The Forty-Five Plus Year Legacy Of The Ford Mustang

Walt Disney introduced “It’s a Small World” in 1964 at the Worlds Fair in New York City. While thousands of people floated in the little boats through this attraction to hear children singing the theme song that sticks in your head forever there was something else going on at the fair. One day in April, at that same fair, Ford Motor Company was making their own introduction, the new, 1965 Ford Mustang. Both of these traditions now have a forty-five year history.

Ford did not expect the Mustang to be so popular. Overnight, over 2500 newspapers presented positive reviews of the vehicle. Sales took off like a rocket. Only Ford’s first Model “A” has ever exceeded initial sales. At Ford dealers across the nation people lined up to pay out $2368 in order to own a ford Mustang. In order to keep prices low, Ford had borrowed parts from other cars already in production, notably the Falcon and Fairlane. The Falcon parts were used the most. The framework as well as the 100 horsepower motor came from this car. Even the first Mustang horn ring had the Falcon symbol molded into its lower edge. Ford set VIN numbers to 1965, although collectors now refer to these first Mustangs as 1964 1/2. A 1964 1/2 Mustang currently has an appraised value of over thirty thousand dollars.

The body of the Mustang has changed throughout the years, yet it is still easy to spot a Mustang. The characteristic grill and side swoop make the vehicle easily recognizable.

Trying to copy Ford’s success, other automakers quickly brought out their own version of the “Pony car.” The main characteristic of each was the large hood in comparison to the small trunk.

Research had shown Ford that cars had become too large for many women drivers by 1960. Remember that this was before power steering was common. Ford’s first answer was the Falcon, the first American compact car. Designers of the Mustang wanted to build a car that had appeal for both men and women. The design did so well that the Falcon production ended in 1970.

In the years after the first introduction of the Mustang, the models became progressively larger. In response to the fans of the original Mustang, Ford introduced the Mustang II in 1984. This Mustang was smaller but heavier than the original Mustang. The additional weight was due to the newly required anti-pollution devices required on vehicles. Due to this weight, the Mustang II was severely underpowered.

Fans of the original Mustang complained and in 1984, Ford listened and produced the Mustang II. The Mustang II was smaller than the Mustang introduced at the World’s Fair, but due to new federal regulations on air pollution actually weighed more than the original. Ford had included a smaller engine resulting in an underpowered car.

If you buy a new Mustang today, the base price is somewhat more than the price of the original. Base price for a 2010 Mustang is approximately twenty-one thousand dollars, and a fully accessorized model may cost as much as thirty-two thousand dollars.

In its forty-five year history, the Ford Mustang has seen many changes. The vehicle continues to be on of Ford’s best sellers.