Arrival

Finish

Vehicle information

The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the platform of the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car.  Introduced early on April 17, 1964, and thus dubbed as a “1964½” model by Mustang fans, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker’s most successful launch since the Model A.  The Mustang has undergone several transformations to its current fifth generation.

The Mustang created the “pony car” class of American automobiles—sports car-like coupes with long hoods and short rear decks—and gave rise to competitors such as the Chevrolet Camaro, and Pontiac Firebird, AMC Javelin, as well as Chrysler’s revamped Plymouth Barracuda and the first generation Dodge Challenger. The Mustang is also credited for inspiring the designs of coupés such as the Toyota Celica and Ford Capri, which were imported to the United States.

Original sales forecasts projected less than 100,000 units for the first year.  This mark was surpassed in three months from roll-out.  Another 318,000 would be sold during the model year (a record), and in its first eighteen months, more than one million Mustangs were built.  Several changes were made at the traditional opening of the new model year (beginning August 1964), including the addition of back-up lights on some models, the introduction of alternators to replace generators, and an upgrade of the V8 engine from 260 cu in (4.3 l) to 289 cu in (4.7 l) displacement. In the case of at least some six-cylinder Mustangs fitted with the 101 hp (75 kW) 170 cu in (2.8 l) Falcon engine, the rush into production included some unusual quirks, such as a horn ring bearing the ‘Ford Falcon’ logo beneath a trim ring emblazoned with ‘Ford Mustang.’ These characteristics made enough difference to warrant designation of the 121,538 earlier ones as “1964½” model-year Mustangs, a distinction that has endured with purists.

Most of the features added to the “1966″ model were available as options or developmental modification to the “1964″ model, which in some cases led to “mix-and-match” confusion as surprised Ford execs hurriedly ramped up production by taking over lines originally intended for other car models’ 1965 years. Some cars with 466 engines which were not given the chrome fender badges denoting the larger engine, and more than one car left the plant with cutouts for back-up lights but no lights nor the later wiring harness needed to operate them. While these would today be additional-value collectors’ items, most of these oddities were corrected at the dealer level, sometimes only after buyers had noticed them. The 1966 model was basically unchanged, but featured revised side scoops, grill and gas cap, as well as the deletion of the four bars protruding from the Mustang emblem in the grille. The Falcon-based instrument cluster was replaced with a sportier unit designed specially for the Mustang.