Ford is suing companies for use of Mustang name?

[sixtynine Mach]

I just watched a clip of this weeks web episode of mustang tv on dish network. Here is great tv for us mustang enthusiasts and I wonder what's going to happen to them. The show is called mustang tv and their web address is www.mustangtv.com. Who's next?

 

[bnickel]

Do they not realize that the cars are rolling billboards advertising the mustang brand? If we stop driving or restoring them they lose all that free exposure. Again, the exposure of their brand and heritage is coming at no cost to them!

Let's take this a little further. Will our cars become worthless and unsellable because they contain aftermarket parts? Eg: Will a Shelby clone on ebay have to be pulled because a clone will be considered an unauthourized, illegal counterfeit? If the signage, buisiness cards, packaging and paperwork have to be surrendered to Ford or Shelby, then do gas caps, badges, wheel covers, etc. that contained the name when sold by these vendors have to be returned?

actually there was a shelby clone that had to be pulled from Ebay because 'ol Shel didn't like seeing a clone go for big money and he told ebay that they needed to pull the ad due to copyright infringement.

 

[jikelly]

Has Ford made any response to our letters yet? We need to get this in one of the major auto magazines. Ford can and should license the use of Mustang to Mustangs Plus.

 

[zookeeper]

I emailed them a fairly courteous letter over a week ago and even though their site promised all questions would be answered within 3 business days, I have yet to hear from them. I simply mentioned my concerns and ended with an honest question asking what would be gained by this lawsuit. After all, there is always two sides to every story, right? It doesn't really matter, if this lawsuit goes through I will put my car on ebay immediately and use the money to build a '70 Challenger.I refuse to be so brand loyal that I would drive any product ever made by a company so short-sighted they screw the grass-roots guys like you and me. FYI, for non-Mopar guys, did you know that Diamler-Chrysler licenses lots of quality aftermarket stuff for resto and hotrodding Mopars? Check out some of the stuff made by Magnum Force Racing, they make K-members that allow hemis to be installed in all sorts of Mopars as well as rack and pinion kits, etc and as far as I know it's all "official" Mopar-licensed.

 

[rsev216]

Response

Has Ford made any response to our letters yet? We need to get this in one of the major auto magazines. Ford can and should license the use of Mustang to Mustangs Plus.

I wrote directly to Bill Ford. About 10 days ago I received a form letter acknowledging my letter and saying it would be forwarded to the appropriate department for consideration.

I suspect that Ford is being quiet because they are getting overwhelmed by the grass roots response and don't know how to handle it. All of the emails and letters are probably getting a lot of attention at the top. Since this represents a big cash cow for the law firm, I would expect a big fight from the lawyers to continue but, hopefully, the people looking out for Ford will see the foolishness of their tactics.

I am not ready to jump ship. I am still hopeful that Ford will do the right thing. Given the same circumstances, I'm sure GM and Chrysler's lawyers would take the same approach. After all, it was GM that drove Tucker out of business for trying to build an innovative car.

 

[Jester67]

I have seen articles in Mustangs and Ford and Mustang Monthly on this but with out much of a fuss. I think this is BS and I intend to buy my parts only form the companies that choose to fight this in support of their efforts. And I no longer intend to buy a new ford product when the time comes to retire my current daily driver. And I was so hoping to have a 07 to go with the 67 come on Ford get your head out of your fifth point of contact.

 

[jikelly]

I was surprised that a post similar to this wasn't at the top of every forum on stangnet. It's a big deal to me, but I don't really think most newer mustang owners are too concerned.

I was thinking about this and wondering if Ford is concerned that the classic mustang hobby is taking business away from them. Someone like me who's got a classic, and loves it, might not wish to shell out the dough for a new 25,000 mustang when he or she could spend 5,000 and make theirs like brand new. Maybe that's why they want to weeken our suppliers and sever their ties with the mustang community.

I wonder if the lawyers will contact stangnet about their name?

The guys on the VMF are talking about covering all ford/mustang badges on their cars with painters tape or somthing and writing censored over them. I think it might get Fords attention if it gets into one of the mags like that.

 

[2000xp8]

Considering "mustang" was originally the name of a horse, maybe ford should be sued for stealing that.

Either that or all thes mustang shops should sell horse supplies too. That will fix them.

 

[CochinoFilipino]

Before anyone switches loyalties to Chevy. Beware that they're doing the samething. This is a letter sent out to a customer of 'Chevy Duty' who sells truck parts.

I stole this image from a post in 67-72chevytrucks.com

 

[mdjay]

Jumping ship just hurts the very people Ford is going after. I agree to wait this out and see where it all goes before slamming the door. We're all hoping this is just an over zealous attorney overstepping his bounds.

FYI on trademarks. The word Mustang can be registered under certain classes of commerce. In the auto world, Ford does own the mark. They have just very loosly protected it for 40 years. In the world of trademarks, this would constitute public domain if you do not protect it. However this is Ford we're talking about and it doesn't matter if they're wrong or right, a small company will get squashed trying to fight that big of a ship! One would just have to step out of their way.

If you try to fight, and Ford wins a judgement against you, they can close your doors. Furthermore, it sets a presidence in the courts and future judgements will more than likely go their way!

 

[reenmachine]

Jumping ship just hurts the very people Ford is going after. I agree to wait this out and see where it all goes before slamming the door. We're all hoping this is just an over zealous attorney overstepping his bounds.

I agree, and I do not intend to jump ship from the Mustang world. I just intend to jump ship from the world of the other Ford vehicles in my life -- work truck, family car, etc.

And you can continue on as "mdjay"...we just won't let them know what the "m" stands for!

 

[pabear89]

Seems that the Big Auto makers are joining forces with some of the Political Tree huggers trying to ban the older cars from the road. (well in Cali anyway) By reintroducing the Muscle Car styling from the past that made driving fun, They are attempting to increase sales.
But with all the Classic's being pulled out of barns and junk yards and being Restored or Restomoded they are missing out on some of the dollors being spent.
So they have set out to slim down the aftermarket or repopper that are making or selling the parts that we are spending our money on.
With the hopes that we will buy one of their new plastic disposable recycled tin cans with parts made in a overseas country but somewhat assembled here cars.

Sorry you Big Corp auto makers have just shot yourself in the foot.
You all must have been hunting with the VP.

PB

 

[Jester67]

So what’s next changing the floor mats in the car will void the warranty. Haven forbid you even think of changing the wheels that will for fit your right to own there car and you will have to pay to have it scraped. Come on this is out of hand after all how popular would the 05 have been if there where no classics on the road that all of these people wished they had. It is the classic that and the even Eleanor that spawned the creation of the 05 in the first place

 

[CatmanJJ]

Makes me wanna shave the word "Mustang" off my rear bumper.

 

[timeless2]

Ford needs to go after the horse as well.

http://www.imh.org/imh/bw/mustang.html

http://www.mustang-horses.org/mustang-horses-management.htm

http://www.mustangs4us.com/mustang4.htm

http://www.mustangs4us.com/adopt_a_mustang.htm

http://www.wildhorsepreservation.com/

Hmmm, it seems the actual horse was around long before the car. Who needs to sue who?

They will have a fun fight on their hands, given all the organizations that support the horse itself:

• U.S. Public Interest Research Group
• Humane Society of the United States
• International Ecotourism Society
• Center for Environmental Education and Information
• American Wild Horse Sanctuary (Return to Freedom)
• Old West Living History Foundation
• American Humane Association
• Heritage Discovery Center
• Wild Horse Observers Association
• Public Lands For Public Use
• American Horse Defense Fund
• Equine Tourism
• Wild Horse & Burro Freedom Alliance
• Utah Environmental Congress
• Wild Horse Preservation League
• American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
• Int’l Society for the Protection of Mustangs & Burros
• Society for Animal Protective Legislation
• The Cloud Foundation
• Forest Guardians
• National Horse Protection Coalition
• American Mustang and Burro Association
• Vaquero Heritage Foundation
• Wild Horse Spirit
• Equine Advocates
• International Fund for Horses
• WindFlyers Mustang Sanctuary
• Living Legends Magazine
• Wild Hearts Horse Fund
• Animals Voice
• Colonial Spanish Horse
• Cascadia Wildlands Project
• Wild Burro Rescue & Preservation Project
• National Student Horse Protection Coalition

 

[CatmanJJ]

The horse should sue Ford.

 

[jikelly]

Could we do a class action suit against Ford for undostress caused by our anguish over the possible closure of mustang parts supply dealers?

 

[samishii]

Ya know what that tells me? Ford is getting money desperate for some reason.
They also don't seem to respect their customer base.

 

[zookeeper]

Jumping ship just hurts the very people Ford is going after. I agree to wait this out and see where it all goes before slamming the door. We're all hoping this is just an over zealous attorney overstepping his bounds.

FYI on trademarks. The word Mustang can be registered under certain classes of commerce. In the auto world, Ford does own the mark. They have just very loosly protected it for 40 years. In the world of trademarks, this would constitute public domain if you do not protect it. However this is Ford we're talking about and it doesn't matter if they're wrong or right, a small company will get squashed trying to fight that big of a ship! One would just have to step out of their way.

If you try to fight, and Ford wins a judgement against you, they can close your doors. Furthermore, it sets a presidence in the courts and future judgements will more than likely go their way!

I'm no lawyer, but I really don't agree with not at least putting up a decent arguement. Big or small, doesn't the plaintiff have to prove that they suffered a loss or at least show willfull deciept on the part of the aftermarket vendors? The aftermarket has done nothing wrong in the least and you stand to lose the most, so why not go down swinging? Don't think for a second that Ford hasn't overstepped their territory in the past to get what they want. You know the name Cobra? Ford used the name even though it was a trademarked name long before Shelby wanted the name. It was used by some obscure company to described their copper brazing technique. By using "CO" from copper and "BRA" from brazing, they formed the word "COBRA" and trademarked the name. Ford looked into it and seeing the company hadn't aggressively protected it, they sort of "squatted" on it and used it as their own, eventually trademarking it as their own. As far as "jumping ship" I have never owed anyone anything in my hobbies, but I see no reason to show loyalty to Ford, who treats my passion with so little regard. I work very hard for my money and to spend it building an image for self serving companies like Ford would be hypocritical.

 

[samishii]

I wonder if anyone with any name that relates to anything Ford brand will be sued for stealing their products name?