HISTORY OF "MYSTIC"
What is Mystic? How does it work? Who made Mystic? Why is Mystic so special? Answers found here!
1992
In 1992, Baden Aniline and Soda Factory, better known as BASF was experimenting with a new form of ink to use for printing US Currency. The idea was to make the ink holographic so it was extremely hard to counterfeit and nearly impossible to copy digitally. They worked with a company named Flex Products, who designed and created pigments that refract light in the view able spectrum of the human eye. The pigment, called prism platelets, was designed to be a single layer of material. Depending on the background it was placed on, it would cause different effects. Special toners were added to the ink in order to cancel out undesired colors and prevent them from showing when light was refracted through the prism platelets.
​
Photo (far right) taken from US Patent filing for Flex Products prism platelets.
​
You can see how the prism platelets float in Fig. 1B, and then lay down in
Fig. 1C. In the final Fig. 1D, the platelets are then trapped between a base and a clear layer, suspending them above the surface they are applied to.
The holographic ink Flex Products used in the patent was used to create the holograms you find in $100 bills.
​
​
1995
In 1995, BASF began playing with the prism platelets in automotive paint.
​
BASF already had begun their program with Saleen Autosport, and were in talks with Ford Motor Company to provide paint products as well. BASF pitched the Mystic color to Ford, but Ford refused to buy it without seeing it on a car first.
Ford provided BASF with two 1995 Mustang GT convertibles, which were painted with the first test variant of Mystic.
Later in 1995, Saleen and BASF teamed up to build a one of a kind Mustang to give away to one lucky person.
This was 1995 Saleen S351 R-code Speedster #95-010. It was displayed at SEMA and the NACE auto shows with one of a kind wheels, seats and aerodynamic options on it. Sadly those parts did not come with the car when it was given away.
​
This was the first publicized car with the BASF Mystic paint on it. BASF also tested the same paint mix on a BMW motorcycle and several other household items.
1996
In early 1996, Ford finally decided to commission the build of a limited group of SVT Cobra Coupe's with Mystic paint.
​
The factory assembly line in Dearborn was stopped while all 1999 of the Mystic Cobra bodies were all painted at once. This was to reduce costs and wastes due to the high value of Mystic paint. Mystic #1 had been painted previously and was on tour as Ford's Press/Test car. It did not originally share the same formula Mystic as the other 1999 cars. It has since been repainted Mystic due to age and the bad condition it was found in.
​
Even though all 2000 of the Mystic Cobras were painted in order, their VIN numbers were not sequential. One 1996 Mystic Cobra was turned into Saleen S281 #96-0189
The painting process is a simple tri-coat process. The Cobras all started life as black coupe shells. Then the Mystic color coat was applied, then clear coat.
There is no actual color in the color coat of Mystic. The color you see is strictly created by the prism platelets within the coating. The reason you only see certain colors is because the paint was cut with a large amount of black toner, which cancelled out brighter coloring.
​
Stories we've all heard about government agents supervising repairs of Mystic Cobras during the late 90's and early 2000's are 100% true. There are multiple confirmations from painters, and owners of Mystics, that an official from either BASF, US Treasury, or the US Secret Service being in attendance. Those agents did supervise the painting process. When the process of painting the car was completed, those agents would help the painter clean up and all materials containing Mystic paint were placed inside a sealed container and shipped back to BASF.
The reason for this process is quite simple. They are preventing counterfeiting with money. At the time, Mystic paint in liquid form could be filtered and the prism platelets could be extracted to be used elsewhere. Once Mystic is dry and hard, the prism platelets can no longer be extracted.
Other Mystic Variants
2000
2004
In 2000, Ford created a new Mystic Cobra called the "Mystic Gold" Cobra. It was slated to be produced in coupe and convertible form, and was to have a more limited run than the 1996 Mystic Cobra. However, due to Ford's complications and recalls related to the 1999 SVT Cobra, the 2000 model year SVT Cobra was cancelled and Ford only produced the 2000 Cobra R of which 300 were made. The Mystic Gold concept car was rumored to be crushed sometime in 2016.
​
​
​
In 2004 Ford created a new Mystic called MystiChrome in their partnership with PPG. MystiChrome is not Mystic, it doesn't share the same prism platelets as BASF's Mystic, and reacts to light differently. The MystiChrome Cobra came with color matched seat inserts, steering wheel, and shifter boot that changed colors like the MystiChrome paint.
​
Unlike the 1996 model year, Ford or PPG did not monitor the use or resprays of MystiChrome because it does not share the same prism platelets that 1996 Mystic has. 1,010 MystiChrome Cobras were made in 2004, three of which were made into Saleen Mustangs.
Started life as #95-004 and was then converted SR Widebody #97-001
The first publicly owned Extreme Rainbow Saleen Mustang - Spent time in Sarasota, FL and in England. Now is located in Louisiana
1997 Saleen S281C Cobra Speedster #97-0173 The only Extreme Rainbow Convertible Cobra made in 1997
Was originally slated to be produced with the 2000 SVT Cobra line. Ford cancelled the 2000 Cobras and the Mystic Gold was never made public.
Extreme Ocean Saleen SR Widebody. The only new edge Mustang SR widebody made for the street.
2004 MystiChrome Cobra Coupe
Frequently Asked Questions
​
Question: Is Mystic a color changing paint?
Answer: Yes and No. Mystic doesn't actually have color in its paint. The colors we see are created by light refracting through the prism platelets in the paint layer.
​
Question: I thought there were only 1999 Mystic Cobras made in 1996?
Answer: It has been confirmed that Mystic #1 and Mystic #2000 indeed do exist. However, Mystic #1 was not supposed to reach public hands. It was a press/test car and slipped through Ford's fingers. That could account for the error in the build numbers.
​
Question: Were any 1996 Mystic Cobras converted by Saleen?
Answer: Yes, One. 1996 Mystic #1957 is 1996 Saleen Mustang Cobra #96-0189
​
Question: Were any convertible 1996 Mystic Cobras made?
Answer: No, all 2000 cars were Cobra Coupes. Ford originally was going to offer the 2000 Mystic Gold Cobra in both coupe and convertible, but that never happened because the 2000 SVT Cobra was never made. Only the 2000 Cobra R was made. Ford made convertibles and coupes in MystiChrome in 2004.
​
Question: Do other paint brand's Mystic colors match?
Answer: Some may, some may not. BASF has never released the formula for Mystic. No other company has been able to 100% duplicate it. They can get very close, but the paint process is also different.
​
​