkswagen Polo and then a Volkswagen Golf,
a Rabbit, you call it.
And after that, I drove a Hummer, a Humvee, a Grand Voyager.
But the real Mustang that I have in my head,
I didn't found it.
Here in Germany, you can't buy another Mustang,
like the United States.
So someday, I scroll in the internet
and saw a black Mustang with a brown leather inside.
I said, that's it.
That's my Mustang.
So I traveled to Florida and bought it.
And that was my dream car.
I have to ask, where did you buy it in Florida?
In Florida, it was a person who bought it from a dealer
with only 2,000 miles and he had no more money.
So he must sell it.
So the price was perfect for me.
The transport to Germany was not so cheap.
So I have no chance.
I must take it.
Yeah, yeah.
Why, what is it about the Mustang that has captured your attention?
I know you mentioned the horses, but what is it that you look at
when you see a Mustang?
What is it that just sets you off either when you were younger
or today that says this is the car for me?
What sets it apart from the others?
I think it's, I saw the Mustang, the old models from 67, 70,
the classic Mustangs.
That is for me the real Mustang.
This is the classic American muscle car,
but here in Germany, very, very expensive.
People are very crazy with the price.
So for me, the only chance to get a Mustang
is to buy a new one, but the old one is a dream of mine.
But someday I will bought my classic Mustang.
And the Mustang, for me, when I saw a Mustang, I can't tell it.
I see one and I'm happy.
I'm smiling.
So the Camaro, also a great car, the Dodge Challenger,
also a great car, but the Mustang, I feel inside.
It's me 100%.
I don't know why, but we have a laugh together, I said.
Laugh at the first sight.
Yeah.
Now, you're a builder, also an engineer, a builder here in the United States.
You know, they come hot rodders.
What is it that you look for in an automobile?
And what are some of the wildest things that you have put inside a car?
The wildest side is in my Polo.
The Polo comes from the factory with 60 horsepower.
So when I finished my work, it had 200 horsepower, 90, 86.
So it was a crazy car.
Here in Germany, the Rebet, the Golf GTI, was in the 80s, a very fast car.
But my Polo was a golf killer.
So that is what I can build.
So I bought a Harley-Davidson in 2008, and I put a turbo inside.
So all the dealers, the Harley dealers say, Klaus, you are crazy.
That's what I need, the need for speed in my side.
Well, we certainly hear that a lot.
We hear the need for speed quite a bit.
But is there the Mustang that you have currently, what is it that you have done to it?
Is it something that you have adjusted, added to it?
What is it that makes it unique to you?
The Mustang, what is the Mustang unique to me?
Well, you currently have a Mustang, correct?
Yes, yes.
Okay, what makes that Mustang yours?
Oh, my tires, my engine, my engine cover.
So I give every car, every Mustang what I bought, give a special note.
A note that it looks like no other.
So that is very important for me.
The most Mustangs look like the same.
Tires, and my tires are 21 inch, so I have very big tires with a golden champagne color.
My black Mustang, for example, Leslie Neal and Bill Neal gave me the rights
to build the Talingua Racing Team Mustang.
So it was a whole pleasure to me to build, to give Bill Neal a honor when he lives.
So the Talingua Racing Team Mustang was 100% me.
So when you see my cars on the internet, when you take a look, they look like no other.
That's very important for me.
That you have to go, when I park my car, the people say, wow, that is my kind of love.
Yeah, sure.
Oh, I get it.
I get it.
It's interesting to hear you describe it, but I certainly get it.
Now, if we can touch on briefly your socials, you have an entire community of Mustang lovers,
which of course is Mustang Owner's Club, correct?
That's the name of it.
Yes, yes.
Three quarters of a million followers on socials, not to mention,
on the internet, on other places where you're found.
What do you think people connect with most about your content and what you are putting
out for the world to consume?
What do you mean exactly?
Well, I guess if I strip it down, why do you have so many followers?
What do they love about your site?
I think because I'm very crazy.
When I start my passion in 2010, you find Klaus Stadler on Facebook, on Instagram.
I spend my time in my garage, not in the social media.
Friends and family say, Klaus, you must go to Facebook.
You must go to Instagram.
I said, no, no way.
No, it's not my world.
But I started and when I post the first picture of my Mustang, I saw that people give me more
likes and said, we want to see more from your Mustang, more, more, more.
I founded the Mustang owners, not the club, only Mustang owners.
And I saw that a German car buddy hikes the Ford Mustang in Germany.
That was for the American people, very crazy.
For example, a Porsche guy lives in America and has the biggest Porsche criminality in America.
That is crazy.
So, and then I traveled to Dubai, Ford Middle East, invite me to take a test ride in the
Mustang California Special and we sit in a very, very expensive club with Ford.
And then there was a man who pay his bill and show a golden card.
On the card, there was an owner's club.
So, I sit there and said, wait a moment, Mustang owners club.
That's it.
So, I gave my Mustang owners the word club and it was a Mustang owners club.
And I think it's how my passion starts, my follower, every part I put on my Mustang
or a part of my life, I share with my community.
And I think this passion runs so perfect that it's, I can't believe it.
So, I don't know why.
And the craziest thing is that the Ford Europe, Ford Germany did not notice me.
I don't know why.
Well, I hope Jim Farley, I hope Jim Farley here this interview.
Well, there's a very good chance of that.
Yeah, I had noticed some of the names that you have had the opportunity to meet and mingle with.
Of course, I saw, you know, Aaron Shelby, who's been a guest on our show
in the past, Gary Patterson, who was just on about two months ago,
had the opportunity to see him down here in Florida.
Yeah, that was a lot of fun.
Now, when we talk about your social media, social media doesn't happen overnight.
No, no, it's a hard work.
Only 12 years right now.
And when boys or girls and young boys, young girls coming to me and said,
I will be an influencer, I said, oh, bye, that's not the right way.
I think it's a very, very hard work.
And it needs a long time.
It needs a long time to build up a strong community.
Because today, so many people called influencers, bloggers, this is a crazy world.
This is so crazy.
And this is not my job.
Social media is not my job.
And it's a passion for me.
And that is very, very important.
And I think that this is the point why it grows up so fast.
I think if you're doing things for social media, you're essentially,
you're making your passion second.
You're out there, you're working for likes for people that you
very good chance that you'll never meet, never have an opportunity to meet
when you can be doing so many other things.
So I think you're absolutely right with the people that say, hey, I can do this
or I can be this person for you.
I mean, that's all fine and good and we appreciate them.
But for someone like yourself, you can either be at a keyboard or you can be in your garage.
And I have a feeling I know which one you would rather be at.
But it's very, very cool that you have very cool friendships over my social media.
2016, I visit Florida and some very good friend of mine from the great American
Car War, Mike and Jim, I meet him in person.
So there's a friendship with some of my buddies that is unbelievable.
Sure.
So this is this is one of the best part that social media gave to me.
No fake accounts.
They are real Mustang friends.
So for me, it's very important that the Mustang is a global passion.
So all the people in the world who loves Mustang are friendly to each other.
So this is crazy.
Sure.
So Mustang United, worldwide.
Yeah, that can that can be your next big thing too.
Mustang United.
And that's right.
Yeah.
Speaking of that, of worldwide, I noticed you've traveled all over the globe.
Of course, here in the United States as well,
what what has inspired you as a builder after your visits to places like, you know,
Norway or Italy or even the United States?
What what have you brought back from there that said I think I want to integrate that
into something that I'm either working on or going to work on on an automobile in the future?
What do you mean with the question?
When I go much.
Well, have you learned anything?
Let's let's just let's just break it down to the United States.
I'm sure you looked at plenty of cars when you were here.
What what have you learned new that when you visit the United States and said,
I'm going to take that back to Germany and I'm going to try that myself?
Very easy.
Someday I want to be live in the USA or my next life I will born in the USA.
Yeah.
So I think here in Germany, we have a control station called TÜV.
So the cars must every two years for the inspection if everything is OK.
So it's a hard way to tune a car like the United States.
If you if you build bigger tires under your car, you must go to the station.
They they take a look.
So this is very very hard to like the USA.
It is cooler.
It is for me, for me, for me, in my opinion, it's it's a it's a cool state.
It's the right country for car bodies.
Sure, sure.
OK, well, I can I can live with that.
OK, I can see that.
So when you let's let's take into account when you when you have a new project in front of you,
a new car, what's your philosophy with with this is what I want to do with this car?
Do I want it to look better?
Do I want it to perform better?
What do you set out to do with with a new car that you've just brought home?
If I have a plan, do you mean if I have a plan what I can what I can do with this car?
Yes, I don't have a plan.
I see the car and I sit in my garage and think about what's the first step?
The first step every time is tires, tires and rims.
So after this, when the tire and the new rims are on the car,
so we have another look and the next inspiration is coming automatically.
So I don't think I don't I don't have a plan.
I see a car and said, that's it.
So the next step daily and daily and daily.
So this is for me the best way when I have a plan.
So that's not me.
So every day is a new chance, a new chance is a new idea.
So this works for me.
Fantastic.
Sure, sure.
Okay, so if we step outside of your garage for a moment,
you you've clearly expressed that you you love all things American.
Let's talk something that many Americans talk talk about television movies.
You know, of course, you're being being a Mustang guy like like yourself, you know,
bullet and gone in 60 seconds and all those, you know, those are the big ones.
Of course, you know, here you've got fast and furious, you know, the whole world has seen
the six or eight different, you know, iterations of that movie.
I mean, there's always something cool going on in movies like that.
Who do you see yourself as in, let's say, one of those movies that say gone
60 seconds or something?
Who would you like to or what what automobile would you like to build a version of?
Let's say money is no object.
Someone's just giving you a car.
Eleanor?
Eleanor.
Eleanor.
I have Eleanor four years before at my booth as a motor show.
I have one of the movie cars stand on my booth.
Amazing car.
That is one of my dream car.
So you have several cars in your in your possession, correct?
Yes.
Okay.
Let's try not to get too much information.
So I see, I see a hurt Shelby all the time associated with you.
I mean about that Aaron Shelby and Gary Patterson are very good friends of mine.
In 2017, Aaron and Gary contact me and ask me if I can help to bring the Shelby to Europe.
So we plan the as motor show a booth and Aaron and Gary told me that a Chinese company
bought the rights to build Shelby's in Europe.
So this was for me pain in my inside because I can't believe it.
I don't work with Shelby Europe no more because the real Shelby coming from Las Vegas,
the European Shelby's in my opinion, not the right one, sorry.
I told this Gary and Aaron every day or once in a once time in a month,
I sent an email to Gary and to Aaron and said, please bring the original Shelby to Germany.
Today, I make a post under Shelby American was Mustang owner's club.
I write, please bring the original Shelby to Europe on the German Autobahn.
So Aaron and Gary are very, very cool buddies.
And in my opinion, we need share on the German streets the new GT350 because we have so many
Porsches here, so many Lamborghinis and we don't have any Shelby's here.
And this car, it must on the German streets. I told him, hey, guys, I'm here.
Yeah, I don't know why.
That could just be licensing rights or something,
you know, much, much like it was, you know, remember in the early or mid 60s, I say that as
if I was there. But, you know, the word Mustang itself was licensed to another company, which
happened to be a cigarette company. This is my opinion, Cherryville. These sports cars must,
these sports cars must on the German streets. This is a perfect car for Mustang Claus. I told Aaron
this. I have in my garage at this time from a very good friend, the classic Shelby GT350
Hertz Edition, an original car. So this car, when I drive it, when I start it, you can smell
Carroll Shelby inside. This is crazy. This car is a history. I can't tell it in words what kind
of feeling you have when you start this classic Mustang. Yeah, yeah. And I think the new Mustang,
the new Shelby's are very, very cool cars. Yeah, technical. It's not like for 10 years,
these cars are very, very, very good machines. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I agree with you,
a million percent. There's so many amazing cars today. Of course, the Shelby is one and the
Mustang is one. You look at the new Corvettes. You look at the Hellcats. I mean, they're amazing
automobiles. So, of course, hats off to them. As far as what kind of projects you have coming up
next, what's on your docket? What are you looking to do next? And what can you share with us?
Okay, my next project or what I'm dreaming about and I work on it
is a TV, a TV series with Mustang Claus traveling with my motorhome, show the nature, show the cities
and I work on it and it looks very cool that it can run. In 2018, I'd be a part of gas
manky garage in a small video with Richard Rawlings. I have some little TV projects here in
Germany, so I love it to work with the TV. That's me. So, my plan is to have a little
tour with my camper. Another very big dream is I wrote the book to this idea
to take a classic Mustang and drive on the Route 66, visit Shelby America, visit the
Venice Beach crew in California, visit Jay Leno, visit Richard Rawlings to take a little small
tour in the United States with some very cool buddies to meet them. So, this is a very, very
big dream of mine. Also, one day I will board the GT350 but the new one. So, this is my dream car
and I hope it works someday. Yeah, yeah, that'd be an amazing trip. Here in Germany, all the people
are hyping the Mustang GTD. Yes. So, it's a nice Mustang. Oh, somebody has power. For me,
it's a Shelby much more better. I don't know why. I think a Shelby is a car with a perfect history
and in every Shelby, there is Carroll inside for me. So, the Mustang GTD from Ford,
it's a great car. No, it's a cool car but for me, Shelby is much more me.
Yeah, it certainly has that mystique about it. The Shelby name carries a mystique about it
that's part American race car as part, you know, when you think about Shelby, you think about
all the things that he did on the backside to just to get it done, which is a true
hot rodder's mentality, you know, just being able to change the color of a car for a photo shoot
to make it look like there was more than one. You know, I mean, this is some backwood stuff
that panned out and those are the stories, those are the underdog stories that people love.
So, having the Shelby name on an automobile speaks to all that history. So, yeah, I certainly get it.
The GTD, there are amazing cars, you know, Ford really knocked it out of the park with that
and that's what's needed today is to keep knocking it out of the park. You know, it's,
you know, you're only as good as your last offering. So, they certainly did an amazing job
doing that. It'd be interesting to see what's next. But yeah, I certainly get what you're saying.
But the price from the GTD is much too high. This is crazy. For me, so much money for a Mustang,
I'm a true Mustang, special lover. But pay so much money, no way.
Yeah, yeah. It's my opinion, sorry.
No, that's our, it's your show. You can say whatever you'd like.
For this money, I get a perfect Shelby and have a little bit for a great holiday,
for another little car, for a bike. And then I think the Shelby is for me, the perfect Mustang,
the Roush, also a cool car, the Hellasy, also a very good Mustang. But Shelby is,
I don't know why, is it the name? Is it the history? I think it's all of them a little bit.
So, I'm 100% Shelby fan. Sure. Okay, so let's switch gears a little bit. So, let me just
ask you some quick questions. You tell me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear these.
So, what's the first word that comes to mind when you hear the word Mustang?
Mustang, a cool car.
Okay. If you can only drive one Mustang for the rest of your life, which one are you driving?
67.
Okay, 67. It's my birth year, a cool 67 coupé, not a fast pick, a coupé.
Okay, all right. What's more important to you? Is it horsepower or is it style?
Style.
Style.
Style, yes. Yes.
Okay, well, you mentioned this a little earlier. So, now you have a choice.
Is it, are you driving Route 66 or Pacific Coast Highway? What's your choice?
Highway number one. I drive it in 2009. It was one of the greatest beautiful highway in the world.
Okay. All right. Yes, they are very nice. Okay.
Who's driving with you? Anyone in the world, who are you cruising with?
Jay Leno.
Jay Leno. Okay. All right. I can't imagine what that conversation would be like, but yeah,
okay, I see that.
It was a, I think it was a cool ride.
Yeah.
So, as a mechanic, as someone who works on cars yourself, what one tool can you not live without?
What, what, what do you mean?
But what, of any tool in your garage, what's the one that you absolutely have to have?
What's the one that you're telling everybody before you buy anything else?
What tool are you recommending?
My Telingua.
Okay.
My Telingua Mustang. Yeah, there's so much love inside.
So, it's a very cool history and it was a pleasure to build this car.
Okay. All right. So, now we're going to, we're going to hit you with one where you're going to
have to make a choice. This could be a tough one, especially for Mustang Claus.
If you weren't building Mustangs or into Mustangs, what would you be building?
What, what do you mean?
Okay. If you can't build a Mustang, what car are you building?
Oh, when no Mustang exists.
No Mustang.
Or what, no Mustang, I think a Corvette.
A Corvette. And what do you like about them?
The Stingray, the classic Stingray.
Okay. All right.
I would imagine you'd probably see them over there probably as sparingly as you would see a Mustang,
correct?
Yes.
Yeah. Okay. So, you touched on a TV show. What would your title be?
Mustang Claus.
Okay. All right.
Okay. Let's change this one. We're going to, we have to put you on the spot here and narrow
down because your, your, your passion is very wide. So, classic Mustang or modern Mustang?
Classic Mustang. All the way.
Okay. Well, let's get this a little bit deeper then. Okay. Shall we GT350 or GT500?
350.
Okay. And why the 350?
Because the 500, it's too much hype.
The GT350 is the first race car from the Telangra racing team. And I think it's a great history.
And I'm a fan of the GT350 because the new one, the 2026, looks so amazing cool.
So, in the garage, it's a 350 Hertz edition. So, I love it.
Okay. All right.
Okay. So, let's split hairs then. Bullet or gone in 60 seconds?
Gone in 60 seconds.
Eleanor.
Okay. I had a feeling that was going to be your answer. Okay. So,
you're not really narrowing anything down. Are you a California sunshine guy or are you Florida
beaches? Oh, Florida beaches is cool. The Key West, I love it. I think Florida. Florida. Okay. All
right. But California is also nice. California is nice, but I think Florida is more me.
Okay. It's like Miami Vice, like the Sunshine State. Oh, yeah. Florida. Yeah. Okay. All right.
So, knowing you have a GT350H in your garage, I'm assuming that that's an automatic because
most of them are. Are you an automatic or a manual transmission guy? No, it's manual. It's a manual.
It's one of the raw, yes, only 58 builds and it's very, very cool to drive. Yeah. Okay. All right.
See that? It's like Steve McQueen. So, yeah. Yeah. There's not very many of the Hertz editions
that are manual. So, that's good. Okay. So, let's pull on your nationality here. So,
would you enjoy driving that in the hills of San Francisco? Because you just mentioned
Steve McQueen in Bullet. Of course, he's driving there or on the Autobahn there in Germany.
No. I think more in the hills of California or in America, right? It's much more better than here.
The Autobahn is cool, but I don't need the speed here in Germany because the Autobahn is so full,
so many cars, so you have no chance to get full speed. So, it's better to cruise through the hills
or through the United States. It's more, yeah, it's more me. Okay. All right. Now, you mentioned
you wrote a book, which of course, you were kind enough to send to us. So, we are enjoying that,
although a brief respite on getting through that. What inspired you to write the book? And
obviously, you're busy. You're doing your cars. You've got social media. You've got work to do.
How did you find the time to do that? That is a crazy story. Four years before the motorbook
contacted me and said, Klaus, your passion is amazing. Do you want to write a book?
I said, oh, crazy. Why not? It's a dream from every man in the world. Okay. I said, but the only
thing that I write it, I, no ghostwriter, only I write my book. Oh, no. They said, no. I said,
let me write chapter one. You check it and then we talk again. I write chapter one.
They call me and say, Klaus, write, write, write. So, I have a very important information for you.
The whole book I wrote on my cell phone. Wow. Yes. At this time, it's all, it's on my
face, on my cell phone. So, every time when I have a little time, when I take a shower,
when I sit in the garden, when I take a relax, I take my cell phone and write a chapter.
So, and it works. Oh, I know it works. I know it works. Crazy story. Crazy story. Yes. But you
know what though, if we can go just a little bit off topic here, you know, it's those times when
when you sit down to do something, I think you use some of your energy to focus on what you're
doing. When these thoughts come to your mind, when I know, you know, from, from writing for the
magazines or for other people, that when things come to you, you need to capture them when it
happens. You know, it may not, you may have made a grammatical mistake or, you know, a run-on sentence
or things didn't, didn't fit together. But the basis of what you're trying to express is there.
You can always go back and, and, and correct it. And I think that's something that people lose,
whether you're writing a book or an article or writing something for, for someone else.
It's those moments that, that things are just so clear in your brain that you can,
you can write those down. So I know exactly what you're talking about. I, again, I may be old school,
but I forever have, I forever have a little notebook-style thing, you know, the things that
would fit in your back pocket where you're making little notes. I always have pens with me where
I'm making notes on my phone and sending them to myself so I don't forget it later. Because when
they're gone, they're gone, you don't capture the same thing. So, but I know exactly what
you're saying. I know that's a bit off topic for, for this show here, but yeah, I fully understand
what you're sharing here. I'm also, I'm also old school too, no, no worry. But I have a pen,
I have a paper. When, when I have an idea, I've write it with a pen on the paper, not in my,
on my tablet, not on my cell phone. I'm very old school, but the book, I must write on my cell
phone. That's the only way. Because paper and the pen, it's too much work and that's not me.
Because I'm not a writer. I'm, I'm, I'm, sometimes I speak in my cell phone. So my cell phone
write the sentence. This is very easy. But it's, it's, it was a cool, cool time. Yeah. Yeah. You
I think about, yes, I think about, yes, about my camping passion, about my, my traveling with
my motor home. Yes, I think so. It's a lot of fun to write a book. You must know, you must know.
I never read a book until the end, right now. But I wrote one. This is crazy.
Okay, so before we get on to the next, what, what do you want people to know about you?
Believe in your dreams. People say, I have a dream. I do it later. Do it no later. Do it now.
Don't give up your dreams and fight for your dreams. This is very important. In my opinion,
when you have a dream or when you have a target in the future, fight for it and never give it up.
Sometimes it works. Look at my story. Sure, sure. I mean, who would have ever imagined you'd have,
you know, millions of people basically hanging on your words or things that you,
that you post and share. And I think you hit it on the head where you say, you know,
you have the opportunity to meet so many people, whether it's virtually or through,
through something like this or in person that most people never even fathom having the opportunity
to meet those people, let alone, like you said, become friends with them. You know,
even if it's through a computer, they become friends. It's, and I think we miss a bunch of that.
Again, dropping back on putting things into your phone, you know, when you, when you're,
when you're texting somebody or emailing somebody, you lose that,
you lose that interaction. You get the type interaction, but you lose that personal interaction.
And, you know, I think that's so important to make sure that we don't lose that.
Yeah. So my next dream is to spend the ride with Jay Leno.
Yeah. So maybe Jay hear us. I don't know. Everything is possible in the world.
Absolutely. Absolutely. Now, if you're speaking of Jay, if you're riding with him,
and he's got a beautiful 65 Shelby, obviously all its cars are beautiful, but which one do you
want to ride in? The Shelby is so, so cool. But Jay Leno also has the GTD I have. I saw it.
Yeah. Okay, Jay, let us take a ride in your GTD. I'm ready.
Oh, that's funny. So challenge accept. There you go. There you go. We'll make sure he hears it.
Now, through all of this, you know, whether you're working on your own or again, you're
contacting people, you know, like, you know, Aaron or Gary, it takes a whole lot of people
to make one person successful and it takes your success to make other people successful.
Is there anyone in particular that you can just talk about that really pushed you along and said,
hey, this is the person, you know, there may have been many, but this is the person that, you know,
I always remember as one of the first that did this. Any person, any brands, anybody in particular
that has supported you throughout? You mean who inspired me?
Maybe somebody who you have worked with or met or been introduced to or has introduced you to others
that has been there all along, that has helped you. You don't get to be Mustang Claus without
somebody behind Mustang Claus. Nobody does it on their own.
As I was a young boy with 16 years, I started my mechanic. So there was my master in our
hometown and he inspired me to work with cars, tune cars,
and all the time I think about and my dad. My dad is one of the person
that I must say thank you that I've been Mustang Claus. My dad was a car guy. So he drove the fastest
car. He modified cars. He has the fastest boats, my dad. So I have no chance to grow up with cars
and boats and bikes. So I'm so thankful that I have this life and also thankful that Aaron Shelby
gave me the chance to work with Shelby in 2017. So it was a little lesson for me
to understand how to work with the big boys.
And this is very, very important because when you see how it works, when you work with Shelby
or when you work with a company who buys the rights for Shelby,
these are so different ways of working. And yes, I think there are many people I would say thank
you very much. They inspired me to my way to Mustang Claus. Yes. But Aaron Shelby and Gary
Patterson is one of the people who inspired me very, very, very much.
That's good. Two great guys. I know both of them. Yes, yes, yes. Two great guys, that's for sure.
Well, Claus, I really appreciate you taking the time to share a bit about yourself, about
what you do, really fascinating information. I do appreciate you taking the time out.
I know it's later in the day. Let's just say that than where it is right here
here in Florida. But I do appreciate you taking the time to join us. We certainly
look forward to what's coming next. I do appreciate you sharing your book with us.
It's a lot of fun going back and reading things and you draw parallels to them in your own life.
So I certainly see those. Are you coming to the United States anytime soon?
Yes, yes. I work on it. I think in one or two years I will come back to the United States.
I hope Jay Leno answered me to take a ride in his Mustang so I can be soon as possible to you.
And I work right now to get my book, The Mustang Claus, translated in English.
And most of my followers want to read this book in English. So I hope I found someone
who will be ready to start the book in the United States in English. Sure.
Klaus, how does somebody who may not have heard of you before, how do they find you on socials,
on the internet? What's the best way to reach you? Tell us a little bit about that so they can
look you up themselves. The best way, go to Google, ask for Mustang Claus. So you get all
easy weight. That's right. It's very easy. It's very easy. Klaus, thank you so much for joining
us. I really do appreciate the time. It's always an adventure. We do look forward to you coming
back to the United States. If you're headed to Florida, there's a good chance we'll be here.
We may be in Texas. We may be in Los Angeles. So we may meet you anywhere. So hey, you never know.
I want to give props to Aaron and Gary as well. Two great guys. I've worked with both of them.
Amazing stuff. Aaron has certainly been a big help on some of our own stories.
But we do appreciate it. But thank you. Thank you very much, Klaus. And we will talk to you
again really soon. Thank you very much. That can be a part of your show. It was my absolutely
pleasure. It was very, very cool to speak to you. And I hope we meet as in person someday.
Absolutely. I hope we do too. We will talk to you again soon. Thank you very much.
Thanks for riding along with us. Remember to rate and recommend us on Apple podcasts,
overcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. To share your story,
visit JPEmmerson.com and be sure to invite your friends to come along for the ride.
About this episode
Mustang Claus shares his lifelong passion for Mustangs, tracing it back to childhood influences from American movies and his first visit to the U.S. He discusses building unique, powerful Mustangs in Germany, where the cars are rare and expensive, and how he personalized his vehicles to stand out. Claus also reveals how he grew the world’s largest Mustang community on social media by sharing genuine passion rather than chasing fame. The conversation touches on his global travels, friendships within the Mustang world, and his dedication to keeping the Mustang spirit alive internationally.
Mustang Klaus brings his global Mustang passion to The JP Emerson Show in a conversation packed with stories, custom builds, and the journey behind his 750k-strong community. He dives into the roots of his love for American muscle, the wild projects that made him a fan favorite, and how he wrote an entire book on his phone while traveling. From dream drives on Route 66 to why the Shelby GT350 still reigns supreme for him, this episode is full of authentic Mustang spirit. Don’t miss this one—it's a must-listen for every true enthusiast.
