Ford's Mustangs, an American Motoring IconFord Mustang history, classic Mustang pictures and Mustang collectibles. The Ford Mustang is one of the all time great American sports cars. It was sporty, attractive and fun to drive and it was a huge success, a winner on the track and in the sales room. Lee Iacocca, Ford’s dynamic young engineer turned salesman, boss of the Ford division, was the “father” of the Ford Mustang. During his time as sales manager people had begged for the return of the Thunderbird. Iacocca pushed the Ford Board for a sporty car, finally and reluctantly they agreed to build one. In 1962 the buying public was teased with a mid-engined V-4 concept car. Another non-production car based closely on the prototype Mustang was shown in 1963. It was so well received Ford decided to go into production, starting in 1964. The Mustang became a four-seater because the Chev Corvette dominated the two-seater market, and as well European two-seaters were available in the USA. Mustangs For All Tastes
In 1964, when the car first came out, there was a hardtop coupe and a convertible, with a fastback available later in the year. The options list was impressive. There was a choice of engines to satisfy almost anyone, from a comparatively mild 2.8-liter (171 cu in) straight six of 101 bhp up to a 4.7 liter (287 cu in) 271 bhp V-8. Buyers could have automatic or manual transmissions, sports handling packages, and optional disc front brakes. Extra instruments were available. Some people still weren’t satisfied though. Carroll Shelby (of AC Cobra fame) went a step further with an officially sanctioned muscle car development based on the fastback. His car, the Mustang GT 350, had a 350 bhp V-8, an upgraded suspension, and a limited slip diff. It was faster, noisier, and more exciting than the standard Ford Mustang. A minor restyle occurred in 1966 and some bigger engines were fitted. The Shelby muscle car became the GT500 with a massive 7 liter (428 cu in) V-8 under the hood. The “Boss”, the standard Ford muscle Mustang, had the famous 429 cu in V-8 where 0-60 mph took just 5.9 seconds. A Real WinnerAs well as being affordable and enjoyable to drive the Ford Mustang was a race and rally winner. Mustangs won the Tour de France in 1964, coming first and second. They were used in TransAm racing and European Saloon Car racing, and they won hundreds of other races around the world.
There were 22,000 orders the first day, 418,000 were sold the very first year, and one million sold by 1966. Almost 3 million Mustangs were sold between 1964 and 1973. The Fat Sets InUnfortunately the Ford Mustang followed the same route as the Thunderbird. Ford’s attractive and sporty cars both gained weight and lost their looks after a few years. The Mustang stayed basically the same until 1968, but the 1969 car moved upmarket and became longer and bulkier. Performance was kept high with the hot Boss and Mach 1 models. The Shelby Mustang stopped production in 1970 though.Sales were dropping, partly because of the move away from the original Mustang concept, and partly because other car manufacturers were bringing out their own “pony” cars. The Economy MustangThe world’s first energy crisis hit in 1973 and the days of motoring monsters was temporarily over. The Mustang II based on the Pinto was brought out, smaller than the first Falcon based Mustang in both body size and engine size. Engines available were a 2.3 liter (140 cu in) four-cylinder or a 2.8 liter (171 cu in) V-6. No V-8! They didn’t look as good or go as good but they sold well. Like the original 1964 Mustang they were right for the times. But unlike the originals they'll never be a classic.The 302 V-8 came back in 1975, but by then sales of the Mustang II were sliding. Mustangs Get Better1979 saw a more desirable Ford Mustang based on the “Fox” chassis used for the Fairmont. The Mustang was fun again!Handling was improved with the light weight of the car, MacPherson struts, rack and pinion steering and optional radial tires. Optional handling packages improved it even more. Engines ranged from the 2.3 liter (140 cu in) OHC to a turbocharged version of that engine or a 302 cu in V-8 called the 5.0 liter. Ford is still using both the Thunderbird and Mustang names with modern sports cars for twenty-first century buyers. However, the classic '64-'68 Ford Mustangs will always be among the most desirable and collectable Mustangs ever. Return from Ford Mustang to Ford Pictures and Articles |
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