Ford Mustang History

1964 1/2 Ford Mustang

April 17, The affordable sports car tradition begins after only 18 months of development. With a price tag of a mere $2,320.96, Mustang costs roughly half as much as a Chevrolet Corvette.

Interior "Luxury options" include: full-length center seat console, air conditioner, convertible with power-operated top, vinyl tonneau cover and deluxe wheel covers. With its abundance of optional equipment, it is easy to imagine a Mustang for every type of personality.

Powertrain options begin with a 170-cubic inch diameter (cid), single-barrel carbureted inline-six, which is a carryover from the Falcon. The strongest pulling of the five available blocks is the 260 cid V8.

March 11, Henry Ford II's nephew parades a pre-production black Mustang to lunch in downtown Detroit. Newsweek picks up the "unauthorized" disclosure. This becomes one of several clever public relations schemes.

Magazine ads appear, hinting at a first look at the groundbreaking Mustang: "The most exciting thing on TV tonight will be a commercial." During the 9 p.m. time slot, 29 million Americans watch the "unveiling."

Mustang preoccupies the public's attention at the World's Fair in Flushing Meadows. Later, the automotive press takes to the road in a Mustang tour from New York to Detroit.

An eager press corps assembles on the Empire State building observation deck for a reveal of the Mustang. To manage the feat, a Mustang is disassembled, freighted up a service elevator, and reassembled.

May 31, Mustang is the official Pace Car of the 48th Annual Indianapolis 500. of the 36 Wimbledon White Mustang convertibles employed at the Brickyard, three K-code 271-horsepower 289 cid V8s are prepared for the parade lap.

A yellow convertible becomes the first Mustang to appear on the big screen in "Goldfinger." Bond gives chase in an Aston Martin DB-5.

September, the Mustang 2+2 Fastback is introduced. Essentially a semi-fastback, the roofline tapers halfway across the decklid.

For purposes of clarity, it is useful to note that Ford never referred to Mustangs as "'64" or "'64 1/2" models. These designations are the work of collectors who seek to differentiate an early '65 from a late '65.

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