Happy 60th Anniversary Ford Mustang

[Dan Murphy]

I sure recall the Mustang introduction. Huge marketing budget. The base $2,368 base MSRP will stick in my mind forever. And the immense laundry list of options.

A good friend of mine, in '65, purchased (at my urging, I had the Ford Gslaxie 500 Police Intercrepter 330/390) the coupe with the 271 HP 289, 4speed, BRG. Both cars were screamers. Both my 330 and his 271 were significantly under rated for both insurance as well as drag strip classification purposes.

https://www.early-mustang.com/index.php/65-options

Pretty amazing to look back on.

And this was my car. Identical. Color, interior, police Intercrepter. OG how I wish I had that car today.

https://www.mecum.com/lots/243192/1964-ford-galaxie-500/

 

[Stratman50th]

Wow!

Were your fellow youths "jealous" of your Mustang "connection"?

I bet you had no problem getting the girls!lol

Very cool.

My car that I posted was my dad's car- one he owned and sold to me. Blood is not thicker than water although I only paid $500 for it in 1976. My high school gang was the car guys. Lots of fast cars in that group. We did run through a bunch of Mustangs. Galaxies, Falcons Thunderbirds. Had them all, but only for about a month or two then got a new one. Rinse and repeat.
The girls, I had a girlfriend all through high school so I never got to test the Mustang attraction function.

 

[WEDWDW]

My car that I posted was my dad's car- one he owned and sold to me. Blood is not thicker than water although I only paid $500 for it in 1976. My high school gang was the car guys. Lots of fast cars in that group. We did run through a bunch of Mustangs. Galaxies, Falcons Thunderbirds. Had them all, but only for about a month or two then got a new one. Rinse and repeat.
The girls, I had a girlfriend all through high school so I never got to test the Mustang attraction function.

Awesome!

What a fun High School experience that must have been!

And it is very true-the girls love the guys with the hot cars!

BABE MAGNETS.lol

 

[hertamaniac]

I think my 1968 was the only pre-current-generation style that had the indented tailights. I don't remember if it had sequential signals.

I also am not sure if it's folklore that the Mustang was supposed to be facing the opposite way in the front grill and never got corrected.

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

I was only 7 when the Mustang came out, but seems like every third or fourth neighbor had a 1965 or 1966 Mustang when I was growing up.

You weren't imagining things. The first few years of Mustang sold in incredible numbers.

Mustang Model Year	Total U.S. Sales
1964.5	121,538
1965	559,451
1966	607,568
1967	472,121
1968	317,404
1969	299,824
1970	191,239

Toyota sold 290k Camrys in 2023 for reference.

 

[tvguy]

You weren't imagining things. The first few years of Mustang sold in incredible numbers.

Mustang Model Year	Total U.S. Sales
1964.5	121,538
1965	559,451
1966	607,568
1967	472,121
1968	317,404
1969	299,824
1970	191,239

Toyota sold 290k Camrys in 2023 for reference.

And 544,000 Pintos in 1974 alone. I had one of those too and every third or fourth neighbor did too.

 

[tvguy]

I think my 1968 was the only pre-current-generation style that had the indented tailights. I don't remember if it had sequential signals.

I also am not sure if it's folklore that the Mustang was supposed to be facing the opposite way in the front grill and never got corrected.

1967 were indented also. Neither were sequential, only the Thunderbird in that era had those.

 

[John VN]

Yup, the most desirable Mustang engine. The K code. One of the local Mustang shops is restoring one right now with a budget of $125,000! Owner realizes even this desirable model won't be worth what he is spending, but he bought it new and it has a lot of sentimental value to him.
Mine is an A code, 225 horsepower 4 barrel, the "in between" 289, V8. A step up from the base C code 289 200 horsepower 2 barrel and a step down from the 271 horsepower K code. Here's mine.View attachment 852962

If you wanted a 289 WITH POWER, one of these would fit the bill. >>>

https://www.americanmusclecarmuseum.com/find-vehicles-by-engine/289+ci-alt-47-306+hp.html

As for myself, my 1968 GT350 Acapulco Blue SHELBY fit the bill. Not the muscle power BUT IMO, the best looking

 

[John VN]

1967 were indented also. Neither were sequential, only the Thunderbird in that era had those.

r.e. bold -- My 1968 SHELBY had the sequential also!!!!!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Shelby and Ford was a great match.

 

[hertamaniac]

1967 were indented also. Neither were sequential, only the Thunderbird in that era had those.

I think the 1967-8 Mercury Cougar had sequential lights too.

 

[Stratman50th]

I think the 1967-8 Mercury Cougar had sequential lights too.

Yup.

 

[John VN]

I think the 1967-8 Mercury Cougar had sequential lights too.

There was a slight difference in the tail light construction of '67 to the '68

My car but Black interior --

 

[hertamaniac]

There was a slight difference in the tail light construction of '67 to the '68

My car but Black interior --

Were any of the non-hood scoops functional? They probably aided in airflow, but that lower rear quarter panel might be used to aid with brake cooling?

My latest car does have functional air ducting to the brakes which I really like.

 

[_19disnA]

The car name 'Mustang' meant a 4 seat/sporty/small car to most people. It seems like Ford marketing is trying to tap into some of that popularity by recycling the name on some newer models. I don't consider an SUV to be the same as a sports car.

 

[John VN]

Were any of the non-hood scoops functional? They probably aided in airflow, but that lower rear quarter panel might be used to aid with brake cooling?

My latest car does have functional air ducting to the brakes which I really like.

Hood scoops/louvers were venting only with nothing to carb. Brake scoops behind doors were for show but upper scoops were venting functional.

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

Ran across this video about a month ago. Really cool to see a classic GT350 being used like this (warning NSFW language):

 

[WEDWDW]

The car name 'Mustang' meant a 4 seat/sporty/small car to most people. It seems like Ford marketing is trying to tap into some of that popularity by recycling the name on some newer models. I don't consider an SUV to be the same as a sports car.

Maybe they are calling it a Horse car.lol

 

[RangerPooh]

I’d love a 64.5. Had an 06 convertible for a few years, but wasn’t practical when you live in snowy areas.

My college boyfriend had an 84’ 20th anniversary edition convertible. His grandma bought a 64, brand new. She purchased the 84 that was later passed onto him.

 

[_19disnA]

I believe some of those other scoops were functional on the high performance models. I know that various hood scoops were functional particularly in the later models.