Promotional studio shot of a 1964 Ford Mustang, 1964.
This first series of the popular pony car is generally referred to as "1964 1/2 Mustangs" because they were not rolled out in October 1963 with the rest of the new 1964 Ford cars.
When a Mustang was displayed at a stock car race in Alabama, 9,000 fans surged over the retaining wall for a look, delaying the race almost an hour.
In Seattle a cement truck driver passing a Ford dealership turned to gawk at the Mustang, lost control of his truck and crashed into the showroom.
The car's styling captured the exuberant youth culture of America in the early 1960s — and its $2,368 price tag made it affordable to the horde of baby boomers just reaching driving age or heading off to college. That price was for the basic six-cylinder engine, but buyers could add extra-cost (and handsomely profitable) options, including an automatic transmission, air conditioning, convertible top and a 289-cubic-inch V8 engine.
American popular culture was gaining global reach in the early 1960s, and the Mustang went along for the ride. Over the years, Mustang clubs were established in more than 150 nations, many of which opposed America's policies but admired its lifestyle.
The car's styling captured the exuberant youth culture of America in the early 1960s — and its $2,368 price tag made it affordable to the horde of baby boomers just reaching driving age or heading off to college. That price was for the basic six-cylinder engine, but buyers could add extra-cost (and handsomely profitable) options, including an automatic transmission, air conditioning, convertible top and a 289-cubic-inch V8 engine.
American popular culture was gaining global reach in the early 1960s, and the Mustang went along for the ride. Over the years, Mustang clubs were established in more than 150 nations, many of which opposed America's policies but admired its lifestyle.
