Car clubs like the Mid-Florida Mustang Club typically have a regular show calendar each year. Traditionally, this club hosts its annual Ford & Mustang Roundup show early in the year, but when the Mustang Club of America comes calling with a National Show, those plans change. Such was the case this year, though it was a long time in the making, as the Mid-Florida Mustang Club hosted the Mustangs at Dezerland show in Orlando, Florida, from April 4-6, 2025. We headed over to pick our favorite Mustangs.

Winning any award at any MCA National Show is a true accomplishment… — Jim Lane, Mid-Florida Mustang Club

“In 2013, we co-hosted a National show called ‘Mustangs at the Mickyard.’ Although it was a huge success behind the scenes, it was extremely difficult to coordinate all of the logistics and last-minute changes at the venue. It took us an entire decade to decide to host another National show…” MCA Regional Director for the Mid-Florida Mustang Club Jim Lane recalled. “A lot of our hesitation is simply securing an affordable location. Orlando is called the ‘Vacation Capital of the World’ for a reason. It is always busy and never needs to cut prices to fill an event location or rooms. Dezerland, being a themed car museum and collection destination, began having various car and truck shows in the back parking area. Therefore, we started asking questions to management. They seemed to be on board, and after some negotiating, the MCA awarded MFMC the first of four National shows in 2025.”

The Mustangs at Dezerland show received support from a range of sponsors, including National Parts Depot and VMP Performance.

Having attended the Roundup show in the past, we were excited to see what the new show format and venue had in store. While the show offered a display-only class, the judged cars were limited to only 400 entries, which were only open to MCA members. Moreover, the show is much more structured than a local club event.

“…We had 29 states and Ontario, Canada present at Dezerland. Even though we have 300-350 cars at our local show in Longwood, it is completely different. Longwood trophies are not approved by legal teams, just our MFMC board,” Lane explained. “Logistically, we have to plan for over 100-plus trailers and rigs to be parked for three to four days in an area that must be secured versus maybe half a dozen trailers lined up on a closed street for the day. The public must be restricted from parking or driving through the show field for insurance liability either during or after show hours…”

Meanwhile, the new venue was in the parking lot adjacent to the Orlando Auto Museum, which houses more than 2,000 vehicles valued at $200 million. They are displayed across 20 themed rooms, including those named Americana, Hot Rods, Thunderbird Lounge, and more.

Located along the famed tourist trail, International Drive, in Orlando, the venue offered nearby attractions beyond the museum as well as numerous other dining and entertainment options for families to enjoy while Mustang fans soaked in the glory of the beautiful pony cars on display across the three days of the show, and winning an award at this show is something special because of the fastidious nature of the judging.

“For instance, Concours classes have 18 pages of detailed information that must be checked. It takes about 1.5 to 2 hours per car for three judges to complete. Interior, engine, undercarriage, every part, fastener, and finish is scrutinized,” Lane explained. “Winning any award at any MCA National Show is a true accomplishment. Experts have literally gone over and through your car to achieve these awards. A Gold award at an MCA National puts your car at a level that is equivalent to the ‘Best of the Best’ in the country!”

We spent a sunny Florida Saturday checking out all the cars on display. However, our process of picking our favorites to share with you was far less comprehensive and much more subjective. We ended up choosing 11 standout stallions.

It was a great day, and the MCA show was a unique experience, but the club will get back to its regular schedule next year.

“The City of Longwood has been fantastic to us, and we will be returning in 2026,” Lane added. “Our Ford and Mustang Roundup is Saturday, February 7, 2026, in Longwood.”

Until the Mid-Florida Mustang Club returns with its traditional show, check out our favorites from this show…

Export Bullitt

While it only offered incremental performance enhancements over the Mustang GT of its era, the 2008 Mustang Bullitt leveraged the retro style of the S197 platform to embrace and celebrate the legacy of the 1968 Ford Mustang GT that starred in the Bullitt film’s iconic chase scene. This example, owned by Chris DeCesare, was born in the USA but shipped to Germany via a military purchasing program. He picked it up when it returned to the States in 2014, and it still looks like it was freshly loaded and ready to show that Charger its taillights.

Modular-Swapped Classic

Driving a 1965 Mustang convertible always sounds like a good time, but it’s even more fun when there is a Four-Valve 4.6-liter V8 engine under the hood. That’s just the combination that Bob Heslekrantz put together. His red and white ride is also reliable, as it has been on Power Tour five times, which is why the 2005 Mustang seats come in handy for a comfortable ride, as does the Perfect Fit air conditioning system.

King of the Road

Your scribe has fond memories of the Shelby GT500KR from the S197 era. Having driven the base GT500, it was love at first power shift when that supercharged 5.4-liter thrust hit the back tires. It was great fun in a straight line, but the subsequent King of the Road special edition showed that there was hope of making the front-heavy muscle machine into a respectable all-around performer courtesy of its revised suspension and aerodynamics. They even featured a free-flowing intake and fresh calibration that unlocked a bit more power, which topped out at 540 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque. Rick Carter’s 2009 KR looks factory fresh and brought us right back to the fun of wheeling one around Miller Motorsports Park in Utah.

Bad Mach 1

It’s a bold move when you proclaim your ride as “Bad Ass,” but in the instance of this red Mach 1, it is pretty accurate. The lightly resto-modded classic walks the walk with an of-the-era look on the outside. Under the hood, the small-block wears plenty of performance upgrades and shiny bits that give it a more modern flair. If you are going to an MCA show expecting to see all stockers and concours restorations, this Mach 1 — and many of the other rides we saw — dispels that myth.

SN-95 Snake

Your scribe once owned a Paxton Novi 2000-supercharged, Chrome Yellow 1998 SVT Mustang Cobra. It was the one that got away. Sold to fund the next project, it left a soft spot for these high-revving snakes behind. Scott Stewart’s Bright Atlantic Blue example looks like it could have rolled right off the assembly line, and it took your author back to some of his glory days in the blink of an eye.

Hemi 521

You can tell we were enjoying the restomods at the Dezerland MCA show, and this is another example. At first, it was the stripe emblazoned with Hemi 521 that caught our attention. Under the hood is a fuel-injected big-block stroked to 521 cubes. This combination blends the brutal torque of old-school muscle with the driveability of modern performance cars, so it must be a blast to drive.

RetroBullitt

At first glance, you might see this as another classic Mustang modified to resemble the 1968 Mustang from the Bullitt movie. It turns out that under its classic visage is an S197 that Ford built to celebrate the Bullitt legacy. That’s right, this is a 2008 Mustang Bullitt retrofitted with a classic body. Owners Chuck and Renee Heath say it is the only one of its kind, and they have driven it to 48 states and 17 Mustang Club of America shows, so its Three-Valve 4.6-liter engine is a durable powerplant.

Roush Warrior

If you aren’t familiar with the ROUSH Warrior package, it’s not a surprise. It was only available for sale to members of the military stationed overseas. This 2016 example is one of only 45 built in that model year and is owned by Rick and Mandy Carter. Not still stock, it sports several aftermarket upgrades, including a PMAS cold-air intake, a McLeod RXT clutch, a MagnaFlow exhaust, and more.

Coyote-Swapped Mach 1

This Grabber Green 1970 Mustang is owned by Steve and Dale Garai. Under its hood is a Gen 2 Coyote showcased in a sanitary engine compartment. With a front suspension that eschews shock towers, its inner fenders were replaced with vented billet panels that frame the 5.0-liter engine, which emphasizes the modern powerplant. The engine is mated to a TREMEC T-56 six-speed manual transmission, so this restomod is sure to put a grin on the driver’s face.

Street Cobra Jet

Much to the delight of racers and fans, Ford Performance resurrected the Mustang Cobra Jet in 2008. Amid the S197 platform’s retrotastic era, the factory-prepped drag racer was a sought-after machine. It, however, was not street-legal. The car you see here is Ronald Semple’s street-going 2008 Shelby GT500, made to resemble the straight-line superstar, and we are here for it. Under the hood, its 5.4-liter Modular engine is upgraded with a Trinity TVS supercharger and a JLT cold-air intake, which gives it the extra boost to walk the walk that its exterior talks.

Big-Block Build

One vehicle that stood out amongst a sea of beautiful stallions was William Lawton’s striking red restomod. He bought this Mustang as his first car off a used car lot when he was just 15 years old, and except for several years while he was in the Navy and a friend held the title, he has owned it since. About a decade ago, he set out to customize what had become a beat-up base Mustang into the machine he always dreamed of owning. These days, it is powered by a John Kaase-built big-block and puts the 606-rear-wheel horsepower down with a complete TCI suspension. He says it drives like a dream, but he resists driving it every day to ensure it stays in great shape. We’ll go into this righteous restomod deeper in the future, but for now, just enjoy the fruits of Lawton’s labor of love.

Since choosing your favorite Mustangs is such a subjective thing, the cars we targeted might not be your style. As such, you can check out the gallery below to see if other cars from the show are more to your liking.