One of the rarest, most striking options Ford has ever offered was the Mustang’s Mystichrome paint. Sold only on the 2004 model year SVT Cobra, the exclusive color-shifting paint was only applied to around 1,000 cars, and today commands big bucks on Bring a Trailer. You can’t paint your car in it either, as Ford apparently won’t sell it to most people. But that didn’t stop one Ford Maverick hybrid owner from capturing the Mystichrome look—and doing so without begging the manufacturer.
Paul Montgomery, owner of Eastside Auto Spa in Cincinnati, Ohio, told The Drive he had “always loved that [Mystichrome] color and thought it would look great on a mini truck.” As mentioned above, though, obtaining it from Ford is famously tricky: All Ford Mustangs forum users say Ford requires buyers to already own a Mystichrome Mustang to buy even tiny bottles for touch-ups. So, Montgomery turned to the aftermarket, where he found an alternative that’d do the trick.
Montgomery got a hold of some unusual, metallic flake-studded clear bra called Stek Dynoprism, which on its own is mostly transparent. Applied to a car, however, it develops a purple tint at some angles, which looks different depending on the color of paint it’s adhered to. On a white Tesla his shop worked on, it took on what Montgomery described as an “old-school hologram look,” while on a blue Tesla, or even on his own Maverick, it looks like the spitting image of Ford’s unobtainable Mystichrome.
Like Mystichrome though, this visual effect doesn’t come cheap. Montgomery said he’d quote $8,500 retail for a wrap in this stuff. There isn’t a ton to go around either, as its supplier’s website says it’s made in “limited production runs.” Of course, if you’re set on a look like this, you pretty much have to accept that you’ll pay through the nose for it. The materials alone are almost inherently expensive, and that goes without mentioning the labor to install them. You can always do it yourself, but time is money, and money is for more parts in the first place, isn’t it?
Got a tip or question for the author? You can reach them here: james@thedrive.com