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Muscle Parts is a Ford Motor Company / Autolite performance-oriented program from 1968-1970 that emphasized automotive performance parts through Ford dealership parts departments. In addition to Ford performance parts sales, the Muscle Parts program emphasized high-performance by holding performance clinics at numerous dealerships in which Ford Drag Team and other racers would visit the dealerships with their race cars and talk to groups, show a film on the Muscle Parts program and answer questions. A variety of Muscle Parts printed materials and display items were created by Ford / Autolite for showroom and merchandising / retail use as well as items customers could purchase. The Muscle Parts display items were displayed in showrooms alongside Ford's The Performance Corner showroom themed displays of 1969 and 1970.
The Muscle Parts program is comprehensively outlined in a binder titled the Muscle Parts Dealer Plans Book which covers its various facets. This binder was an internal use item for Ford dealers that participated in this program. A limited number of these binders survive.
The Muscle Parts Ford Dealership retail display items included a Muscle Parts decal for the Parts Department window or door, a wall clock, large day-glo colored posters, several smaller posters and a large wooden pegboard Ford HI-PERFORMANCE parts display. Retail Muscle Parts items included decals, bumper stickers, performance clinic printed material and 3 magazine style informational booklets known as the Muscle Parts Story and supplements 1 and 2.
The Muscle Parts performance automotive parts were offered individually or as staged kits in the Muscle Parts Story booklets and were available through parts departments.
Muscle Parts items are considered coveted collectibles among Ford performance enthusiasts, most notably Mustang owners and collectors and those recreating vintage Ford showroom displays for high end collections and museums.
As the muscle car era started winding down in 1971 due to insurance, emission and political concerns, the Muscle Parts program was discontinued.