TAYLOR, Mich. - One way that enthusiasts get an invitation to see a private collection of Mustangs is “to know somebody” – and yet another might be to be a member of your local Mustang club. Lucky for us, both apply in the case of touring Mike Berardi’s personal “MotorCity Mustangs” collection. Mike served as Global Director for Ford Service Engineering Operations for a solid 34 years before retiring to become a full-time Ford enthusiast based around the much-loved Mustang. In fact, Mike has more than 75 examples of the proud pony car in a private warehouse just outside of FoMoCo’s HQ in Dearborn, Michigan.
Berardi is not only an avid Mustang collector, but he also restores, races, and rebuilds many types of Ford vehicles. During the summer months, Mike and his wife, Sue, both race S197 Mustangs at Michigan tracks such as Gingerman Raceway and attend many Ford and Mustang events throughout the Midwest in one of Berardi’s restored Ford “Good Humor” Ice Cream trucks. Just a few of his favorites include the Woodward Dream Cruise, MOCSEM’s Mustang Memories All-Ford show, and the Ford Employee car show, just to name a few. On the resto side, Mike always has something in his collection to tinker with, with many of his project cars being placed up on lifts so as not to take up too much floor space in his facility.
From the Mustang Indianapolis 500 Pace Cars to many late-model high-performance variants, Berardi has just about every Mustang year on display – including SVT Cobra R’s, the Mustang, Maverick and Pinto “Sprint” models from 1972 and even the “Stallion” trio from 1976. Want in on seeing Mike’s eclectic collection? If you happen to be a member of the Detroit-area’s Mustang Owners Club of SouthEastern Michigan (MOCSEM), then you’re in luck! Mike recently became president of this mega-club and says he’ll continue to schedule a private tour for club members and friends who visit the area in August during Woodward week. Ask any MOCSEM member why they attend the annual tour, and they’ll tell you it’s to hear Mike’s own stories behind each and every car he owns.
We were lucky to have one of our favorite photojournalists, Joe Deladvitch, attend last summer’s tour of Berardi’s private collection, and we asked if Joe would share a few of his favorite photos from that visit for you. Check out his photo gallery below and then check the club page www.mocsem.com for info on the club’s latest adventures.
FORD RACING PHOTOS / COURTESY JOE DELADVITCH
