Ford Mustang hit American roads way back on April 17th, 1964. Back in those days, Mustangs were often referred to as pony cars because of their compact size and sporty look. Though the Mustang has changed dramatically over the years, it is still a “heartthrob” car for many admirers and collectors.
On the day the Mustang was released, Ford sold 22,000 models. By April 17, 1965, 418,812 Mustangs had hit American roads. Ford had to catch up with this unexpected demand for the Mustang by mass-producing one million Mustangs in the first year and half of its birth.
The early “Pony” cars:
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1964 saw two models of the Mustang: the coupe, and a convertible (which had a longer hood and shorter rear deck). Buyers had options like 3 and 4 speed, automatic transmission and rear-end gear ratios. The ‘wall to wall’ interior, a sports car steering wheel, and floor mounted shifter were other unique features that no owner wanted to do without.
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In 1965, Ford introduced a new fastback model, with 120 horsepower, 6 cylinder engine, the unique ‘pony interior’ with special seat covers, door panels with armrests, pistol grip door handles, wood grain appliqué and many other innovative features.
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1966 saw only a few changes in the Mustang, but production in this year reached 607,568 units.
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1967 Mustangs were bigger in size with a wider body and a 320 horsepower engine.
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More interior and exterior embellishments like AM/FM stereo and rear window defogger upgraded the 1968 Mustangs. Total production was 317,404 units.
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1969 was the year of the “Boss”. Mustang E, Mustang Mach I and Mustang Boss 302 and 429 were all released to the public this year.
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In 1971, Mustang Boss 302 and 429 were replaced by Mustang Boss 351. A total of 149,678 Mustangs were produced in 1971.
V8 engines powered the first generation of Mustangs, but in 1975 a more fuel-efficient version, the 302 CID V8 MPG Stallion, hit the roads. This Mustang captured attention in the eighties and the nineties with its larger trunk, engine bay and refurbished interior. By then, the body style also changed from hatchback to coupe.
The fifth generation Mustang GT appears with an aluminum block 4.6L modular V8 and a Tremec T-5 5-speed manual/automatic transmission, while retaining the original external accessories.
Though this original pony car has had its share of competition from the Chevy Camaro, Dodge Challenger, and the Plymouth Barracuda, it remains the only pony car to have had more than 5 decades of uninterrupted production.
Are you the owner of a classic Pony car? If so, is yours sufficiently protected? Many classic car owners don’t have the proper protection secured for their collector cars, and as a result, they can suffer huge losses when it comes to damage, accidents or natural disasters.
Give Classic Auto Insurance a call today for information on how we can give you the proper coverage for your car, based on a customized muscle car insurance plan!
Sources:
http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/showroom/1965/pr1.html
http://classicponycars.com/
http://mustangs.about.com/od/modelyearprofiles/a/1967-profile.htm
http://www.carid.com/ford-mustang-accessories/
About the Author
Drew Yagodnik is Vice President of Classic Automobile Insurance Agency, Inc. Classic Automobile Insurance Agency has been protecting collector, classic and exotics since 1992.
